A question about cats & tortoises

Gabriela

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Hi everyone,

I read the thread today about dogs and torts, and what can happen if they are left alone together. Aka Dogs & Torts don't mix. Is it the same with cats, because I have two. I am due to get my first tort on saturday. I have an enclosure ready for him that that has a lid. Are cats violent with torts?
 

DayDreamer

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RE: A question about cats.

Cats are hunters so the same would apply. Make sure the lid is tight fitted, and the cats cant get to it.
my cat wont even hunt a mouse, but I still wouldnt ever take the chance.
 

LABZOO

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Re: A question about cats.

Felines are dirty, keep them away you never know. They can spread a lot of disease. I stopped having cats when I started keeping exotics. I don't even like barn cats around my horse...good hygiene is key if roof have them in your house. Ew.
 

Yvonne G

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RE: A question about cats.

My cats like to sleep under the tortoises' basking lights. They've never tried to ever use the substrate as a litter box (thank goodness!). Cats WILL pick up and play with very small tortoises and turtles. I have found baby box turtles by my back door occasionally and the only way for them to get there is from a bird or a cat.
 
M

Maggie Cummings

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I have 2 cats and several tortoises and box turtles in the house. My older cat Lil Roxie loves to soak her old bones under the warm basking lights, as long as whatever tort is asleep. But if the tort gets up and starts moving around she immediately leaves. I used to head start CDT babies for my sister having 10 or 15 at a time and Roxie would sit and watch them then every once in a while she would attract my attention with her small meow and you could take it to the bank that a baby was on it's back. Somehow she knew this was a bad thing. To me it was amazing. I believe you can teach cats that other house animals are not to be bothered. I have never had a problem with my cats and chelonia. My new cat and my birds is another story entirely.
Here she is basking
aktirs.jpg

this is about as close as I have seen her with any tortoise
w8xiqq.jpg
 

MyTrek

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Gabriela I was wondering this too! My pampered feline is indoor only, very clean and healthy, but I wondered how much a cat would bother a tortoise, or visa versa.
 

bouaboua

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General rule.............

Cats and Dog don't mix with the Torts. Don't get me wrong. I like Dogs and Cats too but I don't put them together under any conditions.
 

ascott

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When the torts are out in their yards for the good seasons they have never had an issue with the yard cats around....but I have seen the tort take after the cat a few times when we are out doing a walk about on the property from time to time...it is very amusing, it would not appear that the cat realizes they are being stalked...just lay down, then looked back and see the tort closer, so up and walk and lay down and so on and so on....

I would not put it past a cat to pick up a very small tort/turtle if it was bolting around like a fun toy though....
 

Gabriela

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Thank you for your replies. I will be keeping a close eye on my kitties around my tort, just in case. I have one cat that is sweet but kind of aloof and another one that is extremely over the top lovey. The first kitty Solstice went a full year barely tolerating me after I brought home Jinx. She has since warmed back up to me. I wonder if the same thing will happen once she sees we have a new member of the family? I know they like to chase quick moving objects but I thought since our tort is going to be more slow moving, they might not bother him as much. I will for sure keep and eye on them though. 2 more days until he is here!!! Yay!:)
 

Wartortle

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I'd never leave my cat alone with my smaller torts like my baby Leos and sulcatas. However, he gets freaked out by torts that are a little bit bigger like my 4-6 inch Russians. My cat is a natural born hunter and has brought in dozens, maybe hundreds at this point, of lizards, rabbits, rats, and birds.... Monitor your cat and see how he/she reacts, then make a decision. To be safe though, I wouldn't keep them together while you're gone.
 
M

Maggie Cummings

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Hi everyone,

I read the thread today about dogs and torts, and what can happen if they are left alone together. Aka Dogs & Torts don't mix. Is it the same with cats, because I have two. I am due to get my first tort on saturday. I have an enclosure ready for him that that has a lid. Are cats violent with torts?
I have 2 cats and they mostly don't care about my torts. They've never used a tort table as a litter box. My old cat "Lil Roxie" likes to nap under under the UVB lights. But when the tort tries to pester her she leaves. Maks is 28 pounds and has a special turtle she likes to bat around like the turtle was a ball. She's never used claws or teeth when she's playing with him, and I always supervise.045.JPG 174.JPG
 

Greta16

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When I first got my Hermie at 3 months old my cats wouldn't leave her alone they'd get right in with her! Needless to say I had my husband make a cover 3 days later. I still catch my cat Daisy sitting on top of it just watching Hermie(who doesn't care at all that there's a 19 lb predator above her). As soon as Daisy hears or sees me coming she takes off. Cats and Torts don't mix.
 

Greta16

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Thank you for your replies. I will be keeping a close eye on my kitties around my tort, just in case. I have one cat that is sweet but kind of aloof and another one that is extremely over the top lovey. The first kitty Solstice went a full year barely tolerating me after I brought home Jinx. She has since warmed back up to me. I wonder if the same thing will happen once she sees we have a new member of the family? I know they like to chase quick moving objects but I thought since our tort is going to be more slow moving, they might not bother him as much. I will for sure keep and eye on them though. 2 more days until he is here!!! Yay!:)
My cats could hear Hermie moving around. That's what got their attention.
 

Big Charlie

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No one has mentioned what a tortoise feels about cats. At times, we've had feral cats have their babies in our yard, now that we don't have a dog to scare them away. Charlie, my sulcata, did his best to intimidate them into leaving but they ignored him. I'm sure Charlie felt these intruders didn't belong in his territory but he didn't know how to make them leave. What I'm saying is that having cats around might be stressful to your tort.
 

Via Infinito

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Actually my poodle completely ignores my sulcata and my bearded dragon altogether.
Sometimes I feel like she doesn't even acknowledge their existence...
 

Big Charlie

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Actually my poodle completely ignores my sulcata and my bearded dragon altogether.
Sometimes I feel like she doesn't even acknowledge their existence...
My golden retriever was like that. He didn't understand his smell, like he wasn't sure the tortoise was alive. The only time he noticed him was when the tortoise got too close to him, then the dog would quickly move away.
 

Kaliman1962

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my Bullmastiff used my Sully as a play toy. did not end well. I turned my back for 1 minute. this was a couple years ago. learned a valuable lesson.
 

ohio

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I've had both my cats before I got my torts. One indoor cat and one barn cat. Neither have shown any interest in my torts but I've never owned a hatchling. My biggest issue is keeping the barn cat out of the torts green house. She goes in and sleeps on colder days. And I have seen my Russian female chase her out before. She started ramming the cat (poor bootsie) but in my opinion that's like saying you can't get a dog if you have a cat because dogs eat cats.?!?! Taking proper steps and proper training and making sure all are safe. It can work.
 

Pearly

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My cat Maxi is very territorial but only with other cats and some dogs. The torts he seems to be ignoring. And this is the way it’s been since we got them as 2” hatchlings. He does like the heat elements during winter which always attract him to sit/sleep by the torts. They all eat together on shrimp days. Every so often i by fresh cooked shrimp for them. They all love it but only mind their own food. I never did leave Maxi with them unattended, so can’t tell for sure but over the past almost 3 yrs have seen no signs of trouble
 

TammyJ

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The answer to this question about tortoises and cats is simple.
If you prefer cats to tortoises, keep your tortoises away from your cats.
If you prefer your tortoises, keep the cats away from them.
If you have no preference, just keep all of them away from each other.
 
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