Hi everyone! ;)

MNM

Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2015
Messages
41
Ok, thanks. My cat is declawed so I don't have to worry about the scratching she has teeth but she always bats at something with her paw before she bites, and even then she rarely bites.
 

Lyn W

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jul 22, 2014
Messages
23,497
Location (City and/or State)
UK
Ok, thanks. My cat is declawed so I don't have to worry about the scratching she has teeth but she always bats at something with her paw before she bites, and even then she rarely bites.
I think that shell was actually bitten - never underestimate cats or dogs for that matter, as several sad posts will tell you.
You may have to be careful any outdoor space is a tort only area too - to avoid parasites from cat and dog poop.
 

christinaland128

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Mar 20, 2014
Messages
1,619
Location (City and/or State)
Metro Detroit
Hi Marissa! Redfoots are fantastic! I'm from Michigan and I must say you have to be careful with your temps. Michigan weather is very unpredictable and can go from 80° in the day to 40° at night, if you're not careful with your temps at night, you may end up with a sick tortoise.

Welcome to the forum! :)
 

MNM

Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2015
Messages
41
Thanks everyone, and I have a fenced in area away from where the dog goes outside, and the cat is an indoor cat. There are a few stray cats around, but I'll put something over top of the fences in area so they and the coyotes can't get to the torts. :) ;) :D :p
 

Gillian M

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Aug 28, 2014
Messages
15,417
Location (City and/or State)
Jordan

leigti

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Nov 2, 2013
Messages
7,026
Location (City and/or State)
southeast Washington
Goodness! Cats can be very harsh, can't they? That thread may make me change my mind, as far as getting a kitten/cat is concerned.

Thanks Lyn.
Don't overreact. I have two cats and a dog and they have never bothered my tortoise. Of course I don't let the dog alone with the tortoise. I have not heard of an incident where a cat bothered an adult tortoise. A kitten will have to be supervised of course. You have to keep baby tortoises protected from everything.
 

Gillian M

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Aug 28, 2014
Messages
15,417
Location (City and/or State)
Jordan
Don't overreact. I have two cats and a dog and they have never bothered my tortoise. Of course I don't let the dog alone with the tortoise. I have not heard of an incident where a cat bothered an adult tortoise. A kitten will have to be supervised of course. You have to keep baby tortoises protected from everything.
Thanks your advice, but I am not over-reacting. The fact is that I'd never dealt with animals, never had a pet until I got Oli (my beloved tort). Let alone that I am SCARED of dogs, so I thought of a kitten which I thought I could train. Torts, I'm still convinced cannot be trained, and all they do is run for food. One cannot play with them, cuddle them, even pick them up. Sorry tort owners, don't mean to upset you.
 

leigti

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Nov 2, 2013
Messages
7,026
Location (City and/or State)
southeast Washington
Thanks your advice, but I am not over-reacting. The fact is that I'd never dealt with animals, never had a pet until I got Oli (my beloved tort). Let alone that I am SCARED of dogs, so I thought of a kitten which I thought I could train. Torts, I'm still convinced cannot be trained, and all they do is run for food. One cannot play with them, cuddle them, even pick them up. Sorry tort owners, don't mean to upset you.
Kittens are a lot of fun. Very cuddly. They can definitely be trained more than a tortoise but not as well as a dog :) it probably won't bother your tortoise, but you can always cover the enclosure if you need to. I guess what I'm saying is if you want a cat get one. Don't let having a tortoise stop you from getting other animals or vice versa.
 

MNM

Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2015
Messages
41
You should definately get a kitten! They're totally worth it. I love mine and I think I'm her favorite, because I'm not constantly bugging her like my brother and sister. Sometimes she'll climb in my lap and take a nap while I gently stroke her head and neck. When she plays, its absolutely adorable!! She hides or crouches down, then when the toy is in front pf her, she pounces! If you do get a cat, have fun with the baths... (cats hate baths most of the time) and I hope you find a cute cuddly kitten to add to your family! :) ;) :D :p. And if you want it to be an indoor cat, think about getting it declawed, because they can shred and ruin furniture and stuff. Not all cats will, but I've seen my declawed cat run her paws on the furniture, and if she had claws it would be totally shredded by now.
 
Last edited:

Gillian M

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Aug 28, 2014
Messages
15,417
Location (City and/or State)
Jordan
Kittens are a lot of fun. Very cuddly. They can definitely be trained more than a tortoise but not as well as a dog :) it probably won't bother your tortoise, but you can always cover the enclosure if you need to. I guess what I'm saying is if you want a cat get one. Don't let having a tortoise stop you from getting other animals or vice versa.
Yes, cats and dogs I know are more fun than torts that only run for food. Sorry everyone, this is the truth.

Appreciate your advice, but when receiving conflicting info, time flies without taking a decision.
 

Gillian M

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Aug 28, 2014
Messages
15,417
Location (City and/or State)
Jordan
You should definately get a kitten! They're totally worth it. I love mine and I think I'm her favorite, because I'm not constantly bugging her like my brother and sister. Sometimes she'll climb in my lap and take a nap while I gently stroke her head and neck. When she plays, its absolutely adorable!! She hides or crouches down, then when the toy is in front pf her, she pounces! If you do get a cat, have fun with the baths... (cats hate baths most of the time) and I hope you find a cute cuddly kitten to add to your family! :) ;) :D :p. And if you want it to be an indoor cat, think about getting it declawed, because they can shred and ruin furniture and stuff. Not all cats will, but I've seen my declawed cat run her paws on the furniture, and if she had claws it would be totally shredded by now.
Thanks very much your advice.

Oh, I've heard that cats scratch and ruin furniture. One can train a cat not to, right?
 

MNM

Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2015
Messages
41
Thanks very much your advice.

Oh, I've heard that cats scratch and ruin furniture. One can train a cat not to, right?
Correct. You can get a couple things for it to scratch instead, like scratching posts, and train it to use them instead of the furniture. ;) You can Google it and it will come up with some ways to do that. :D
 

Gillian M

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Aug 28, 2014
Messages
15,417
Location (City and/or State)
Jordan
Correct. You can get a couple things for it to scratch instead, like scratching posts, and train it to use them instead of the furniture. ;) You can Google it and it will come up with some ways to do that. :D
No.....what I meant is: can't one train a kitten/cat NOT to scratch furniture, W/O having to allow it scratch other things?
 

leigti

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Nov 2, 2013
Messages
7,026
Location (City and/or State)
southeast Washington
No.....what I meant is: can't one train a kitten/cat NOT to scratch furniture, W/O having to allow it scratch other things?
No. Cats need to scratch, it is an instinct for them. That's why you teach them to scratch other things. I had my two cats declawed on the front paws. This is controversial as heck. And I haven't always done it. But I decided to for these two that I have now. I bet the vets there don't even do it. So don't worry about it, just teach the cat to scratch other things and they will be perfectly happy.
 

johnsonnboswell

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Aug 27, 2012
Messages
2,238
No.....what I meant is: can't one train a kitten/cat NOT to scratch furniture, W/O having to allow it scratch other things?
No, cats need to sharpen their claws and kneading and clawing is instinctual. You can't train it out. In my thirty years with cats, they've confined themselves to using the wicker hampers. None used the cat scratchers.

Declawing cats is illegal some places. The toes are amputated at the first joint, a very painful process. There are claw caps available instead. I don't know how well they work.

I've lived with two cats that had been declawed before they came to me. Both were excellent hunters. So you can't assume that a declawed cat is harmless to a tortoise, especially a small one.

Over the years all my cars have been "trained" not to expect breakfast until I get up, and not to climb the house plants. That's about it.
 

MNM

Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2015
Messages
41
All your cars? Lol just kidding I know u meant cats! When u said the toes were amputated at the first joint, did you mean the toes were like cut off or that's where they made the cut to remove the claws? I know my cat didn't get her toes cut off, just the claws removed, but I just wanted to make sure that that was what you meant by amputated... :) ;) :D :p My dad is always joking about amputating an arm or a leg whenever my siblings or I get hurt. Cats do need something to scratch if they have claws. Mine doesn't have claws but she still scratches at stuff. I've noticed that she prefers leather like material and cardboard boxes. Of course, it doesn't do any damage because she is declawed. I didn't know that declawing cats was illegal in some places, and I didn't think the surgery was painful because they would knock them out like humans are knocked out for surgeries. Of course afterwards it hurts while the incision spot heals, and you might have to use some special cat litter, but I don't think it will hurt too much.
 
Last edited:

leigti

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Nov 2, 2013
Messages
7,026
Location (City and/or State)
southeast Washington
I didn't know it was illegal either. But I do know the&$?@ storm that starts over the controversy. And I agree that it doesn't slow down there hunting if they were hunters to begin with. They amputate the last joint which the client is in. And there is a recovery. Where I'm sure there is pain, it would be ignorant to think there isn't. But I had it done when the animals were under anesthesia to be spayed or neutered. It is much harder on adult cats then kittens. I probably wouldn't have it done on an adult cat.
But there are a lot of ways to train a cat to scratch where you want it to. Look those up and you will find something that will work I'm sure.
 

dmmj

The member formerly known as captain awesome
10 Year Member!
Joined
Aug 15, 2008
Messages
19,695
Location (City and/or State)
CA
Salutations
Red foot is a pretty good choice. They can get big though, fair warning.
 
Top