Why my enclosure needs a lid

[jjsull33]

So I was outside building this weekend and while I was I let the tortoises roam my yard, it's pretty well enclosed and the dog was inside so I wasn't worried. At one point I heard Tamachan banging against the fence so I went to see why she was doing that and a neighborhood cat was on the other side of the fence intently watching. I left them alone but stood by watching and a min or two later the cat decided it was time to find out what she was and came over ready to pounce. I stopped the cat but she wouldn't leave just kept circling, climbed the fence and watched Tamachan for the next hour (I was there so no worries, and the cage already has a lid planned, ill be posting pictures of the whole thing next week as its not quite done yet)

 

[SpdTrtl]

OH SNEAKY KITTY!

 

[wellington]

My cat goes into my torts inside enclosure and drinks his water I'm not sure the cat knows theirs a tort in there or not. I would be very watchful of a strange cat though. Good thing you were there.

 

[jjsull33]

Yea, my cats used to go into my tort cages and use it as a litter box/basking spot.... so the indoor ones are all closed off and catproof now. So just as habit I had designed that into my outdoor one as well, good thing as apparently the neighborhood cats (at least this one) are curious enough to come check out the torts.

I never leave them alone outside, my yard isn't enclosed well enough plus the neighbors and my room mates have dogs so you never know. I have even had an owl and a hawk eyeing my torts before so they stay within my field of vision if outside, until their new pen is done at least.

 

[sueb4653]

Same here I had a neighbours cat come in my yard on the weekend to see what was rustling in the leaves, also have hawks so no outside time alone until lid is on

 

[alysciaingram]

My cat is terrified of my tortoises. Will not have anything to do with them, absolutely refuses to be near them, which I'm not sure why exactly but I don't exactly mind either.
I realized I needed a top the day I put Bowser down to go on a walk around the yard with me, and 12 hawks/large birds of prey were circling us within 15-20 minutes.

 

[LLLReptile]

Different cats/dogs react to animals differently. My dog at home could care less about reptiles (in fact, my blue tongues bully him around), but there's definitely dogs that will go after anything that moves. That's especially true for cats, and it's always worth it to completely enclose outdoor cages to prevent outdoor predators from getting to your pets.

-Jen