I have a ferret about a year old, we have only had him about a month and my daughter now wants a kitten. I have heard stories of ferrets killing cats. Is this true? And can a ferret and cat live together?
Answers:
A year isn't old for a ferret at all! Ferrets and kittens can get along smashingly. It really just depends on the personalities of the two animals. My ferret absolutely loves cats and doesn't harm the cats at all. At worst, sometimes the cats just get tired of playing with him and go sit on a taller piece of furniture.
don't do it, kitty carnage! ferrets are nasty little animals and they're territorial
ferret= pure malevolent and cunning evil
it will kill the kitten
dont do it
cheers!
My girlfriend had a couple ferrets that moved in with me and my cat for a while and they got along fine. I think the individual personalities of the cats and ferrets will play a role, but the answer is YES - a cat and a ferret can live together and actually play together, sleep together...
oh dear, please dont get two pets at once when you have a child and definitly not a ferrit and then a cat, two very territorial animals, unles you get them as kits at the same time and dont have a child that is... a cat is probably your best bet, get rid of the ferrit
I have 3 ferrets, all various ages. My oldest is 2 years and the youngest is just 4 months. we also have various other pets that they get along with. Hamsters, gerbils, kittens, puppy, etc.
What I did was - for the first few weeks, I'd sit with them in a closed room supervising them. Make sure it's just kitten and ferret, anymore people or animals might overwhelm both of them. Ferrets are smart, they'll learn that it's not okay to be so rough with the kitten, and also understand it's a baby animal.
It'll be fine, just be cautious the first few weeks.
I've never heard of ferrets killing cats nor have I experienced it with all my animal experience, but I wouldn't say it's never happened.
Oy..first a ferret, now a cat whats next a parrot ? Come on, so what if your daughter wants a cat? You haven't even had your ferret long enough to build a good trust bond!!
But..on a side note, I would wait on the kitten until your ferret is trained, and trained well. Enjoy your ferret, don't ruin his chances of attention by getting a kitten!
They can definitely live together. A year old isn't that old for a ferret (average life span 6-8 years) If you introduce the kitten slowly (put the kitten up to the ferret cage, or put the kitten in a carrier and let the ferret sniff around and check things out) you should be fine.
I have never heard of a ferret killing a kitten. Most of the time ferrets and cats can be friends or playmates, especially if it's a kitten. The kitten will usually adapt better to a ferret than an adult cat. If the ferret is ill tempered to begin with you might need to make introductions very slowly, but overall you shouldn't have a problem. Good luck!
Ferrets and cats often get along, although it does depend on the temperaments of all involved. Cats will often play with ferrets and vice versa, and ferrets usually can hold their own against cats. There are definite exceptions though, so supervise play sessions very closely until your are assured that both your ferret and your cat will be fine (and even then you should be on hand to watch over them). Ferrets can actually be a little tough on cats, especially kittens, so don't let a grown ferret play with a kitten without close supervision. It will take time for the cat and the ferret to get a long, and there should be consequences if they both begin to fight. It's generally believed that ferrets get along with cats better if they're introduced when the cat is still a kitten and is more willing play, but there are plenty of exceptions. The same is probably
true with dogs. Cats are generally less dangerous than dogs, simply because of their size. For the first week or so, hold both the cat and the ferret (two humans is handy here) and just let them smell each other a few times a
day. Over the next week or two, gradually give each animal a bit more freedom, watching them closely, until they're used to each other.
Once you're convinced that they're used to each other and get along all right, let them interact freely, but supervise them for a while to
be sure. Make sure the ferret has an escape route, a barrier the cat can't get through or a safe hiding place. Yes, ferrets and cats can live together, and they can even become the best of friends if they keep company. In fact, they are both carnivores, so neither will kill the other! Ferrets generally play %26 bite, and cats tend to scratch, therefore, they both need watching when out together. Cats have the advantage of being able to jump up on things to get away. If the ferret became to nippy, unfortunately the cat could turn around and scratch the ferret, so there would be the danger.
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I have two ferrets and our cat just had kittens 2 weeks ago. I live in the country so field mice are common from time to time. My female she is the hunter of the two ferrets and has tried to kill the kittens. She doesn't know any better to her they probably look like a bigger field mouse. I can't have her around the kittens until they are older maybe not at all. But the other ferret he loves to lay with the kittens and fall asleep right beside them. The momma cat doesn't care. So yes, I believe that you can have a problem with ferrets and a new pet but like so many have already said, it's their behavior. They all don't act the same.
ReplyDeleteI have a ferret that will be a year November 20th and I took it a stray mother cat and her one kitten. The kitten was 2 weeks old when I brought them in. The kitten is now 7 weeks old and I introduced the ferret and cats slowly supervising them. The mom cat doesn’t give two craps about the ferret and the ferret doesn’t even try to play with the mom. The kitten on the other hand matches the energy level of the ferret and they wrestle around all the time all over the house playing chase (kinda like 2 siblings). When ferrets play with each other they naturally nip at each other it’s just how ferrets play. My kitten and ferret play bite with each other they are the same size as of right now. I don’t need to supervise them as closely as I used to but 99% of the time they are both in the same room as me anyway. They do sometimes BOTH get a little too rough and I just scruff each one of them and calmly put them to my face and say “be nice, be easy, no biting” then put them both back down and they calm down. Of course I have to do that a few times during their play time (like kids, you tell them not to do something they are sure enough gunna do it again at some point) one of their favorite games is tag. I’ll watch the kitten sneak up and bat the ferret on the head and run away and I’ve seen the ferret do it back to her as to say tag your it! Lol I’m proud to say when the kitten was just learning how to walk my ferret proudly should the kitten how to climb in a box :) I love my little furry kids of course the 3 human kids I have too. Yes it’s possibly to have 3 boys and 2 cats and a ferret work full time and be a single mommy :) but to answer this question it all depends on the personalities I just got lucky. I had my ferret first 9 months ago and we created an amazing bond and trained her very well(better then my humans! Lol) she knows I love her and she looks at the kitten as her sister as does the kitten see the ferret as her sister. As I said when I took in the strays there was only one kitten so the others must have passed away and the kitten sees Lola as her litter mate.
ReplyDeleteI had a ferret when I was younger, it got out of its cage & killed 1 of our kittens. I then found a new home for our ferret.
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