Chinchillas and Cats: Do They Get Along?
Do you already own a cat and you are looking to add a chinchilla to your collection of pets? If yes, you might want to think twice about what you want to do. This is because cats and chinchillas might not be able to coexist peacefully in one place. It is usual for cats to prey on rodents and chinchillas happen to be rodents.
Cats might have an instinct of preying on chinchillas. That, however, does not imply that your cat will prey on your chinchilla if they have to share space. The behavior of one animal to another is not only dependent on the natural attributes of both animals. The personalities of both animals also play a major role in how one animal will react to another that it has to share space with. The simple reason for this is there is a tendency for different animals of different species to coexist peacefully together if they get raised together. This is even more likely if they have the same owner.
The only way to know if your cat will get along with a chinchilla is to try it out. Now, there is no guarantee that this will work. So, it is crucial to have a backup plan in case things do not go as planned.
What Exactly is a Chinchilla?
Chinchillas are animals that have a reputation for being nocturnal. This implies that they prefer staying in a quiet environment when its day. Chinchillas are known to be very sociable. But this does not mean they will be comfortable with animals of other species. They prefer associating with other chinchillas.
The Role of Personalities
If you own a cat and are looking to bring a chinchilla into your home, it is imperative that you think deeply about the cat’s personality. While there are lots of people that keep cats and chinchillas under the same roof, a lot of this people can attest to the fact that cats and chinchillas only coexist when the cat is carefree and is not interested in relating with the chinchilla.
When you have a nonchalant cat that does not seem very interested in preying on animals, there is a huge likelihood that you will be able to keep both a chinchilla and a cat in the same house. In the presence of a mellow cat, it will be easy for a chinchilla to get used to the idea of having a cat around without it feeling any bit of fear.
On the flip side of the coin, if you have a cat that enjoys hunting for game, it will be almost impossible to have a cat, and a chinchilla coexists in the same house. Keeping the chinchilla in a cage in an attempt to keep it safe from the cat might not be a good enough solution. This is because a cat that loves hunting will naturally consider chinchilla perfect prey and will make attempts at eating it.
Observation is Key
The only way to tell if a cat and chinchilla can coexist is by observation. As soon as you come up to the conclusion that your cat and chinchilla can coexist, you can go ahead and let your chinchilla out of its cage in the presence of the cat. This, however, should always be done while you are watching.
