# I introduced Mr. Cat to the ratties today.



## Shine (Feb 20, 2015)

It wasn't a total face-to-face introduction. I've been wondering for a while what would be the best way to make him aware of smaller non-food animals in the house, and today he solved phase #1 of the problem by walking into the room, looking up at the rat cage atop my dresser, and making a face that clearly said "Now what the **** is _that_?"

I could tell he was just curious and a bit concerned and that he wasn't looking to hunt the rats, so I said "Mr. Cat, do you want me to pick you up and let you look and see what's in there?" 
He looked at me as if to say "Duh. Show me, human!" so I picked him up and held him where he could see the two rats, who were sitting near the front of the cage on the top shelf. Link ignored the cat and went about his own ratty business, but Amadeus was curious, and the two animals took a few moments to sniff at each other's noses through the bars. 

While Amadeus became increasingly more interested and curious (and attempted to lick Mr. Cat's ear through the bars), my feline companion was not so sure and became steadily more weirded out and uneasy by what he likely perceived as some sort of cursed being of the dark arts. (Seriously, though, the look on his face basically said, "Are you out of your mind? Get me down from here!") So I put him back down, and he promptly trotted to the front door and excused himself from the house.

Conclusion: Old Kittybeard is afraid of rats. I don't think I have to worry about him trying to catch and eat them any time soon. Of course, I still won't be letting them free-range together any time soon, but at least now I'm not afraid to let my cat live inside the house with me.


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## theRatGirl (Feb 25, 2015)

That Is adorable. You are a good writer. My cat does something similar. He Is terrified of the ratties. He runs away from them whenever I let the rats out of their cage.


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## Shine (Feb 20, 2015)

Oh, thanks! I never saw your reply, which is why I'm just now responding. I guess the cats are confused by the rats' appearance vs their size or something. Like, maybe it looks like a mouse to them, but they think "That is too big to be a mouse," and so they're afraid of it(?) lawl

Anyway, I have since tried to get them to play nice together one more time and got the same results. Mr. Cat just does not like Amadeus as much as Amadeus likes Mr. Cat. xb


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## Grawrisher (Sep 10, 2013)

Pandora used to be very curious about the rats...then...aris bit her, now she stays quite a distance from them and if they move while she is near...she runs


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## liesel (Feb 13, 2013)

My cats is always trying to play with my rats through their cages. I sometimes catch her batting at them but when they bat back she's scared to death and runs away into another area the house.


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## Shine (Feb 20, 2015)

Grawrisher said:


> Pandora used to be very curious about the rats...then...aris bit her, now she stays quite a distance from them and if they move while she is near...she runs


 Aww, poor kitty.


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## Shine (Feb 20, 2015)

liesel said:


> My cats is always trying to play with my rats through their cages. I sometimes catch her batting at them but when they bat back she's scared to death and runs away into another area the house.


 Hahaha, typical cat! xb


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