# Cats and Rats



## sammyterror (Feb 22, 2017)

I don't really understand the concept that people get when I tell them I have cats AND rats. It is not like my cats are eating my rats or even harming them in anyway.
Both species get along swell, well that is until the rats nibble on kitty toes; then I have to watch for a swatting cat. For the most part they get along just fine. Funny story, when my rat had a litter of babies, I played a game to see how many baby rats I could hide under my cat before he got annoyed with the squirming (keep in mind I live in a cold house and this was the warmest place for them). HE LET ME PLACE THE ENTIRE LITTER UNDER HIM, AND SAT ON THEM LIKE THEY WERE EGGS! No joke. All 14 baby rats were nestled under him and very warm until mommy was done eating and drug them back to the nest.

I have attached a picture of my massive "mamma" cat. Butters Cat is a 3 year old male cat that loves rats.


Anyone else have both cats and rats? Do they get along?


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## Shisket (Feb 23, 2017)

No cats, but I have a dog. She is super scared of the rats for some reason. It is rare when I can bring the rats into a 3 foot radius of her, so I could never fit rats under her.


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## sammyterror (Feb 22, 2017)

It could just be that they are a little forign to her. Only one of my cats with interact with the rats; the other one bolts as soon as they get too close to him and along with one of my dogs. My olderly pooch likes to kiss the babyie but hate when they touch his feet, but just gets weirded out when they climb on his head. I will have to capture the moment next time


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## Tim0310 (Mar 12, 2017)

my in laws cat is interested in the rats but we keep them apart since he has swatted at our bearded dragon and crested geckos. the dog couldn't care less. she just sniffed them and laid down by their cage and went to sleep. she let the rats climb all over her. KC actually nuzzled up to her.


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## BearNecessities (Dec 6, 2016)

I have an African Savannah, he's tried his luck a few times and got too close to some of my does, they all gave him a rather nasty bite on the nose and he's been petrified them since then. For a wild animal, he's scared of most of my small furries. He used to play with my polecats until one of them played too rough and latched on to him, he won't even come near me if I smell of them now, bless him. All 3 of my dogs loved rats, the rats loved them right back, I never had any issues there. They just aren't keen on the cat, haha!


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## Okeedoke22 (Dec 31, 2016)

I could never trust my cat with them. He has seen them with me and has stayed away but my cat always stays away. Haha. Only comes to me for food. He really only hangs out with my younger son as far as petting and being on bed together. I did see him sniffing my rat sweater that I always wear. My father keeps asking me if I'm afraid the cat is going to attack them while we are on couch together. I keep explaining to him I would never let that happen and the cat doesn't come to couch. It's the dogs area. They get along except my dog plays with him like he is also a dog. So the cat rather just stay away. Sometimes he shows interest in playing. 

My dog is in love with them. He licks them and lays near them. So cute today I seen Chip grooming the dog and my little guy Nemo will crawl under him. My dog is still getting use to them crawling on him as he immediately stands up instead of just laying. One nasty thing the dog will do is eat their poop. Gross. 

BearNecessities I had to look up what a polecat was. They are so cute. Very similar looking to ferrets.


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## mnyablonski (Nov 18, 2015)

When I had my first group of rats they were giant with the biggest boy being 3 lbs he was giant when I got a kitten I would let the rats out with my kitten he would cuddle on the couch with them and they all got along amazingly even once my cat grew up and was much bigger than them he never once tried anything with the rats. When I got my second group after I lost my first group of boys I had 2 cats my younger female would crawl in the cage every chance she got and would lay with them in the DCN they were always supervised and never let alone even though I trusted them but never had a single issue with having cats and rats.


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## InsideSunrise (Apr 28, 2017)

I haven't yet introduced my dog to my rats, and honestly I'm a little worried as to how my dog would react...


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## WillaRat (Mar 27, 2017)

I have no cats, but i have a dog. He is very cautious of my little rattie, and he doesn't love it when she crawls all over him. He was trained off of my old hamster so he is totally fine with rodents (Funfact: When i first get some new rodent, he sits and watches it for about a week like TV). However, when his paws smell like cornchips my rat tries to nibble on them, which he tolerates.

OH, and, my rat drinks from his water bowl. He doesn't mind that.


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## Coffeebean (Jan 6, 2017)

My dog also looks uncomfortable when rats try to climb near her and gives me a "please save me" look. Once she was next to the bed and my adventurous girl Squid climbed on her back like a pony! So while I am pretty confident she won't hurt them, I try to separate her when the rats are out since I can tell she doesn't appreciate them like I do.


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## WelshRat (May 3, 2017)

I have 2 elderly cats which just see the rats as an annoyance. My eldest rat is obsessed with them and loves grooming and nuzzling into them which they'll tolerate for a short while but one will get up and run away and the other will tap him on the head so I try to keep them separated, mainly for the cats protection though haha


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## charlypie (May 15, 2017)

I have a cat too, he is interested but cautious of the rats. I have a hunch he has been bit/grabbed through the bars of the cage, but sometimes he will go and sit in front of the cage and watch them, occasionally he even puts his paws on the cage so he can stand up for a better look if they are doing something especially interesting. If they are out and get too close or come at him too fast he gets uncomfortable and leaves. The rats don't seem to be scared of him, everyone but my shy boy will go right up to him. I've never been worried about my rats safety around him, but recently one of them bit him on the nose and drew blood, so i've stopped letting him on the couch or bed when they are out, more for his safety really. 



















My parents have a dog (two now, plus a cat of their own my mom missed my cat too much when i moved out with him) and when i had rats growing up she was kind of unsure about them. She acted a lot like a person who doesn't like rats/mice. If they came too close to her she would get up and leave, and her idea of "too close" wasn't as close as my cat's is now. She was never really interested in them though.


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## Rattielover965 (Apr 26, 2016)

charlypie said:


> I have a cat too, he is interested but cautious of the rats. I have a hunch he has been bit/grabbed through the bars of the cage, but sometimes he will go and sit in front of the cage and watch them, occasionally he even puts his paws on the cage so he can stand up for a better look if they are doing something especially interesting. If they are out and get too close or come at him too fast he gets uncomfortable and leaves. The rats don't seem to be scared of him, everyone but my shy boy will go right up to him. I've never been worried about my rats safety around him, but recently one of them bit him on the nose and drew blood, so i've stopped letting him on the couch or bed when they are out, more for his safety really.
> View attachment 280761
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> My parents have a dog (two now, plus a cat of their own my mom missed my cat too much when i moved out with him) and when i had rats growing up she was kind of unsure about them. She acted a lot like a person who doesn't like rats/mice. If they came too close to her she would get up and leave, and her idea of "too close" wasn't as close as my cat's is now. She was never really interested in them though.


cute cat


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## DannyTheRat (Aug 18, 2017)

When I was growing up, I heard a commotion in the kitchen one night and come out to see our cat chasing a mouse/rat through the kitchen. She caught its tail, the mouse/rat then turned towards her and did a little jump which freaked the cat out so much she ran and hid. Not all cats are natural hunters ;D


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