Guinea pig and cat in the same house. Do guinea pigs get along with cats?

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Despite rampant urbanization and the development of robotics, pets are still in demand. In addition to common cats and dogs, rodents are gaining more and more attention. These are rats, and chinchillas, and mice, and hamsters. Large guinea pigs are especially fond of people. These are beautiful, unpretentious animals that do not require much space. Of the minuses - they live a short time, but noisy, social and sociable animals. Many people wonder: can a guinea pig and a cat coexist? We will consider this issue a little later, but for now let's talk about the basics of care.

Etymology of the name

Few people know why rodents are called guinea pigs. Because they don't live in water. In fact, everything is simpler: Guinea was the birthplace of rodents, which is why they were called overseas, i.e. from across the sea. They are called differently in different countries. For example, in England it is "Indian little pig". It is not clear why the mumps. This is probably due to the unique sounds that the pet makes. Another version connects the proportions of the body and head of the animal. In Peru, these animals are actively consumedfor food, but in Russia they are only pets. Moreover, domesticated guinea pigs have clearly lost their appeal in the form of food. Therefore, they perform only a decorative function.

Appearance

There is a great variety of guinea pig breeds. With short, long, curly hair. And it’s not worth remembering about coloring! In general, the size of the pet is from 25 to 30 cm in length. There is no tail, hanging ears, and the muzzle is dull. Males can reach a weight of 1.5 kg, females a little less - up to 1.2. According to the structure of the coat and color, several large groups are distinguished: smooth-haired, long-haired and wire-haired. There are also sphinxes, that is, bald animals.

Guinea pig babies are born in the amount of one to five. Birth weight between 50 and 100 grams. The larger the litter, the lower the weight. Cubs are born covered with hair, with teeth and claws. They are kept together with their mother for a month, then they are put in another cage.

Special attention are the sounds made by guinea pigs. This is a kind of whistle with which they immediately attract attention. It should be borne in mind that pets are extremely noisy, so if you are a lover of silence, these animals are not for you. But listen carefully to the sounds being made. They are different for every situation. For example, during the mating season, the male attracts the female with the sounds "chaf".

Review of breeds

The Abyssinian guinea pig and the Abyssinian cat have nothing in common other than the name. The peculiarity of this subspecies of the rodent is in rosettes, that is, vortices of wool. The rosette on the nose is appreciated. Colored and solid colors are available. The most common are pegasus. The length of the coat should not be more than 4 cm. By the way, if you do not know if guinea pigs get along with cats in the same house, get both pets at the same time. So the animals will get used to and will be good to each other.

Another unusual guinea pig breed is the alpaca. Yes, there is the same breed of llamas, a similar name is given for a reason. Representatives of this group have curly and long hair. For lovers of long-haired animals, there is a Sheltie. And the coronet breed has a kind of "crown" of wool on its head.

What does a guinea pig need?

Caring for rodents is not that difficult. First of all, you need to buy a spacious cage. The larger it is, the better for the pet. To do this, choose a cage for large birds. It will need to be redone a bit by adding different shelves and aisles. An aquarium will do. If you're worried about a cat eating a guinea pig, cover the tank two-thirds with the lid. Be sure to purchase a drinking bowl, as the animal should always have access to clean water.

Cat litter, hay or tyrsa is used as bedding. Remember that the pebbles must be large, otherwise there is a risk of inhalation. To prevent odors, clean the tray regularly. It is best to do this once every two days. Completely change the soil once a week.

Guinea pig nutrition

There is a joke thatguinea pig and cat are the perfect food chain. This is partly true. In the wild, small rodents often become the food of large predators. But at home, this does not always work. Many cats are fond of guinea pigs, mistaking them for small dogs (by the way, Yorkies also weigh 1.5 kg, why not a guinea pig?).

Feeding the animal is not so difficult. It is enough to remember that they are 100% vegetarians. Half of the diet should consist of grass. In summer it can be fresh, in winter - dried, you can also buy hay. Dandelions are given as treats. 30% of the diet consists of grains, for this it is better to buy special food at the pet store.

The rest of the diet is fresh vegetables. Just do not buy greenhouse ones, as they are poisoned with fertilizers. This negatively affects the pigs up to death. Ideal to give apples, cucumbers, carrots.

Crackers can be given in small quantities. What do guinea pigs like as a treat? Pet stores have a wide range of special treats for animals. Small amounts of dried fruits can be given.

The animal must have clean water at all times. You can add a few drops of lemon juice to it. It is useful for cubs to dissolve calcium gluconate in water. Especially in winter. This is necessary for proper bone growth.

Remember that guinea pigs should never be given food from the table! It can be deadly for your pet! Nothing boiled, fried, spicy, etc.

What and howwash a guinea pig?

Sooner or later, any person will face the question: is it necessary to wash a pet and how often should it be done? Despite its name, the guinea pig dislikes water and avoids rivers and lakes in the wild. Therefore, do not try to let the animal swim in the bath or basin. The main danger of such entertainment is not even the risk of drowning (all animals have an instinct to swim), but that water will pour into their ears.

How to wash a guinea pig in this case? Remember that these animals are clean and spend a lot of time putting their coat in order. Therefore, do not try to bathe your pet often. Do this only if the coat is heavily soiled. Abuse of water procedures leads to hair loss. Try to follow a few guidelines.

Throwing a pig into a container of water is a bad idea. This will only scare your pet. It is better to calm him down, stroke him, gently lower him into the water. As a bath, you can use a small basin or sink. Warm water should be up to the paws of the animal. Also bathe one animal at a time, so you save your nerves.

For especially shy pet stores sell dry shampoos. It is enough to apply the powder on the pet's coat, wait a while and gently wipe the animal with a napkin. If you need to remove a small area of dirt, then simply rub the stain with a wet towel.

Use a special shampoo for washing, as pigs have sensitive skin. Gently place the pet in a container of warm water, stroke and water from a cupwater. Then lather the animal and rinse gently. After the procedure, wipe with a towel and dry with a hairdryer.

Guinea pig and other animals in the same house

Guinea pig and cat - enemies or friends? There is no definite answer here. Let's try to consider the psychology of rodents. They are at the bottom of the food chain. They do not have active predator control methods. Despite sharp incisors, they use them only in intraspecific fights. But in fact, even here it rarely comes to a bloody showdown. Intimidating poses and whistles are usually sufficient.

With the herd keeping of pets, you can observe the division into groups. As a rule, a group of females is formed around one male. All other males are driven away. If you keep pets together, you can note a funny tandem. They will stick together, move everywhere together.

If you want to have a guinea pig and a cat, then get them at the same time. It is desirable that they both be cubs. So they will get used to each other from childhood and will perceive each other as companions, and not as competitors.

The situation is more complicated if the cat is already an adult, and you decide to buy a guinea pig. For cats, rodents are natural prey, so the desire to dine is quite logical. Then put the cage in a hard-to-reach place, otherwise the cat's jumps and its raids on the guinea pig can greatly injure the animal psychologically.

Try not to let your guinea pig walk around the room if a cat or dog enters. Even with a friendly attitude, large animals can play with a medium-sized animal in such a way that it will have bone fractures. However, a guinea pig and a cat can live in the same house.

Tips from breeders

Experienced breeders of guinea pigs recommend not putting an end to the joint maintenance of animals, as much depends on the temperament of the cat. Watch your animal closely. Is it active? Mobile? Does it show hunting skills? As practice shows, rodents are of little interest to domestic city cats. Pedigree cats are usually phlegmatic and spoiled.

When you buy a guinea pig, try to release it in the presence of a cat, but be on the lookout: when trying to eat a new pet, you will need to quickly hide the rodent. It is a good sign if the cat simply touches the animal with its paw - this is normal, she checks if the new neighbor is aggressive. A dangerous sign - if it grabs by the scruff of the neck and tries to drag it away. In this case, it is better to walk the guinea pig and the cat separately.

To wean a cat from jumping on a table with a cage, lay out orange peels or banana skins. The cat's paws will slip on the surface and it will fall to the floor. A couple of such failures - and she will stop trying to eat a neighbor. Pay special attention to the bars of the cage, because if the distance between them is more than 2.5 cm, then the cat can stick its paw in there and scare the guinea pig. Another option to "scare" - arm yourself with a spray bottle with water. As soon as the cat gets close to the cage with the pig, spray water in her face.

It is also noted that cats only eat small rodents. For example, mice or hamsters. Therefore, the larger the guinea pig, the less likely it is to be eaten. Only the cubs will be at risk. A predator can play with them…

Some cats take a guinea pig for their kitten and care for her like a baby. They drag by the collar, lick, feed, etc. But try not to leave them alone, no matter how good their relationship may be.

Some breeders recommend giving the cat and guinea pig a "fight". This is a risky undertaking, but it can help to dot the e. For example, with rats, the situation is simple: when a cat is bitten by a rodent a couple of times, it loses any interest in catching it. Therefore, the guinea pig can also bite on the paw, and the cat will lose interest in it.

It is noted that over time, the cat gets used to the unusual neighborhood and does not respond to the pet. Can sleep on a cage, warningly hiding its paws and tail. The guinea pig, in turn, may also not be afraid of the threat from a large predator.

Which animals are suitable for keeping together?

The ideal neighbor for guinea pigs is a parrot. Budgerigars dig in the litter, ride on the back of the animal, watch it. But the neighborhood with other types of rodents is undesirable, since they have different behavior, as well as competition. A good neighborhood option is a guinea pig and a dwarf rabbit. They are almost the same size, have similar eating habits, etc.

Remember that if you keep a guinea pig alone, thenyou definitely need to satisfy her need for communication. This does not require much effort: take the pet in your arms, talk to him, play. Without proper attention, the animal will quickly begin to lose mood, get sick and show apathy.

When you choose a guinea pig to buy, carefully inspect the future pet. He should have a shiny, soft coat without bald spots. The skin should be free of wounds and crusts. Eyes - clear, without selection. Look at the conditions in which the cubs live. The cage should be large, clean, experienced breeders show the parents of the babies. Remember that competent breeders value their name and take a responsible approach to breeding cubs. Do not chase cheapness, because by saving, you risk getting a sick animal. At best, you will spend a lot of money on treatment, at worst, the animal will die.

Who to choose?

What can be pets? Guinea pigs, cats, dogs, rats and many others. There are animals for allergy sufferers, without wool, with different colors and characters. It is worth making a little effort to find the desired copy. The guinea pig is an ideal companion that does not require special conditions. If desired, the animal can be started with a kitten, they can become inseparable friends.