Cats are known to be curious and can get themselves into anything and everything. A cage or an enclosure with a guinea pig may be extra enticing for cats because their list of natural prey includes rodents.
If you have guinea pigs or other small animals in your home, there are several things you have to do to have them coexist safely alongside your cats. Here are a few ways you can prevent your cats from getting anywhere close to your guinea pigs.
The 7 Tips on How to Cat-Proof a Guinea Pig’s Enclosure
1. Place the Enclosure in a Separate Room
Despite your cat’s character, even if they are placid and don’t seem interested in the guinea pig, cats are predators at the end of the day and can be unpredictable when facing potential prey. In order to provide your guinea pig with safety and avoid unnecessary stress and consequent health issues due to them being able to smell or even see a cat near their enclosure, it’s important to place the cage in a designated room that’s off-limits to your cat. This room can be a bedroom, office, or any other area where you can ensure that your cat won’t be able to enter.
To make the room less enticing for your cat, make sure to place any of their items, such as toys, feeding station, and scratching posts, as far away from the room as possible. You can also line the entrance of the room with protective material if your cat tries to paw and scratch their way inside.
2. Inform All Family Members and Guests
Make sure that all family members and guests are well aware of the presence of your guinea pig’s enclosure in this particular room, so they don’t enter unknowingly or leave the door open. They need to be vigilant and make sure not to enter the room if the cat is lurking around. It only takes a second for an accident to happen. It would be ideal if there were another door before the guinea pig’s room, such as a closed hallway.
3. Choose a Sturdy Cage
There are different types of cages that can house guinea pigs. Most guinea pig cages and wire cages for larger rodents tend to have wider gaps between the wires. Try to find a cage that has smaller gaps so that your cat’s paws can’t slip through them.
You can also use a glass or acrylic enclosure to completely protect your guinea pig from any swiping paws. Just make sure to find a lid that secures tightly on top so that your cat can’t pop it open. You can even try adding weights or an adhesive that makes it extremely difficult for your cat to open the lid.
4. Place the Cage in a Hard-to-Reach Spot
Again, this is just for the unlikely scenario that your cat somehow manages to get inside the room where your guinea pig’s enclosure is. Placing the enclosure or cage in a hard-to-reach spot can be challenging, as cats are expert climbers and can squeeze into tight spaces. You can try setting the cage on top of a table that doesn’t leave any space for cats to tiptoe along. Try to be strategic about the placement by keeping the cage away from any surfaces or steps from where your cat can leap off to reach it.
5. Surround the Cage With a Mesh Covering
Another method to keep cats away from a guinea pig cage, if they somehow enter the room where the enclosure is, is to surround it with another layer of protection, such as a mesh covering. The added protection will prevent cats from being able to touch the guinea pig cage. Try to find a tough material that can withstand scratching and pouncing.
6. Use a Dog Crate
Similar to the mesh covering method, you can simply slide the guinea pig crate in the middle of a very large dog crate. The best kind of dog crate will be one for large or extra-large dog breeds so that your cat’s paws can’t reach the center of the crate.
For added safety, you can add weights inside the dog crate so that larger cat breeds can’t slide the crate around. Adding a lock to the dog crate door can prevent your cat from playing with the door latch and flipping it open.
7. Add an Extra Lock to the Cage Door
Cats can be master lock pickers and get past all kinds of doors. With a little determination, some cats may be able to open a guinea pig cage’s door. Most cage doors are only difficult for guinea pigs to escape from, but larger animals can easily open some of them with force.
To prevent cats from getting past the cage door, add a secure lock to the door as an obstacle. The best kind of lock will probably be a combination lock, so you don’t have to worry about keeping track of a set of keys.
Final Thoughts
Cats can be persistent, but it’s still very possible for cats and guinea pigs to cohabitate in the same home safely, without the cat posing a risk for the guinea pig. While they may not ever interact with one another due to the risk of fatal injuries that may be inflicted by the cat and the stress the cat’s mere presence poses to a guinea pig, they can still live in the same home peacefully. You just might have to get a little creative to make sure to keep everyone happy and safe.
Featured Image Credit: StineMah, Shutterstock
Contents
- The 7 Tips on How to Cat-Proof a Guinea Pig’s Enclosure
- 1. Place the Enclosure in a Separate Room
- 2. Inform All Family Members and Guests
- 3. Choose a Sturdy Cage
- 4. Place the Cage in a Hard-to-Reach Spot
- 5. Surround the Cage With a Mesh Covering
- 6. Use a Dog Crate
- 7. Add an Extra Lock to the Cage Door
- Final Thoughts
