If I get a ferret what is the best way to introduce it into a home with 4 cats?
Sunday, May 9th, 2010 at
2:36 am
Related Blogs
- Wesleyan Student Assembly | WSA Endowment Performance Update …
- WSA Elekshunz!1!@!!!! – Wesleying
- Results of WSA Class Rep Elections – Wesleying
- WSA Elections on Wesleying – Wesleying
- Surf Tweeters | Blog | Results And Photos From Morro Bay WSA
Filed under: Ferret Home
Like this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!
Slowly.
Ferrets and cats can get along. Personally, mine don’t but it not for lack of trying on my ferrets’ parts. =) My ferrets find my two cats immensely interesting (and, btw, have NEVER tried to attack them) but my cats don’t care too much for the ferts. Whenever any of my ferrets gets too close to investigate, my cats will hiss, "growl", and then bat at them with their paws.
You have to be slow in introducing them. And always supervise! Never leave them alone together in a room. Introduce them like you would introduce another cat. You have to also accept the fact that they just might not get along. Ferrets are described as Forever Kittens. And if you have older cats, then you could see why they might not want to be bothered.
I wouldn’t worry too much about the cat hurting the ferret. Ferrets have pretty thick skin and they’re pretty resilient. You know this if you’ve ever seen two ferrets playing – they’re pretty rough. And I wouldn’t worry about your cats getting hurt because they’re bigger and can get away faster. But you still shouldn’t leave them unsupervised.
If you don’t have a room separate from your cats for the ferret, then I wouldn’t recommend getting one. My 3 fuzz-butts are limited to my room and the cats are only in there during the day when the kids are locked up.
—
As an aside, the above answerer might have mistaken her ferret’s wanting to play with her rat for aggressiveness. Ferrets sold today are bred for their temperament and their instinct to kill for food is all but disappeared. (At least this is what the writer of "Ferrets for Dummies" says.) That is why it is impossible for domesticated ferrets to survive in the wild. They don’t have a way of getting food. Now, ferrets will kill on accident. It’s because their "playing" is very rough and they could accidentally "play" with the other animal to death. Which is why is is strongly recommended to keep your ferret away from smaller animals.
Either that, or the above answerer might have just had a strangely aggressive ferret.
Good luck with that, because ferrets are strong predators, they are used for hunting by many people.
I got a very young ferret into our home and we have a large, full grown rat in a cage. Even being so small, the ferret instantly jumped on top of the cage and tried to get to the rat (who is quite large) to eat it.
The ferret got rehomed the next day.
Sprinkle the Ferret with cat food, don’t feed your cats for a couple of days. The Cats will attack the ferret. Stop them from fighting, They’ll leave each other alone.
That’s a hard one b/c more than likely the cats are either going to want to eat the ferret or play with it. I have seen cats and ferrets get along great but sometimes the cat will play too rough and hurt the ferret. I would introduce the ferret very very slowly at first in a small room with only one cat at a time for you can keep a good eye out for the ferret, you need to be very careful b/c if the ferret gets scared and may bit the cat and then the cat is going to want to attack! i would never never leave the cats and the ferret alone together!!!!!!!!! good luck
just slowly and cautiously. don’t take your eye off them for a minute! always watch them or there could be a fight. if they do start fighting or playing too rough, seperate them and put the ferret either in its cage or a seperate room. try again later until they leave each other alone. that’s a hard one, but i think whatever you do, if you do it gradually it should work.