Beware

[aerofine]

I just wanted to point out a warning to all others, from my own experience today.

There are always threads about what damage dogs can do to tortoises, but I just wanted to point out what cats can possibly do.

We adopted an 18 month old cat over the weekend, called Solo. This morning, whilst getting ready for work, I completely forgot about shutting the door to where the torts are in their table. We have a dog, who wanders into the torts room and never bothers with them, we don't have kids so there is no need for us to shut the door really. However, whilst getting ready I heard a thud. When I got to the bedroom where the torts live, I found Solo had taken Hoji from out of their table and was rolling him around the floor. Heart stopping moment!!

Luckily Hoji is fine, Solo must have only had him for a minute or so.

But I just wanted to say to all that cats can potentially hurt and kill your torts! I knew that this could be the case, I am not so naive, but I have read many times on here how lots of cats are fine with torts. Not in my case! I would trust my dog with both of my torts, but not the cat now!!

[16 shells]

Sorry to here about your incident with the cat, i dont have a cat now but i know they have a hunting instinct that only leaves them when they are knackered.
Paul

[babytort]

oh dear!!
just glad your tort is ok.
it may just take your little cat a wee while to get used to your torts.
a worrying time all the same.
i kinda know wat you are goin through.
ive got 2 cats and when i first got the torts the older cat was very interested in the torts and their enclosure.i would often find her sleeping in there with them in the mornings,but i noticed she was sleeping in the torty grass i grew for them.(more to my disappiontment that it took me weeks to grow it,then she flattened the grass over night)
i can only comment on my experience,with time your cat may lose interest.but it is not something i would take for granted..
the older one has stopped this now,and the younger cat well,although sniffed about to start with,has become good friends with them and lets them wander about no probs,even though one of the torts took a fancy to his tail and paws(pic is another thread)
again i would never leave them unattended together though...

[anna m]

Well I worked with a lady that had a tortoise that was killed by a cat.
Although some people don't believe that. It's true

[lilllis]

or teach your torts to do this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ul0gfCyeiyM

[Tr@cey]

My torts, chase my cat's just like this!

[k8ila]

I love that video!

Hazel showed it me a few weeks ago.... I just need to learn how to get yoda and thor doing that, then I can leave them in my mums garden in peace (it has a cat run through it!!)

[sammkins]

i wouldnt really trust my cat either, when i first put mine in the garden i was sitting with them, all of a sudden my cat flew down the garden and scratched my little torts face, it was fine within a day or too, but still imagine if i hadnt been there!

[tortoise lover]

I have 2 cats and they do not bother at all with my tortoises but i would never leave them in the same room together, when i am out i just shut them out and there outdoor enclosure is completely shut off so they couldnt get to them outside either

[Steph37]

My cats love the tortoises (not allowed near the young quarantined ones in case they tread on one part of graound and then walk into another pen. But tehy've always loved the Hermanns-I think they think they are their pets!! They both try to squeeze themselves in the hutches but they are the ones to move fast when the tortoises decide to go in to bed!! I would trust mine completely though I wouldny trust others. They are mainly house cats so their bahviour is a bit different, catching flies has been the biggest conquest over 11 years! I also had cat proof fencing up so that stopped other cats (and foxes etc) coming in. I have some amusing photos that I shall post when I get round to finding teh post with the instructions!