Do cats eat Hamsters?

[MikeTrump1]

Last weekend I visited a friend of mine and found that he started keeping hamsters as pets. He explained to me that the maintenance cost is really low since they feed on insects around the compound. They look so cute and am seriously considering having around four of them as my pets, But then my greatest concern is my cat. Am really worried whether they'll live comfortably in the same compound. I also don't want my cat to be drawn away from me when i get other pets, cause we are currently so close.My friend awkwardly doesn't have a cat, actually the hamsters are the first pets he has had. I got some pictures of hamsters and they look almost exactly like rats. So i was wondering whether my cat may be tempted to chase them around? Or do cats eat Hamsters? And do you think this can affect my relationship with my cat? I really need someone who has knowledge or related experince to tell me whether or not this is a good idea. Any thought are welcome.

[alanc]

The short answer is yes, cats do eat hamsters. I know this because a friend of mines cat caught and killed his neighbors hamster when the latter escaped from its cage.

[MarySkater]

I agree with alanc; small rodents are natural cat food.

Incidentally, I believe some kinds of hamsters are solitary animals. Anyone wanting to keep a group would need to make sure they had the right kind.

[Grace56]

Cats are predators so of course they would kill and probably eat the Hamsters if they caught them.
It would be very unfair for both cats and Hamsters to have them living in close proximity to each other.

[MikeTrump1]

so that means i'll have to choose between my cat and the hamsters?

[MarkB]

We used to have a hamster when I was a kid. It used to escape from its cage and go back. We only knew because we found piles of food buried under corners of carpets etc (it was hamster food, not insects) one day we found it with a broken neck - it must have been our cat.

PS - I checked the diet for hamsters and it says 'Hamsters naturally eat a mixture of seeds/cereals/insect larvae/larger insects e.g. crickets'

[Joe_Danger]

I'm a little concerned about these hamsters that survive on insects, as someone who used to keep and on occasion breed and raise hamsters I know they require fresh veggies, fruit as well as grains, sunflower seeds and all sorts of stuff, they need fresh water (there is a belief in my country, or there was back then that you're not supposed to let a hamster drink water or they'd die so many people would keep hamsters with no water)
Hamsters are low maintenance alright but they require a lot of care and dedication, they're fragile creatures

[MikeTrump1]

Thank you all for the information and advise. Now am in a better position to make the right decision.

[bobbys girl]

A hamster would be too much of a temptation. Mine would see it as a challenge. My sister has two cats AND a canary (Busby!) He is kept in a separate room overnight and when my sister is out. But otherwise so far so good. His cage is on a stand like Tweety Pie's so they can't reach him.

[Crewella]

Sadly a hamster wouldn't last five minutes in this household. With the added concern that apparently hamsters have a very high fat content so wouldn't do the cats much good either!

[Lilith]

Yup - they're rodents and cats will hunt them. I can imagine them eating insects, they like a varied diet, but as insects are diurnal and hamsters are nocturnal...makes them pretty boring pets too as the only sign of life you'll see (or hear) is the squeak of the exercise wheel in the small hours. But if you're insomniac they could make a good pet lol.

They need to be segregated as to sex because Missis Hammy, unless she's in the mood, doesn't care to have a man about the house; we learned this the hard way as kids when my sister put her boy in with the girl and Missis sank her fangs into his stomach and killed him, and yes we should have had proper adult supervision

The only other thing I know about hamsters is from one of the Monty Python Papperboks which warns about their (alleged) flatulence. After reading this, for a long time in our house, whenever anybody f*rted, the cry would go up of - 'HAMSTERS!'

[Animal]

We used to have a hamster when I was a kid. It used to escape from its cage and go back. We only knew because we found piles of food buried under corners of carpets etc (it was hamster food, not insects) one day we found it with a broken neck - it must have been our cat.

PS - I checked the diet for hamsters and it says 'Hamsters naturally eat a mixture of seeds/cereals/insect larvae/larger insects e.g. crickets'

So basically you or parents (as you were a kid) neglected you hamster and as a result he died. If you have a cat and a hamster you would make sure the hamster cannot get out.
My hamster came out of his cage before, and my cat was chasing it when I realised. Ever since I have made sure there is no way my hamster can come out. I have put something heavy on the cage and made sure all the cage doors are closed. I would not let my hamster roam around freely, once was enough!

[Animal]

Last weekend I visited a friend of mine and found that he started keeping hamsters as pets. He explained to me that the maintenance cost is really low since they feed on insects around the compound. They look so cute and am seriously considering having around four of them as my pets, But then my greatest concern is my cat. Am really worried whether they'll live comfortably in the same compound. I also don't want my cat to be drawn away from me when i get other pets, cause we are currently so close.My friend awkwardly doesn't have a cat, actually the hamsters are the first pets he has had. I got some pictures of hamsters and they look almost exactly like rats. So i was wondering whether my cat may be tempted to chase them around? Or do cats eat Hamsters? And do you think this can affect my relationship with my cat? I really need someone who has knowledge or related experince to tell me whether or not this is a good idea. Any thought are welcome.

Hi

They are very low maintenance and very cute! Getting 4 hamsters means getting 4 cages as they cannot live with each other as they start to fight for territorial right, which will lead in one out for 4 living and the rest dying.

Yes, a cat can serverly hurt the hamster or kill it. However,
There is no reason why you shouldn't get a hamster if you have a cat. As long as you make sure all the cage doors are shut and there are no gaps for the little hamster to come out from it will be fine.

My cat loves to watch my hamster, but I know I have to be very careful. When my cat is around the cage I always keep an eye out. I have a small place so I can't close the door and make sure the cat stays out, but that is an option.

My cat still has the same affection from when I didn't have a hamster. Make sure both get attention, and you keep the same routine with you cat.
Your cat will be fine.

[booktigger]

Yes, they would, but with the right care, you can have both - when I was growing up at one point we had cats, a dog and a hamster with no issues. Since being an adult, I had a rat for 4 months before he sadly developed pneumonia (he was abandoned, tied in a carrier bag on a factory gate, so we only know he was fully grown), I had 3 cats, the two girls were scared of him, Buster was indifferent. Clyde (the rat) liked to sit on your knee, I have pics of both him and Buster on my knee at the same time, and even one of him and all 3 cats on the bed!! All 3 were senior cats though.

[nanny pamy]

Sounds a bit cruel to me (sorry, just my opinion) to have a hamster but keep it locked In a cage. Why do that. It may be "entertaining" to sit watching it but sounds like a very boring sad life for the poor hamster.

[Gordon]

The answer is no. Dogs eat hamsters, but cats do not. Cats are carnivores and they don't eat pet rodents like guinea pigs or pet rats because they are omnivores. Do guinea pigs eat rabbits? The answer is no. Guinea pigs can't eat pet rodents like pet hamsters or pet rats either because they are omnivores([Advertising link removed by Forum Admin]). Rabbits are herbivores and they don't eat pet rodents either. Differences between guinea pig, rabbit, hamster: Guinea pigs, rabbits and hamsters are all pet rodents. Guinea pigs are small mammals of the cavy family. Rabbits are lagomorphs of the Leporidae family. Hamsters are small mammals of the subfamily Cricetinae or rodent family. The guinea pig is relatively large for a pet rodent, but they often live in large groups. They don't like pet rodents like hamsters, gerbils or mice because they are territorial and biting is their defense mechanism.

[papa cat]

Gordon you are wrong; cats do eat hamsters. Cats are carnivores, and they are born hunters. Further, rodents are one of their favorite prey, and hamsters are a part of it. A hamster is nothing but a juicy meal that makes a perfect snack in a cat’s eyes. Once a cat sees an opportunity, it will pounce towards a hamster with no doubts.
https://www.animalfate.com/do-cats-eat- ... o%20doubts.
Cats will hunt and kill mice, rats hamsters gerbils birds and rabbits, in fact virtualy anything that is about their own size or less, sometimes bigger

[Mollycat]

Actually, everyone who has said a flat yes or no is wrong!

Yes a cat's natural food is small rodents, including hamsters if they come across them. Cats still have the chase and hunt instinct but fewer now have the kill bite skill that their mother would teach them (unless they get lucky) which means more cats accidentally torture their live toys to death. But experiments done half a century ago on cat behaviour found that cats that are raised with rodents from birth see the rodents as family and don't tend to kill them, though some still do, and what's more of the cats that were raised with one species some go on to kill other species but not the one they were raised with and some go on to kill no rodents at all.

As it's still sort of Christmas it seems a nice time to bring back this advert from the 80s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQhyndS ... ariman1988