Cats & Chameleons

[AZJ0SH]

So far my cats have completely ignored my enclosure, but it's sitting empty right now until I order a panther.

Do any of you guys have cats, and do they bother your chameleons?

I am using standard window screen for the enclosure, can cats get through that? I have the larger screen inside to prevent nail breakage, but just standard window screen on the outside.

 

[jannb]

Cats and chameleons do not mix. I would keep my cats away from the cham. It's possible that just the sight of the cats could stress the cham if he's not seen cats before.

 

[allicat1229]

I have 4 cats....and while they are expert lizard hunters, they completely ignore my cham....

 

[veiled]

my 2 cats ignore mine too. but better safe than sorry. i closed my cats off in another room when i wasnt home. and monitered their behavior when i was home around the enclosure. also moniter your chameleons behavior like jannb said it could really stress him out. mine seems either curious or ignores them

 

[JackP308]

to each their own. My cats get along just well with my chameleons, other lizards and fish. My veiled actually makes a point to crawl to the bottom of screen cage and sit down by one of my cats most days when the cat first walks in on inspection. My chameleons are more scared of putting a new branch in their enclosure and I have no fears of my cat harming anything of mine.


I used to have an iguana play with my cats and a dog I once had. The iguana would use the dog as a taxi to from one couch to another without having to move much. Ill see if I can find pics.


I know my cats well though I have had them so far 7 plus years, I wouldnt go throwing in some mean mouse catching hunter to roam my herp room.

 

[Dez]

It really depends on the cat... I have 2 cats and 3 dogs and they don't pay any attention to the chameleons.

Years ago when I only had one veiled (wow) My roommate adopted a kitten who turned out to be a little terror. The 'climb the curtains' type of cat.

I came home one day to find my chameleon loose on the window sill and screen on the top of my cage pushed in with the heat lamp (that was sitting on top) dangling by the cord inside the cage.

What happened is the cat for some reason tried to climb the side of the cage and fell trough the screen when he got to the top... knocking the light over and letting my chameleon escape.

Luckily the cham was uninjured and did not leave the room he was in. but i was pretty mad.

Its scary because cat bites are toxic to small animals...so if, God forbid, something where to happen and the cat decided to take a nibble at the cham, even just a small bite can cause a huge infection and kill him.

 

[alee]

My cat completely ignores my chameleons. He ignores all my other pets. He ignores me if he does not need food.

 

[melvbrooke]

My cat is a litle terror. He sits and watches the fish/turtles. He attacks my two dogs. Though he for some reason has no interest in the chameleon. I'm not sure if it is because th cage is on my dresser or what.

I'm going to be more concerned when he moves onto his final massive enclosure this week. Bigger target lol.

 

[sandrachameleon]

My cat ignored my chameleons most of the time. My chameleons however were very aware of the cat. I felt it best to put the chameleons in a room that the cat was not permitted in

 

[AReptile]

I have 3 cats and while two do not care about my lizards one that is ALL she thinks about. The minute my door is open for any reason boom right behind my beardie's tank.. She doesn't seem to notice my cham thankfully, or just realizes she's too far away to get. She's more attracted to the beardies, she always tries to get them... n i always yell at her and toss her out of my room lol

 

[lisa h]

My cats ate the first two chameleons I ever had (the morning after I got them). I had a Reptibreeze enclosure. The cat jumped on top to warm his butt on the light, the light ripped through the top, and my chameleons were no more. It was heartbreaking, but I learned a valuable lesson. I have changed my setups to be more cat proof since then.

 

[Ekaj13]

My cats don't seem to have much interest in my chameleons, but my mellers is definitely scared of them. I believe it is important to keep other animals as far away as possible from the chameleons.