Security of cham screen cages.

[exoticdreams]

I have a cat who is currently with me on a trial basis( to make a long complicated story short). Having the cat break into the fish room is an ongoing struggle and has escalated into barracading the fish room a small piece of furniture at the doorway and even then the cat somehow manages to break in sometimes.

Therefore I am wondering how secure the screen cages made for chameleons are. I am not talking about giving a cat regular access to a chameleon cage, I am talking about having a cat get into a forbidden space. because keeping the cat out of forbidden spaces isn't going to be 100 percent effective as much I've been trying.

I caught the cat breaking into the bathroom today despite the door being shut, thus leaving me concerned for my two crested geckos. So now I propped a box up against the door.

If I decide to keep the cat and got a cham, then I'm afraid I need to plan that eventually despite my best efforts the cat will eventually get access to the cham. If the means the cham won't be safe, then if I end up keeping the cat, it's going to a deal breaker and better not get a cham.

 

[newtochams]

I have two cats who always stare at my lizards. one even got on top once but I know from the cats being near when I hold my reptiles they wouldn't hurt one. Now honestly I'm not going with screen I have an exo Terra tall glass with extra ventilation on the bottom. I am getting my first cham next month and I have no fear with the cats around as long as they don't go to pounce or anything. I think you would be fine just don't let your cat climb the screen or get that close other wise I'll bet you it will be fine.

 

[TLC]

From my experience back in the day with keeping snakes in glass enclosures with screened lids, if you don't have the cham in a separate room with a securable door, I would
get rid of the cat.

 

[newtochams]

From my experience back in the day with keeping snakes in glass enclosures with screened lids, if you don't have the cham in a separate room with a securable door, I would
get rid of the cat.

When pigs fly mate. As far as I have seen at least with my cats they don't stress them out any so I'll keep doing what I'm doing and you can keep on doing what your doing as long as it works for you.

 

[CarlC]

Your cats will kill your chameleon the first chance it gets. They are no different then any other cat. If your willing to take that chance I feel really sorry for your chameleon.

Carl

 

[Lathis]

I have a cat who is currently with me on a trial basis( to make a long complicated story short). Having the cat break into the fish room is an ongoing struggle and has escalated into barracading the fish room a small piece of furniture at the doorway and even then the cat somehow manages to break in sometimes.

Therefore I am wondering how secure the screen cages made for chameleons are. I am not talking about giving a cat regular access to a chameleon cage, I am talking about having a cat get into a forbidden space. because keeping the cat out of forbidden spaces isn't going to be 100 percent effective as much I've been trying.

I caught the cat breaking into the bathroom today despite the door being shut, thus leaving me concerned for my two crested geckos. So now I propped a box up against the door.

So if I get a cham and if I decide to keep the cat, then I'm afraid I need to plan that eventually despite my best efforts the cat will eventually get access to the cham. If the means the cham won't be safe, then if I end up keeping the cat, it's going to a deal breaker and I'm not getting a cham.

Do the doors not latch? Latching doors and vigilance should take care of the majority of your concern. If shutting the doors securely is the issue, I agree, it may be a deal breaker. You could consider getting an aluminum-screened door for some of the interior doors if air-flow or visibility is the issue. In my childhood home, we had one room with no heat vents that needed to be cat-free. Privacy wasn't an issue, so my mom put a screen door on it. It seemed silly to visitors, but it was actually really convenient.

Some cats are chill about small animals in the house and others go nuts. This one sounds like a nut ball

 

[davelin315]

I have a 15 lb cat that sits on the top of a 55 gallon tank on the screen top (metal grid, not window screen) and tries to catch Cuban Anoles all day long. They don't care and he is never successful. That said, he has never broken into a room before and window screen is different from metal grid screen tops... I would use best judgement, but it sounds like you have a clever cat... mine is jut a big dopey fat furball...

 

[carol5208]

We have had more than a few members lose their chameleons to their cats. There have been cats who have knocked screen cages over(the smaller cages I am sure) and the chameleons got lose and were killed. You really have to use your best judgement. Cats will kill chameleons, that is for sure.

 

[ridgebax1]

I have 3 cats and 3 reptiles and 2 big dogs, so far with no dangerous interactions. However, when I go to work the dogs and lizards are together so the cats won't go in the same room. Even so, the cage tops are fairly high off the ground and I don't think the cats even entertained the idea of jumping on top of them.

I would never leave the doors open or the lizards out and assume the cats would not go after them given the chance. That's just what cats do. The screen door on the lizard room is a good idea though, they have very simple wood frame doors fairly cheap at HD or Lowes.

 

[kplatvoet]

There is somewhere a good blog entry or thread about cat and chameleons - my cats have never bothered mine and seem not to be interested-(when I'm watching) but I have caught one in with the crickets - Make sure that your cages are secure and that if the cat were to get into the room there is no possibility of them knocking it over- keep them out of the room that they are in- even without the fun of killing something they do like a nice warm spot high up-

 

[exoticdreams]

Do the doors not latch? Latching doors and vigilance should take care of the majority of your concern. If shutting the doors securely is the issue, I agree, it may be a deal breaker. You could consider getting an aluminum-screened door for some of the interior doors if air-flow or visibility is the issue. In my childhood home, we had one room with no heat vents that needed to be cat-free. Privacy wasn't an issue, so my mom put a screen door on it. It seemed silly to visitors, but it was actually really convenient.

Some cats are chill about small animals in the house and others go nuts. This one sounds like a nut ball

Regular household doorknobs. I would not have thought that a cat could have opened these kinds of doors.

 

[absolutbill]

I think it depends on the prey drive of the cat. In my time with chameleons I've had 2 cats. One tried climbing the screen of the cage - I screamed, she jumped down and never tried it again for the rest of her life. The other one will look at them, but that's about it.

I'm not saying to not get a cat, because I believe they can co-exist up to a point (though they would still find a cham pretty tasty), but you may want to choose one who isn't as prey driven as this one seems to be. Maybe adopt a kitten and teach it from an early age with a spray bottle of water that the chams are paws off. Good luck!

 

[Kath44]

I have a cat, that is younger than 18months old. He doesn't seem interested in George, has looked at him and walked off, thing George is too slow. That said, I wouldn't leave them together, say free ranging etc. couldn't forgive myself if something was to happen.
My set up was set up for a few days previous to getting George, so for a good while Perkins thought it was empty.
It is more the crickets etc that catch his eye.
I've also used a spray bottle if Perkins looked like he was going to climb up or do more than sit and look. He stays away now. But still......