Dragon and Cats (read BEFORE you yell!)

[emleebee]

Okay: I'm just going to say this first: I am NOT planning on ever having my cats and my dragon have direct contact in any way, shape, or form! I am too aware of the possibilities for injury to allow it under any circumstances! So, no need for that lecture (I know that someone at least read the subject and was ready to scream, LOL).

What I'm looking for is how other people who have both work it so that they DON'T have contact. Here's my problem; I have an open plan condo, where there are no blocked off areas except for the 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. Unfortunately, the only place that I can place the viv is in the open plan area. My cats, especially the playful one, do check Tia out through the glass (she bearded the first time she saw them and hid, but now when the cat comes up Tia will come running up to the glass to check her out). So far, whenever I handle her I either hang out with her in the bathroom or I have to toss the cats in my bedroom temporarily. I would like to be able to chill out with her on the couch without traumatizing my cats.

Anyone with a similar situation have any advice or ideas? I don't know if there's actually a good solution!

 

[Mistyck]

Why are you afraid of your cats seeing your dragon? Our dragon actually will chill with our cats. Haven't had a problem once with them. If anything, the dragon scares the cats when he gets too close to them. :lol: He will actually chase the youngest cat (4 yo) off the bed, and try to lay down on our older cat (9yo)...But she won't let him.

Could be something interesting to see if your cats are afraid of him, or curious as to what he is. Being together supervised might help the cats see that he's nothing to mess with and that he's off limits. Never know.

 

[jacody]

I don't have cats, but I'd test it out w/ the beardie on your lap so you are able to push the cat/s away or watch closely w/o any incidents occur. If the cats are jealous of the attention you're giving to another animal it may take longer for them to get along, but try just walking around w/ your dragon in the same room or briefly sitting down next to your cats and getting up after a short time.. maybe putting your lizard down on a spot your cats frequently rest so the smell of your beardie is left behind. I myself have a large shepherd X and he's perfectly fine w/ Crixus, he'll lay on my side on the couch while my lizard is on my chest.. the only issue I ever have is when I talk to Crixus in the designated voice I have for my dog and he gets a little whiny about that.. try slowly getting them to mesh and it'll work itself out once the cats realize it's not a threat to them.. good luck, keep us posted..

 

[nursejones813]

We don't have a cat. But, we have a Yorkie, Lilly. Lilly was very curious about our BD, Slick. We always let her see him in his cage with no problem. Slick never acted like he even knew she was there. We held slick on the couch and on the beds without Lilly even batting an eye. Then one day... Slick was in the living room (under supervision). He climbed down the couch and onto the floor. The chase was on! My 9yr old son and 7yr old daughter were screaming! Lilly had Slick in a corner! But, all she did was sniff him. :lol: Slick again, didn't seem to notice her. And Lilly hasn't paid any attention to him since!

 

[argolupin]

i have 2 cats and one actually loves my male beardie and plays with him at the glass and will try to get in the tub with him for his soaks, i have even seen her in his 75 gallon before we moved when my husband would forget to move part of the lid back, she doesn't care about the lizard and just wants to be his friend. he has blackbearded her and she backs off, she is also declawed on the front so i'm not too worried because i had apollo before i rescued her so she knows to stay away. i also have a kitten that showed up on my poarch and loves to chase everything. if i pull apollo or one of my adults out i always have a squirt bottle on hand to spray her if she gets too close, if it were one of the babies i like to take them into the bathroom or just keep them in my reptile room to hold them where my cats can't get ahold of them if they were to get out of my hands.

 

[emleebee]

Thanks for the advice! I have been letting Tia (dragon) and Ender & Valentine (cats, yes I'm a bit of a sci-fi geek) say hi through the glass since I got her home.

Val loves to watch her and thinks that the crickets are awesome (she runs around the viv, whacking the glass trying to get them while Tia eats them). Ender is the one who makes me more nervous; he does the hunting crouch, ready to spring, when I take her out sometimes. He is a real love with people and with Val, but can be territorial/jealous with other animals (for instance, when one of my friends brings over her small dog, Ender gets offended and sulks but doesn't attack him or anything). I still definitely am nervous about them having contact, even supervised. Tia is at the jumpy stage, where she'll sit still on me for a bit, then run around suddenly and jump...I'm afraid of a cat instinct kicking in before I can stop something. I don't want any of them to get injured!

 

[Jchaspel]

One of my cats loves Herman (my beardie), he watches me bathe her and tries to play. He's never been aggressive towards her. The other cat just isn't interested.

As we're on the topic, this is currently my favorite YouTube video: http://youtu.be/lN8cz4K3eII

 

[Goodtruant]

Our cats and beardies love each other. They will seek each other out.

 

[Oriheme]

My cats are indoor out door cats but Ive never had any issue with them or either of my beardies. I'm more worried about if Boba Fett(who is in the living room) actually gets ahold of 1 of them. HAHA whenever they get too close to his viv he will puff his beard, black beard and hiss at them and the stupid cats run away! :lol: My youngest cat is a hunter(always bringing me dead animals and leaving them on the porch) and he doesnt even bother with my dragons. Dragonite is on the dresser in my bedroom so they never see her. She is still very skiddish just around us so I dont want to introduce her to any of our other animals. Good luck!! :mrgreen:

 

[LadyMeridius]

2 cats don't care about my beardie. The third is obsessed with her and wants to be her friend so badly. The dog, who is new, is very curious about her. I have to be careful, as the dog stepped on the beardie's arm last month.

 

[emleebee]

Well Tia met the cats close up today! For more details, see http://www.beardeddragon.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=49&t=197027&start=15

(don't want to post duplicate posts all over the place!)

 

[KangAndKodos]

First day I had my baby beardie, I found the cat running down our bar carrying him by the tail. The cat learned very quickly, beardies are friends, not food! Ever since then hes been amazing with both our dragons. The cat just lays down and sniffs them now when they are out. Our boxer is very curious, but we only let him sniff them if they are in our hands.