Cats and lizards don’t must be enemies and pet lizards have even been recognized to kind robust bonds with their feline siblings. In truth, isn’t unusual to see photos of cats and Bearded Dragons cuddling!
Whereas these species might be associates, forging a friendship will rely solely in your pet’s personalities and the way you go about introducing them. Some cats merely don’t like lizards and that may’t actually be modified, however the way you introduce them can have a big effect on their relationship.
For those who plan introducing your pets there are just a few frequent errors that folks make that may set your pets up for failure. Nevertheless, if you know the way to keep away from them, you’re one step nearer to constructing a interspecies friendship.
If seeing your cat cuddled as much as your new lizard looks like one thing you need, preserve studying!
5 Errors:
- Introducing your pets and not using a barrier– If you’re hoping to introduce your cat to your pet lizard for the primary time, it’s best to at all times make that introduction by means of a barrier. This barrier will make the preliminary encounter loads safer for each pets. Preserving your lizard in a glass enclosure or behind a display door will assist stop a adverse encounter. If you’re introducing your pets and one thing goes flawed, for instance your cat might lunge at a brand new lizard when it strikes, then the barrier will stop the cat from making direct contact and presumably hurting lizard.
- Not understanding your pet’s habits– The perfect factor you are able to do earlier than introducing your cat to their new reptilian sibling is perceive their habits. Figuring out what your animals seem like when they’re confused, offended, calm or aggravated might help you identify how profitable the encounter goes. For those who introduce your cat to your new Bearded Dragon and your cat is hissing, growling, and displaying stiff physique posture, it’s possible very uncomfortable with the brand new animal. Then again, in case your Bearded Dragon’s beard is popping black, they’re head bobbing or hissing they’re possible confused and uncomfortable as effectively. If you’re introducing your cat to a Leopard Gecko, you may even see them gape their mouths and wave their tail if distressed. Studying these cues might help you cease a adverse encounter earlier than it turns harmful.
- Leaving them alone together- One of many largest errors you can also make is leaving your cat and lizard alone collectively. Even when it appears they’ve fashioned an in depth bond and luxuriate in one another’s firm, leaving them unsupervised can flip harmful rapidly. Whereas it’s unlikely your cat will likely be harmed, your lizard might be severely injured and even killed by an offended cat. All interactions between your cat and lizard ought to be supervised. With supervision you possibly can rapidly step in and cease a nasty scenario from getting worse.
- Forcing a relationship– In case your cat doesn’t like your new Bearded Dragon or vice versa, there isn’t a lot you are able to do to vary that. If in case you have correctly launched your pets they usually simply don’t appear to love one another, don’t pressure their relationship. Attempting to forge a friendship between your lizard and cat when each members are unwilling is a recipe for catastrophe. Forcing interactions will possible solely stress out each pets and trigger tensions to rise inside your family. In these circumstances, it is going to be greatest to maintain your pets separated. This may occasionally imply they must be in separate rooms utterly. All the time hearken to what your pets are attempting to inform you, and if they’re saying “I don’t like this” it’s best to respect them and pay attention.
- Not giving your pets their very own area– Most animals are territorial and be extra aggressive in the event that they suppose different animals are infringing on their territory. Due to this, it’s possible you’ll discover some stress when you introduce animals in their very own area. For instance, bringing your new Leopard Gecko into your cat’s favourite cat tree might make your cat act aggressively. Then again, in case your cat finds its approach into your new Bearded Dragons enclosure, you may even see your lizard head bobbing and threatening the intruder. Keep away from introducing animals in rooms the place they eat and sleep as they usually view these areas as their territory. So, in case you are fascinated with establishing your new lizard’s enclosure in rooms the place your cat eats or sleeps, strive discovering extra impartial areas. Impartial areas might be areas like places of work or visitor bedrooms the place each pets don’t eat, sleep or frequent usually. These impartial areas are ideally suited to introduce your pets for the primary time the place each events will really feel comfy.
Introducing your cat to your new lizard might be daunting, however when you introduce them correctly your odds of success improve exponentially.
The primary time you introduce your cat to your lizard it’s best to present a barrier in between them for security. You must also know what confused habits appears like so you possibly can inform if this interplay is making them sad. When introducing your pets it’s best to keep away from introducing them in areas the place they sleep or eat since that may improve the possibilities your animals change into territorial. Even when your pets kind an in depth bond, by no means go away them alone collectively as that may be harmful for each events if issues go flawed.
Lastly, don’t pressure your pets to be associates in the event that they don’t wish to. Some pet’s personalities simply don’t mesh effectively and that’s okay.
Keep away from these errors and your cat could possibly be cuddling along with your Bearded Dragon very quickly!
This visitor submit was kindly contributed by a lifelong reptile lover who has saved pet lizards since childhood. He requested to stay nameless.