# Cats & Hedgehogs



## JennifeerHolidaay (Sep 26, 2013)

I was wondering how I could introduce my 2 cats to my hedgehog? I've been keeping them separated since I got Oliver but I've read that you're not supposed to do that forever? I tried holding Oliver & letting them sniff him, I thought it was going well because they put their noses together & seemed calm. But then randomly Ollie puffed up & started hissing really loud & he climbed up my shirt & hid in my hair. My cats started freaking out as well. Should I try again ? or just not bother...


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## eicg (Sep 27, 2013)

What i did was hold my hedgehog and let the cats check her out then i let her run around and the cats would come over a smell her and go sit some were else trying to figure out what the heck that was. They typically get along with hedgehogs


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

You can let them come over and check him out again if they're interested and you're sure they won't react with teeth or claws. I'm usually more nervous about people introducing hedgies to dogs than cats, but that doesn't mean cats might not be dangerous either. They're just usually smarter and figure out more quickly to leave the poky thing alone. :lol: If they're not interested though, or already want to stay away from the poky thing, I wouldn't force the issue at all, especially with Oliver being freaked out by them. I personally really don't like the idea of introducing little prey animals to larger predators, even in special circumstances. But then, I'm paranoid and tend to assume the worst might happen. :lol:


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## eicg (Sep 27, 2013)

My cats are De-clawed except for one but she gets up and leaves instead of picking a fight. My other cats cant figure it out so they leave it a lone and my other cat used to sleep with my hamsters before he died and she liked him after he died.




proud owner of: 4 cats, 5 chickens, fish. a spiny eel, a tree frog, and a hedgehog

R.I.P rocket your the reason i got a hedgehog


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## SugarCoatedSam (Sep 24, 2013)

I just let my hedgie run around on the floor and let nature take its course, at first there was a lot of scared, unknowing sniffing but then the kitten finally got the courage to 'bop' Midnight... First and last time that ever happened xD

Now they're best of friends  Just let nature do its thing










My babies when they were young :-D


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## abbys (Oct 13, 2012)

SugarCoatedSam, that picture is ridiculously cute!


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## Tongue_Flicker (Jun 11, 2013)

omg! how adorable haha! now i wanna have a cat again lol 

@Lily's mom: that is so true (cat leaving non-poky things alone).. i used to have an adult female cat before i moved here and it gets along well with my year-old monitor lizard. they even eat at the same food bowl sometimes lol. my monitor is also good with hedgehogs since it literally grew up with them so i guess its accustomed to hedgie scent since then


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## JennifeerHolidaay (Sep 26, 2013)

Thanks for tips guys 
& aw that picture!<3


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## Chloethehedgie7 (Jul 24, 2013)

Cute picture SugarCoatedSam!


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## eicg (Sep 27, 2013)

I'm not really sure maybe you should try to introduce them on opposite sides of a screen they can get each others sent and see each other but cant get each other.But if your hedgehogs really stressing out then i would not even bother. You don't want to put your hedgehogs well being at risk


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## JennifeerHolidaay (Sep 26, 2013)

thats a good idea too, I'm not worried about my cats attacking him though. they wont kill mice or anything & neither of them bite.


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## JennifeerHolidaay (Sep 26, 2013)

Thank you again for all the tips. They STILL both have a freak out when i try to get them to sniff eachother but i'm trying again today. Oliver doesn't normally run. at all. if I put him down on the ground he just sits there. I just don't want him feeling helpless or like he can't get away


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## DesertHedgehogs (Apr 2, 2013)

If you have a pen, it's another good way to introduce. I have 4 cats and one of them will go into the pen with hedgies and sit there, everyone else either watches from outside or ignores them. Some of the hedgies will sniff and hang out with the cats, One will chase them with her forehead quills down, and some of them just sit in a ball of upset that there's a predator near them. No injuries except injured pride when the cat that loves them the best patted them when he first met them.


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## JennifeerHolidaay (Sep 26, 2013)

Thank you! another good idea


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## brittbritt (Dec 19, 2013)

I have an open top cubes and coroplast cage. My sweet cat Abby kept jumping in the cage and I figured out she was just eating her cat food I was feeding my hedgehog. I changed to another brand and Abby quit jumping in the cage.


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