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Small pets

Do dogs and cats get on with guinea pigs?

8 replies

StirredNotShaken · 23/09/2016 22:58

I have one dog (lab, aged 4) and 3 cats. I would love a guinea pig but am wondering if the dog might see it as fair game! I have a fully enclosed garden and a log cabin which it could be kept in during the colder months. I have two children and plenty of time. Is this a bad idea?

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shggg245 · 23/09/2016 23:13

My friend's dog (greyhound) killed her guinea pig in a matter of seconds. One of the kids had not secured it's hutch

My psycho cat regularly kills rabbits, (sometimes quite big ones) I usually find the head and intestines, so I'd be very, very careful about securing the hutch.

My dog (English Pointer) is cool with our pet rabbit - just looks confused as if to say 'wtf is that thing doing in here' - but the cat would have him in no time at all, actually think the cat would eat me if she could.

So I'd say extreme caution....

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70isaLimitNotaTarget · 23/09/2016 23:36

Hmmm probably not a good idea Stirred

Guineas are prey animals so would spend their entire life in a state of fear (low level/high level depending on the dog/cat)

Ours run away when we approach, not because they hate us or fear us (GP7 does actually run towards us ) but because their survival instinct kicks in.

And No to a solitary guinea-pig, they are social animals who need appropriate company, which means 2+ (but if you have boars , only 2 boars/ any number of sows / neutered boar and sows)

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EastMidsGPs · 25/09/2016 14:18

My neighbour's dog bided his time and waited and waited .. the one time their run wasn't secure .. the piggies were killed .. and I do mean patiently waited ages, a tear or more

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EastMidsGPs · 25/09/2016 14:18

Year not tear although many tears were shed

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Linpinfinwin · 25/09/2016 23:57

I was wondering this with DH. Thing is, our garden will always have cats in. Right now it has our cats, age 14 and 15, but when they die it will be taken over by at least one of the neighbours' cats. Wouldn't it be better that it's our elderly dozy cats, whom I can read? Genuinely have no idea.

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StirredNotShaken · 26/09/2016 07:20

OH dear....sounds like it would be torment for the poor guinea pig. I will have to leave it. Thank you for your advice MNetters.

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TimeIhadaNameChange · 30/09/2016 11:45

Depends on the cats and dogs. I remember a schoolfriend who had a golden retriever and cats with free-running rabbits and guineas. The worst that happened is that the dog thought the guineas were continually trying to escape so would retrieve them back to the house. Never hurt the wee things but no doubt it was annoying to one moment be munching grass and the next to be on lino!

And my cat's a keen hunter, but has always been around free-running rabbits without bothering them, and though I'd never completely trust her with the guineas they often run around the kitchen and she's never attacked. Two of the boys were convinced she was their best friend and would go running up to her, which confused the hell out of her!