Guinea pig emergency

[silver73]

I'm beside myself with worry. I have four indoor pigs. I was out in the garden for a few moments and when I turned round I noticed a friendly neighbourhood cat coming out of my house. I ran in to check my pigs and found one of their plastic igloos overturned. They also seemed a bit freaked. However, I did not hear any noise and was only a few feet away.

I've cuddled each of my pigs and checked them to see if the cat has touched them but no sign.

I'm terrified they may die of shock. Is there anything I can do apart from be with them and comfort them?

I have just given them some parsley and all are eating well.

Actually, if they'r not dead yet (and scoffing parsley sounds pretty undead), I think you may be more shocked than they are!

Cup of tea? (you, not the piggies)?

I never knew till I joined Mumsnet that GPs love parsley -- but they go mad for it, don't they?

Could the cat have actually touched the Piggies? We have had ours for a year now and the cat has only looked at them twice. She is not impressed. A couple of weeks ago she really stopped and stared at them for such a long time and I went out and told her to stop it!

I hope your piggies are okay, give them an extra special tea.

Thanks so much for your reply I love my pigs so much that I'm absolutely beside myself with worry. I think a tea is a very good idea. My pigs adore parsley beyond everything else. How many pigs have you got?

I'm not sure that the cat touched them. I've checked them and no wet or injuries. I recently rescued two little pigs and one is very nervous at times and maybe she panicked when she saw the cat so the igloo turned over.

Just the two at the moment, Silver (and two cats, who flick their tails in a disgruntled fashion if the pigs are nearby, but otherwise ignore them). I did try mentioning to DH that the kids would love a few more so they had one each to cuddle, but he saw through me immediately!

Do you think cats are likely to go after pigs? It sounds from you and pink that cats are not that interested.

The pigs started off as my childrens but within a couple of weeks I was totally in love with them so they are mine really. I hope to get a couple more rescue pigs when we build another corex cage to take the extra piggies...

They are piggying about at the moment and eating hay and dried food so will go and have that tea now x

Silver73 - glad your pigs are ok!

Fwiw, I frequently have to chase away our neighbours' cats from our garden where the gps roam loose in the summer. I often find a cat lurking in the bushes, drooling and rubbing its stomach in anticipation of a good lunhc...

On two occasions, we have actually stopped a cat from pouncing. One of those times, it was too close for comfort. For those reasons, I wouldn't trust a cat with a guinea pig - even if they don't kill and eat them - they could easily hurt them.

I wouldn't trust a cat never to have a go, but an adult, boringly stationary GP doesn't seem to be all that exciting to a cat. Our cats were very interested when the GPs were mouse-sized and nervy babies, but soon got bored.

My childhood cat used to sit on the guinea pig cage intimidating them, until one bit her tail. That put her off for life.

My beautiful little piggies still seem fine doing their piggy thing and still eating.

I don't trust cats either and we are very careful but this cat crept in with the back door open for a few seconds. I don't know much about cats as not had one for years but the cat did not look wild when he came out just calmly walking away - no excited look or tail wagging just very laid back looking not the sort of look I would expect to see if he'd just had an exciting face off.

Our cat is scared of the piggies

She loves to sit & watch them when they are in the run, but if they head towards her she backs away!