How to discourage unwanted feline behaviour...harassing the guinea pigs

[EllebellyBeeblebrox]

Morning all, does anyone have any bright ideas for how to stop him terrorising the guinea pigs? He sits on the cage, tries to get his paw through, watches like a hawk constantly. Have moved the guineas into various different places in the house hoping to deter him but no luck. Have tried distracting him, moving him, telling him no firmly, would squirting him with water help or is that cruel? Thankyou in advance

Our cats sometimes bother our piggies but not often now ... think they see them as part of the family - a previous cat was the same with hamsters we had ... has it been long since you had this issue ? Are the piggies scared? They usually whistle frantically

Only had them a few weeks, keep hoping he'll accept them and get bored but seems more fascinated every day! They are quite a noisy pair anyway but do a lot of twittering to each other when he's about

Water pistol. He will stop if he gets squirted every time. Its not cruel it won't hurt the cat unless you get a super soaker 3000 or something

Mum suggested water pistol, but I just wasn't sure it was very kind as he is only following his natural feline instincts... but he is being a little bully. I think I will pinch one of the kids ones and keep it next to the cage! Thankyou

Well if you let him follow his instincts he will stress them out and if given a chance will kill and eat them, water is kinder all round. He will soon learn!

My dogs were like this at first, they were mesmerised and couldn't stop stalking them through the cage

They got bored after about a month and the guineas aren't scared of them at all. Not sure if the same would apply to a cat though! I would continue squirting with water!

I have a cat and a guinea (used to be a pair of each but they each lost their partners in crime last year). Both live in the house. The cat used to be very interested in the pig until he poked his face through the cage bars and got nipped on the nose for his trouble. He now gives piggy plenty of space.

Your pigs might adjust to his presence with reassurance. Ours used to come out and sit by the mesh and squeak at the mog. I'm sure they were taunting him, they were such brave, gutsy little creatures. The mog would even sit on their cage and they'd quite happily pootle around underneath him.
In the mean time a well aimed water spray will help, the cat will get over the insult quickly enough and it won't hurt him.

Puss wants to know why his dinner is in a cage and not either in his bowl or let loose so he can catch it himself ... He's simply confused.

Thankyou lovely people. I'm trying not to get cross with him as I know it's his natural instinct,just have a horrible vision of the guineas keeling over from a heart attack or something