Arboreal tarantulas, felines, and their desire to murder

[Eukio]

I use to have an Avic avic. I use to also have three cats. The three cats wanted to MURDER this Avic avic when he was on the move especially after he matured out because he was looking for his female half. Of course, he was guarded by a heavy enclosure, so it wasn't something a little water wouldn't fix. However, those cats would watch from afar after being punished with the desire of murder in their eyes as that avic moved around.

What are your experiences with your tarantulas and your feline companions?

 

[chanda]

Cats... are cats. It is in their nature to stalk, hunt, and kill small animals. Doesn't matter if it's a tarantula or a hamster or a fish or a canary - or a squirrel or sparrow outside the window. They see that small, semi-helpless creature and the hunter instincts kick in for even the most well-fed house cat.

Of course, a more active spider - like an avic - will be more appealing to a cat than a pet rock of a spider like a G. porteri just because it's more active. The only thing you can do is make sure there is no way for the cats to open or overturn the cage (and don't underestimate the cats - they can be surprisingly resourceful when it comes to getting into something they want!)

This may require keeping the cats and the spiders in separate rooms of your house. (That's what I do - particularly after one of my cats developed an unhealthy fascination with a Scolopendra subspinipes which I am quite certain would have ended badly for all parties concerned had she been allowed prolonged access to the cage. As it is, the screen top of the cage was significantly bowed/stretched from the cat sitting on top of it, and I'm sure she would have found her way in eventually, given the opportunity.)

Just because the cage is heavy is not a guarantee that the cats can't displace it. My cats took down my Christmas tree one year while we were out of town overnight. We came home to find the tree overturned on the floor, ornaments strewn from one end of the house to the other, and gouges in the side of the piano where the tree had struck it on the way down. What would happen if the cat took a flying leap onto the top of the cage? Or if the cat tried to wedge itself behind the cage while trying to find a way in? Is there a screen top or panel that the cat could bite, claw, or dislodge?

 

[Eukio]

Cats... are cats. It is in their nature to stalk, hunt, and kill small animals. Doesn't matter if it's a tarantula or a hamster or a fish or a canary - or a squirrel or sparrow outside the window. They see that small, semi-helpless creature and the hunter instincts kick in for even the most well-fed house cat.

Of course, a more active spider - like an avic - will be more appealing to a cat than a pet rock of a spider like a G. porteri just because it's more active. The only thing you can do is make sure there is no way for the cats to open or overturn the cage (and don't underestimate the cats - they can be surprisingly resourceful when it comes to getting into something they want!)

This may require keeping the cats and the spiders in separate rooms of your house. (That's what I do - particularly after one of my cats developed an unhealthy fascination with a Scolopendra subspinipes which I am quite certain would have ended badly for all parties concerned had she been allowed prolonged access to the cage. As it is, the screen top of the cage was significantly bowed/stretched from the cat sitting on top of it, and I'm sure she would have found her way in eventually, given the opportunity.)

Just because the cage is heavy is not a guarantee that the cats can't displace it. My cats took down my Christmas tree one year while we were out of town overnight. We came home to find the tree overturned on the floor, ornaments strewn from one end of the house to the other, and gouges in the side of the piano where the tree had struck it on the way down. What would happen if the cat took a flying leap onto the top of the cage? Or if the cat tried to wedge itself behind the cage while trying to find a way in? Is there a screen top or panel that the cat could bite, claw, or dislodge?

It is actually a non-issue at this point. The tarantula sexually matured two summers ago. After watching him desperately looking for a female, especially watching him climb on the ceiling of the enclosure several times and falling off, I felt it was right to send him off to a breeder, and in turn, that breeder sent him off to other breeders to do his thing. He is likely dead by this point.

But at the time, it was an enclosure I believed weighed at least...20 lbs? The top also had latches.

 

[Vulksgren]

Any thread about cats makes me really thankful mine dont care about my Ts at all.

 

[Arthroverts]

Cats and I...we just don't agree on much. We have an unhealthily large population of feral and domesticated cats that wander around where I live, and they routinely slaughter our local sparrows, doves, etc., not to mention the rare toads and lizards we used to get in our yard. I'm sure they also kill our local tarantula males too if they have the opportunity.
I let that speak for itself. I don't mind cats kept correctly, but feral cats are a scourge upon local fauna populations.

Thanks,

Arthroverts

 

[Arachnophoric]

I have two cats that I love very dearly, but we have butt heads several times where the inverts come in. Most of it is innocent enough, where the common issues are them deciding to try and eat unattended molts or take off with the paintbrushes I use for rehousing. They have a very peculiar fascination with jars - less so the ones that are full of dirt, as those are generally left alone, but if I have a mostly empty jar sitting on the table when I leave for work (usually out to be prepared for use), it's about a 50/50 shot that I come home to find the jar on the floor. They also REALLY like harassing the crickets if I give them an opportunity to, since they're far more active and noisy than the Ts. Besides two enclosures that are too big/heavy for my cats to move, all of my Ts are kept in my closet, to reduce the risk of tempting fate. My cats may not be overly interested in my Ts, but you never know when the day may come that your cat decides your T looks a little more interesting than it used to...

The worst of it is generally if I leave an enclosure sitting on a ledge the cats like to get up on, as cats like to be up off the ground and besides a few off-limits zones (computer desk, kitchen counters) I generally go ahead and let them do their thing. I've had a few enclosures knocked over as a result, because I left them sitting out and the cats just wanted to get up and perch. It's happened more than I'd really care to admit, but it's been a long time since that last happened as I finally learned my lesson on leaving enclosures out and unattended after the unfortunate demise of my Grammostola sp. North. Play with fire enough and you'll get burned eventually.

Most recently (literally days ago), I came home to discover that in my rush to put away some slings I hadn't seen my younger cat Delphi slip into the T closet before shutting the door and leaving her in there while I was away at work for 8 hours. The result was a handful of enclosures on their side/on the floor from her desperate attempts to get out of the closet, but everyone came through the ordeal just fine besides one of my slings losing a leg and now I double check to make sure no stowaways are hanging around before I close the door.

We have an unhealthily large population of feral and domesticated cats that wander around where I live, and they routinely slaughter our local sparrows, doves, etc., not to mention the rare toads and lizards we used to get in our yard. I'm sure they also kill our local tarantula males too if they have the opportunity

Exactly why I'll die by the belief that cats should not be left outdoors unattended. They're little ecoterrorists that slip under the radar in the damage they do to native wildlife, thrive in most environments and multiply faster than rabbits.

 

[Colorado Ts]

Any thread about cats makes me really thankful mine dont care about my Ts at all.

This...right here.

 

[Arthroverts]

Ecoterrorists is an excellent way to put it. There is a reason why cats should be kept inside and not left to their own devices.

Thanks,

Arthroverts

 

[Feral]

I can tell you all first hand, sadly.

-Never trust that a cat will continue to ignore a T or enclosure or feeders, even if they have in the past (no matter how long).
-Sometimes cats will not notice the T, but they will go after the feeder that is in with the T.
-Never trust that you can train a cat to stay away from an enclosure, no matter how much you train them or what method you use. Always use a barrier method, like a spare room or closet or cabinet.
-Cats can and do break into and/or knock over any/all enclosures.

Cats are insectivorous by instinct. Plus, you know, they just like to hunt stuff.

Please trust. In fact, if you ever have anyone doubt they are ALL little lovable ghost-faced killers, send them my way- Not only did I work as a behaviourist and trainer for a while, but way back before there was the Internet to warn me, my very first T was murdered by my cat. It was tragic. I felt sooooooo incredibly guilty that I swore off tarantulas entirely for 15+ years!

I still feel terrible about that.

 

[Kitara]

Any thread about cats makes me really thankful mine dont care about my Ts at all.

Mine dont either. I think it is because they are up on a shelf that they cant reach. They DO try to get into the feeder cabinet though.

Oh yeah. They did eat/played with a molt. It was my fault but I was pissed because I wanted to determine the sex. I left it on the counter for a minute so my daughter could see and then promptly forgot about it as I rushed to work. I came home to an empty plate. I found it behind the couch, destroyed.

 

[Vanisher]

We have a young cat. He has not been a threat to my small tarantula collection. I have the collection high up on shelf and he use to sit and watch them move, but he never made an attempt to get up to them. When i take an enclisure down to feed the tarantula, and the cat is near, i have total control, but cat doesnt seem that intrested in the taranntula. It is not like he wanted to get to it to all costs!
But the cat have other ways to irritate me! He is total obsessed with food, making a T blondi seem picky! And he jumps up on the table trying to eat the cheese, bread, butter ir what other things is on the table

 

[FrDoc]

Any thread about cats makes me really thankful mine dont care about my Ts at all.

YET!

 

[scooter1685]

I'm not a cat person. I'm a dog/reptile/weird person. Having said that, my wife has had 9 cats (I think) over the years. The last one passed away this last summer, after she had been with us for 12 years.

While I do actually miss her, to my surprise, I'm glad this is an issue I don't have to worry about at the moment. Until my wife or daughter decide we need a new cat, anyway...

 

[Asgiliath]

Honestly, my cats are WAYYY more interested in the crickets.

Have had one destroy a molt though.

 

[Eukio]

They also REALLY like harassing the crickets if I give them an opportunity to

My cats were actually big helpers with crickets. When I was new to the hobby, I made the mistake of ordering over 800 crickets and thought they would come in a bag like dubias do. NO. I opened the box, and crickets sprang forth. We could hear them for weeks, but the cats ate the majority of them.

Most of it is innocent enough, where the common issues are them deciding to try and eat unattended molts or take off with the paintbrushes I use for rehousing.

When I was making an enclosure for a GBB I am getting, one of my cats kept trying to eat the fake plants I was putting in. One time I looked over, she had managed to fit herself entirely into the enclosure and was...eating the fake plant.

 

[ShyDragoness]

Was mortified when I went upstairs and found my GBB enclosure knocked onto the ground, its now out of reach, but my other 4 cats have little to no interest in my inverts except for our new lil feral kitten Arthur whos particularly towards said gbb

 

[vancwa]

Any thread about cats makes me really thankful mine dont care about my Ts at all.

Same here!

 

[Arachnophoric]

My cats were actually big helpers with crickets. When I was new to the hobby, I made the mistake of ordering over 800 crickets and thought they would come in a bag like dubias do. NO. I opened the box, and crickets sprang forth. We could hear them for weeks, but the cats ate the majority of them.

That sounds like it would have been a NIGHTMARE. My cats do something similar though and frequently catch any little crickets that manage to somehow sneak their way out of the cricket cage, the dang Houdinis

When I was making an enclosure for a GBB I am getting, one of my cats kept trying to eat the fake plants I was putting in. One time I looked over, she had managed to fit herself entirely into the enclosure and was...eating the fake plant.

Sounds a lot like one of my cats and her impulsive desire to eat plastic bags/wrappers. Nothing like waking up in the middle of the night to the sound of bag-munching and knowing you have the misfortune of cleaning up the results when she inevitably vomits up a wad of plastic!

 

[chanda]

Sounds a lot like one of my cats and her impulsive desire to eat plastic bags/wrappers. Nothing like waking up in the middle of the night to the sound of bag-munching and knowing you have the misfortune of cleaning up the results when she inevitably vomits up a wad of plastic!

Are you saying that you don't enjoy an exciting game of What-did-the-cat-eat-this-time? with the special bonus round of ...and who left it out where she could get it, anyway? We play that game all the time at my house!

 

[Vanessa]

I've kept cats and tarantulas for 20 years. It's certainly doable if you make the effort. Some cats have higher prey drives than others, but I would never trust the cats around the spiders... ever. The spiders are behind cat proof barriers at all times.
I don't want to be dealing with a murdered spider, or a vet bill for a cat with a face full of urticating hairs.