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Cat attack

  • Thread starter Thread starter cod5andchips
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cod5andchips

Hi,

last night (around 22.00) I went outside to fetch my guinea pigs in for the night only to find a cat in the run! I rushed outside to find one of two guinea pigs inside her wooden box. She was fine. I then looked under their wooden pallet to find the other guinea pig with blood around her neck and body. She had been cut on the neck but not sure of other injurys. She was still alive. She was struggling to move and barely able to squeak. So we moved her into a shoebox filled with hay to try and get her warm (she was becoming cold), placed her in the bathroom (warmest place in the house) with plenty of water and food beside her. We then covered her with a towel and left her to recover. Later in the night she had died.

I am really shaken up about this and am wondering what else I could do If this ever happens again.

P.S. the run was all closed, no holes, lids down so no idea how the cat got in.
 
Ohhh no! Blinking cats, I'm really not a fan of them!
Theres nothing you could have done. Nut its important now to take some time to look at the run and check it over thoroughly to work out where the cat got in. If you dont then i wouldnt advise you put them out in it again. Either that or whenever your pigs are in there you need to supervise it constantly.
I dont mean to alarm or upset you but the cat knows they are there now and knows how to get in so you need to make the run completely impossible to get into. Once they are back in it, the cat will probably come back, so if i were you i'd scare it off everytime you see it near the run.

r.i.p. little piggie x
 
I am really sorry that this happened to you.

You need to completely re-do your set-up as has already been said - the cat knows they are there and how it can get in.

There was obviously a wee flaw somewhere that the cat was able to find - it could easily be something that you never thought of. Animals are very clever and if they want into somewhere they will get into it.

My guinea pigs live in my flat with my 2 cats and they get all get on great - however, I'm pretty sure if my cats were outside then they would no doubt hunt other small animals down and kill them, it's their natural instinct. You can't hate cats for it! They're only doing what they would have to do to survive in the wild.
 
It coild have been internal bleeding that caused her death.
Only treatment which may help in the case of shock is fluid by injection and steroid injection neither of which is the average owner likely to have in stock nor to have the knowledge of how to administer correctly/safely. An animal in shock is not able to "self-diagnose" the condition and will not drink water etc by itself without assistance.
 
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Angeladeedah said:
I am really sorry that this happened to you.

You need to completely re-do your set-up as has already been said - the cat knows they are there and how it can get in.

There was obviously a wee flaw somewhere that the cat was able to find - it could easily be something that you never thought of. Animals are very clever and if they want into somewhere they will get into it.

My guinea pigs live in my flat with my 2 cats and they get all get on great - however, I'm pretty sure if my cats were outside then they would no doubt hunt other small animals down and kill them, it's their natural instinct. You can't hate cats for it! They're only doing what they would have to do to survive in the wild.
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I agree 100%.

I personally never leave mine unattended in the outdoor run for fear of something like this.

So sorry you had to experience this :(
 
Hi - So sorry to hear about your loss :(

Blooming cats, foxes and the sorts can be total pains, I don't know if this advice will help at all or even if it's OK to put in with piggies, but in our hen run we place wind chimes and have a couple of old cd/dvd discs hanging up - the discs in the sun can dazzle them and sometimes the light from the discs can reflect elsewhere for instance where humans walk so giving a feeling someone is watching as so to speak don't worry about it dazzling the animal in the run though because they are to close - and the wind chimes making the noise can deter/startle them. One other thing cats like if freshly dug earth, it attracts them (don't know why!) surround dug earth with citrus peels (stick them in a blender and just spread them about) and even around your run at a distance where piggies can't reach. Replace each week and the old one's will decay. Cats don't much care for the smell. Oh and you could add some pepper to those peels to.

So sorry to hear about your loss :(

Sue
 
Thanks

Thanks all of you for your help and support. I'm going be doing a thorough check of their run tomorrow. In the mean time the remaining guinea pig (whizz, bad name I know) will be recovering indoors. Thanks again.
 
alcesterpigs said:
It coild have been internal bleeding that caused her death.
Only treatment which may help in the case of shock is fluid by injection and steroid injection neither of which is the average owner likely to have in stock nor to have the knowledge of how to administer correctly/safely. An animal in shock is not able to "self-diagnose" the condition and will not drink water etc by itself without assistance.
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Yeah I think internal bleeding may have been a factor as she had a bit of blood just under her eyes. This could be a sign of internal bleeding but not sure.
 
Sorry to hear this has happened.
If your run was all securely fastened up, was it also fastened 'down'?
Cats can nuzzle under with there noses and front paws and get in that way. Tent pegs holding the run down are good. x
 
nutmeg said:
Sorry to hear this has happened.
If your run was all securely fastened up, was it also fastened 'down'?
Cats can nuzzle under with there noses and front paws and get in that way. Tent pegs holding the run down are good. x
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Yes, cats will prowl to just like a fox, and dig. They will go back to the same spot a couple of times once they know something is their and once they spot some way in they go for it.

It's so sad about your piggy, when I was younger about 10-11 - a fox had one of my rabbits, it actually opened the door which was just closed using the old wood twist, the other rabbit was startled and upset but with love and care she got over it, the fox however, not only returned to our garden to dig up the remains we had buried, but also to try and get the other rabbit, it failed. I think on the prowling side of things fox's and cats work very alike in their techniques. It's not your fault and you mustn't blame yourself, these thing happen and I'm sure more people have a story to tell than those who don't, animals are sneaky & clever.
 
sorry to hear of your mishap but truthfully i would have put her in a box like you did and taken her straight to the vet although it probably was shock that would have killed her anyway its sad but there **** wasn't a whole lot a vet could have done unless it was injurys that killed her sorry for your lossxxxxxxx>>>
 
This has got me really spooked! Its an awful story and i'm really sorry to hear you have had to go through this.....I have a big run in my garden that I put my six pigs out to graze in whenever I can....sometimes unsupervised for a couple of hours! I was always confident that the run was completely secure but now i'm worried that it isnt if there are some houdini beasts out there wanting to do my piggies harm! I wonder how on earth that cat got into your run! :{
 
This is just awful but you did the right thing, bringing her in. So sorry for your loss, I agree with everyone else, a thorough check.

RIP little piggy.
 
OMG i'm so so sorry to hear this news 8...8...8...
RIP little piggie run free at the bridge, now you're playing with other lovely piggies and popcorning and having fun xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
(((((((((((HUGS)))))))))))))) and loves from us all xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I do hope Whizz (awww cute name) will be ok and that you can find out where the cat got in :(
 
Emergency vet?

PLEASEHELPSAVEboris said:
sorry to hear of your mishap but truthfully i would have put her in a box like you did and taken her straight to the vet although it probably was shock that would have killed her anyway its sad but there **** wasn't a whole lot a vet could have done unless it was injurys that killed her sorry for your lossxxxxxxx>>>
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Thanks everyone for your advice and help it really means a lot.

Unfortunately, this happened very late at night once all my local vets had closed. So the vet wasn't really an option. However, I am wondering if anyone knows of an emergency helpline or something to that effect that can give quick advice on the spot for injured/unwell pets? Perhaps it is just me but I feel this would be a really valuable thing to have.
 
i can't really advise on vets as i am from oz but wanted to ask why were they in a run at night? its just that risks from wildlife/cats/cold are heightened at night:{
 
So sorry to hear your news! I'm so glad mine are in the house wrapped up in cotton wool. I worry about them in the run when I am next to them and daren't even go the the toilet whilst they are in there! I had never thought of securing the run to the floor so will from now on.

Goodluck to your remaining piggie hope he/she gets over the loss soon. Give it lots of hugs from me tiger and george!
 
Night time run about

PLEASEHELPSAVEboris said:
i can't really advise on vets as i am from oz but wanted to ask why were they in a run at night? its just that risks from wildlife/cats/cold are heightened at night:{
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Thanks, yes well I normally bring them in around 9-10. But you are quite right, I should have brought them in when it got dark seeing as it gets dark later now, so there was no point in leaving them out so late.
 
your vet probably has an emergency hotline. Ask them for future reference.

I have heard of cat attacks on GP which they mistake for mice or rats. The usual killer blow is a V incision of the back of the neck. Is that what you described? I don't know why I just know that it happens.

i'm really sorry this has happened to your piggy and to you. Lots of love from Mrs M and the gang...
 
well its still a very scary thing that knowone would expect, you sound like you love your piggies very much and i just wanted to send my best wishes for you and your remaining piggy xxxxxxx
 
PLEASEHELPSAVEboris said:
well its still a very scary thing that knowone would expect, you sound like you love your piggies very much
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no one can doubt that. Mistakes do happen and don't mean you were negligent or mean. Don't beat yourself up about it. It wasn't your fault...
 
i would try to bring them in a bit earlier in the future and not leave them out after dark, now that the cats know there out late at night they may return.
best for them to be safe.
 
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