Last updated on October 10th, 2022
If you are a cat person, you will know that your pet is friendly to various other animals, but you need to be careful while introducing it to the new members of your family.
Bearded dragons can get along with cats if they’re introduced properly. Most reptiles prefer to live alone, however, some species tolerate living with other friendly animals. While beardies are curious and playful, chances are the cat will not be very much interested in the company of the bearded dragon.
Cats are pretty amicable creatures, and you will find that they will get along well even with reptiles like bearded dragons.
I learned this quite by surprise when my friend left her pet bearded dragon with me for a few days. I was apprehensive, initially wondering how my feline pet would react to this new visitor.
But by reading her body language, I learned many new things about cats and bearded dragons.
Do cats like bearded dragons?
Cats are the second most common household pet, and if you love animals, you will want to have several pets in your home.
One of the animals you can easily keep along with your cat is a bearded dragon. As a bearded dragon is not natural prey for a cat, you can be assured that your pet will not attack the reptile.
Instead, it will get along quite well with the reptile and you will also find that the bearded dragon has a calming effect on your cat.
Bearded dragons do not get agitated quickly, and hence, even if your cat becomes curious about the reptile, you will find that the dragon is relatively calm about your cat’s presence.
After watching the interaction between the cat and the bearded dragon in my home, I went online.
I found several pictures of cats and bearded dragons together, proving that these two animals like each other.
Will your cat hurt your bearded dragon?
This can prove to be complex because, on the one hand, cats are natural hunters, and bearded dragons can get stressed if they are tormented for a long time.
Hence, it is often good to keep your beardie in a cage to prevent your cat from antagonizing it.
Some of the other factors to consider about cats hurting bearded dragons are as follows:
How can a cat injure a bearded dragon?
If your bearded dragon is small, your cat might injure the reptile’s skin. In addition, cats have sharp claws that can damage the delicate skin of your bearded dragon.
How do cats stress out bearded dragons?
Cats are hunters, and they often tend to attack animals that are smaller in size.
So even playfully, they can keep antagonizing or tormenting your bearded dragon. This can stress out the reptile to the extent of making it ill.
How to introduce a bearded dragon to a cat?
Here are the steps for introducing a bearded dragon to a cat and some tips every pet owner should know further below to help make the transition process easier for everyone.
- Prepare a cage for the bearded dragon
- Confine the bearded dragon to a separate room or area for a few days
- Rub cloth and towels on the head and cheeks of both animals and place them where they rest for scent familiarity
- Swap food bowls before every meal
- Regularly move your cat into the other area where the beardie is staying with your supervision
- Place the feline or beardie in a cage and allow 2-3 minutes of visual introduction without physical interaction
- You can even put your cat on a leash to give you better control of the situation.
Introducing your cat and bearded dragon must be done with care. The first thing you should also do is prepare yourself to monitor the meeting and intervene if necessary.
If your cat is in the mood to attack the bearded dragon, remove your pet from the situation.
It is essential to be patient with your cat and your bearded dragon to develop a good relationship, so do not expect them to bond on the first meeting.
The key to the help them develop a good relationship is to be vigilant.
So it would help if you considered the first few interactions between your cat and your bearded dragon as good as the first meetings.
What similarities do cats and bearded dragons have?
You can opt for a bearded dragon when you think of purchasing another pet that will get along with your cat.
There are several similarities between the two creatures that help them bond well. For example, cats and bearded dragons are calm creatures and do not get agitated quickly.
You will find that both animals have a calming effect on the household and each other making them suitable companions.
Another similarity between cats and bearded dragons is that both creatures are pretty tolerant.
You will not find a cat snapping at other animals or humans unnecessarily.
Similarly, a bearded dragon too keeps to itself and will not disturb you.
Moreover, both creatures are pretty affectionate and self-content. These similarities make them suitable pets to be kept together.
Can cats and bearded dragons become good friends?
The answer to this question is yes, cats and bearded dragons can be excellent friends. But for that, you need to give them time.
Your objective should be to help them get used to the presence of one another; when you monitor the interaction between your pet bearded dragon and your cat, check if the reptile or feline is feeling stressed.
If not, you can be assured that they are on their way to becoming good friends.
You might even find that your beardie is cuddling up to your pet cat or climbing on its back, and your pet is enjoying it.
These are rare sights but clear indications that they have become good friends.
What is the difference in habitat that you need to consider?
When you keep a bearded dragon and a cat in your home, you must consider the difference in habitat.
Cats are pretty territorial, and hence, you must ensure that they have their litter boxes and their other specific spots that they prefer to belong only to themselves.
For example, if you have a special box or a bed that your cat loves to sleep in, be careful not to put your bearded dragon.
Instead, assure your cat that all of these places belong to them, and the bearded dragon has a different place to stay, like a cage.
Only when they become good friends should you leave your pets to their own devices.
You might sometimes see images on the net of a bearded dragon and a cat inside the same cat house or cat bed.
But this happens only after a long time when your cat becomes used to the scent and presence of the bearded dragon. Therefore to make this happen, you need to be patient and careful.
Bearded dragons and cats can get along with proper introductions but their interactions will solely depend on their temperament so they shouldn’t be left in the same room without supervision.
Interested in learning more about what animals get along with cats? Check out that article for more information.
