One thing’s for sure, guinea pigs and cats have made quite the impression on people. There has been a massive increase in people buying these two animals as pets. What makes them so popular anyway?
Both cats and guinea pigs are low-maintenance pets. They’re pretty easy to handle and are friendly pets. They bond well with families, including the children, and aren’t expensive animals once you buy them.
The question is, between a guinea pig and a cat, which one makes a better pet?
- Are Guinea Pigs Or Cats Better Pets?
- Are Cats Easier To Take Care Of Than Guinea Pigs?
- Guinea Pigs As Pets
- Cats As Pets
- Similarities Between Guinea Pigs & Cats
- Differences Between Guinea Pigs & Cats
- Can Guinea Pigs Live With Cats?
- Will A Cat Hurt A Guinea Pig?
- Will A Cat Kill A Guinea Pig?
- Which Is Smarter, Guinea Pigs Or Cats?
- Resources:
Are Guinea Pigs Or Cats Better Pets?
Cats would make a better pet than guinea pigs. The reason behind this answer is simply because cats are far more independent compared to guinea pigs.
The answer above may be straightforward, however, the decision will still rest on the person who is choosing between a cat and a guinea pig.
Cats would be a perfect choice for people who are always away and are busy with school or work. Why is that so? Well, cats are solitary animals so they enjoy their own time alone and would survive without constant human interaction.
Cats can also be litter-trained and they’re an expert when it comes to this because the majority of cats will only defecate inside a litter box. This classifies cats as independent pets more or less.
Guinea pigs on the other hand are the exact opposite. A guinea pig would be perfect for a person who constantly looks after their pet and makes sure their enclosure is clean at all times and that they spend an ample amount of time interacting with their pets.
Social animals can’t be left alone, so they must always come in pairs when a person decides to buy a social animal. A guinea pig is an example of that, so if you have plans on buying a guinea pig, make sure to buy in pairs.
Guinea pigs don’t come close to cats when it comes to being independent, so try to figure out what type of lifestyle you have, that way you can decide better when it comes to choosing between a cat and a guinea pig.
Are Cats Easier To Take Care Of Than Guinea Pigs?
Yes, cats are easier to take care of than guinea pigs.
Cats are solitary animals, therefore, they can be left alone. Guinea pigs on the other hand are social animals, so they have to be with another guinea pig and be played with by their owners most of the time.
In some cases though, there are guinea pigs that prefer to be left alone. This would depend on their personality since some are bubbly and friendly while others aren’t.
There are guinea pigs that don’t want to be handled and some don’t even trust humans right off the bat.
The next thing we’ll be talking about would probably be the biggest deal out of everything, and this is litter training. A lot of people struggle when their pets defecate, especially if the pets do it all over their house.
It’s messy and time-consuming when it comes to tidying up their mess, the good thing about most cats is that they strictly poop and pee on their litter boxes. Cats can also be litter-trained easily because it’s instilled in their instincts to hide their scent.
In the wild, big cats and other species of cats hide their scent by covering it up with dirt, that way, they ward off the attention from other predators.
On the other hand, guinea pigs are hard to litter-train and the majority of guinea pigs can’t even learn it. So the scenario for pet owners who would choose guinea pigs would be regular cleaning of their pet’s enclosure.
Guinea pigs tend to poop and pee everywhere, so their enclosures get dirty easily and smell bad as well.
Guinea Pigs As Pets
Guinea pigs make great pets for families because it’s so amusing to watch a 2-pound animal roaming around and making oinking sounds.
They love to bond with their human families and their fellow guinea pigs. They’re playful and friendly animals that love to please their owners.
Their needs aren’t hard to find since it’s locally available in pet shops and grocery stores. Owners don’t need to splurge on any special equipment once they buy themselves their very own guinea pig.
Expect to see lots of poop and pee inside their enclosures. Of course, that would also prepare owners for washing their beddings as well (due to the frequent defecation).
Pros
- Their lifespans are quite long (six to eight years)
- Guinea pigs rarely bite
- Lots of guinea pigs love to be handled
- Initially, they’re inexpensive
- Guinea pigs are generally affectionate and gentle
- Most guinea pigs adapt fast in whatever environment they’re in
- Guinea pigs rarely get sick thanks to their great immune system
Cons
- Guinea pigs need daily interactions
- They need to be exercised daily
- Costs add up after buying a guinea pig
- Guinea pigs can’t live alone, so they need to be bought in pairs
- Guinea pigs are delicate so they can’t be left in the hands of children unsupervised
- Guinea pigs are bad at litter training
Cats As Pets
Cats are great to have around! Their quirkiness and unique personalities keep a lot of people entertained and happy. It’s no wonder these animals are a hit nowadays.
Not to mention, these animals are fairly easy to take care of since they’re clean independent animals. In short, cats are low-maintenance pets.
Cats are generally quiet, however, there are a few breeds that make them quite vocal, but nothing too extraordinary. They’re independent as well, they don’t rely on their owners’ attention to keep themselves occupied and happy.
Moreover, cats keep pests out of a house. They love to hunt down insects and other small prey. They have long lifespans as well, the ideal lifespan of a cat would be 15, but there are some cases where cats reach the age of 20!
Another thing about cats that make them ideal pets is they can be used for therapy since owning a cat gives health benefits.
Pros
- Cats are low-maintenance
- Highly entertaining animals
- Cats help eliminate pests
- Cats aren’t required to be exercised (not unless they’re obese)
- Cats are independent
- Cats can easily be litter-trained
- Cats have quirky and unique personalities
- Cats give loads of health benefits to humans
Cons
- Cats tend to scratch and bite
- Lots of people are allergic to cats
- Cats can be destructive, especially when bored
- Some breeds can be vocal
- Cats can kill small animals like hamsters
- Vet expenses are quite pricey
- Cats can attract fleas
Similarities Between Guinea Pigs & Cats
- Both animals can be classified as low-maintenance pets.
- Both are capable of showing affection to humans.
- Both animals are entertaining.
- Both animals each have their unique personality.
- Both have long lifespans.
Differences Between Guinea Pigs & Cats
| Guinea Pigs | Cats |
| Social animals | Solitary animals |
| Need to be supervised most of the time | Independent animals |
| No distinct area for defecation and urination | They only urinate and defecate in their litter boxes |
| Litter training guinea pigs are difficult and oftentimes results are unsuccessful | Cats can easily be litter-trained and give promising results |
Can Guinea Pigs Live With Cats?
No would be the safe answer, however, some cats live peacefully with guinea pigs.
Dating back to a thousand years, cats have been known to hunt down small animals. This makes cats a natural predator for small animals, so keeping a small pet such as a hamster, mice, or guinea pig would be risky.
Cats are capable of killing small animals, so it’s best to keep guinea pigs away from cats.
However, if owners want to make things work, there is a possibility to introduce guinea pigs to cats without the guinea pigs getting hurt.
Owners must be ready to dedicate time, patience, and implement the right introduction between the two animals so they can get along peacefully.
Will A Cat Hurt A Guinea Pig?
Yes, a cat will hurt a guinea pig.
Guinea pigs are smaller than cats, so cats have it in their blood to hunt, attack, and kill small prey.
A cat may not be so forgiving to a guinea pig, or any kind of small animal for that matter, whether or not they live under the same roof.
Will A Cat Kill A Guinea Pig?
Yes, a cat will and can kill a guinea pig.
A cat has this natural prey drive that makes them attack any small prey they see, so attacks aren’t limited to just biting and scratching, this can also involve death.
Which Is Smarter, Guinea Pigs Or Cats?
Cats are smarter than guinea pigs.
Cats have more grey matter in their brains compared to guinea pigs, so this makes them have a superior memory, decision-making, etc.
Resources:
https://www.peta.org/features/guinea-pigs-starter-pets-kids/
