A cat and a lizard in the same room might seem to be a disaster waiting to take place. These reptiles are small, yet flexible and obviously speedy creatures, and most importantly, they are are alive, making them the perfect target for most felines who haven’t completely abandoned their wild instincts.
Interestingly, from the compilation below, things aren’t that simple. Cold-blooded lizards aren’t about to give up their life to four-legged predators anytime soon. On the other hand, lizards and cats do occasionally have a perfect bond.
Their dynamic relationship is somewhat unpredictable, yet truly wholesome when two animals come together in peace and even adore each other. To find out for once and for all whether cats and lizards are meant to be friends or enemies, Rachel Geller, a certified cat behavior specialist and author of the book “Saving the World, One Cat at a Time: What I Know About Cats – And Why You Should Know It, Too.” is here today to resolve the mystery. Scroll down to read more about her interview and don’t forget to upvote your favorite kitty-lizzy photos!
(h/t: boredpanda)
#1 My colleague made this photo. Crouching cat, hidden lizard
#2 Sleepy cuddle time. Goodnight from Charles and Baby
Even though their interactions seem peculiar yet hilarious to humans, we should keep in mind that cats and lizards are natural enemies. “Cats have a prey drive that can be triggered by something that moves fast, and lizards move fast,” Rachel warns. She adds that “a cat may see the lizard as prey or something to play with,” and this can be dangerous for both the lizard and the cat.
#3 My cat pretty much adopted my rescue lizard as her weird scaly kitten and the two are inseparable. They have naps together, spy on the neighbors through the window together and just hanging out together every chance they get
#4 Stalking lizard is tiring work
#5 “What? Is there something on my face?”
First of all, “It can be lethal for a lizard to be bitten or scratched by a cat.” On the other side, “lizards can be toxic to cats if the cat eats the lizard, but even if he touches or plays with the lizard.”
Rachel explained that “many lizards carry parasites that can cause digestive problems in cats and harm the gallbladder or liver” so badly that it may pose a threat to the feline’s life. If that wasn’t enough, cats can also get salmonella from eating a lizard.
#6 Rare moment captured this morning as our cat (who is very shy) booped our bearded dragon (who is always sleeping under his rock)
#7 My cat thinks he’s a lizard…
Everyone who wants to have both a lizard and a cat should keep them in completely separate and secure rooms, according to the cat behavior expert. Glass tanks aren’t the absolute protection and may not prevent cats from getting in, since “cats have been known to figure out how to get in there and capture their prey.”
However, this is accurate in most cases, as the picture here showing a cat and a lizard chilling in the glass tank, which causes no harm to the lizard or the cat.
#8 Fat Eli & Ron The Dragon
#9 My friend’s bearded dragon likes to cuddle with her two cats
Rachel noted that once a cat’s prey drive is roused, and remember that they’re natural-born hunters, they’ll figure out how a way to get to the lizard. Unfortunately, for neither of them, this is not a good thing.
If you want them to encounter, it’s best to let them interact under your supervision and quickly separate them if any of them feel threatened and express offensive/ defensive behaviors.
#10 Took my bearded dragon to a clinic I’m interning at. They are matching colors!
#11 My friends just posted this pic of their kitty and their bearded dragon
#12 My cat brought me a tiny dinosaur
#13 My cat has been looking everywhere for this lizard
#14 My bearded dragon and my roommate’s kitten are buddies
#15 The expression on my cat’s face is pure ecstasy. Iggy enjoys lying on him because he’s fat and warm
#16 My friend’s cat likes to catch lizards.. but this one caught him back
#17 My cat caught a lizard and had no idea how to proceed
#18 Today’s top news from isolation: A lizard is on the fence
#19 Lizard likes warm surfaces, cat likes his back scratched – some problems solve themselves
#20 “Why?? What do I do? Why isn’t the hooman doing anything?”
#21 You know what they say… A nose for a tail
#22 Theres something about lizards and cats together that makes me turn into a little girl
#23 Shhhh… Be quiet cat, we’re hunting bugs
#24 I guess there must be something so majestic about lizards that caught my cat staring from morning til noon
#25 This is why cats shouldn’t play with lizards
#26 So a lizard got in the house… He must be terrified
#27 Just my cat cuddling with my iguana
#28 Someone asked me to post this picture of my three cats here, I’m not sure why
#29 “How you like that, trying to eat me, meanie cat!”
#30 “Hey! Don’t you have your own bowl in the kitchen?”
#31 “Giddy up, my steed!”
#32 Yoga cat in lizard pose
#33 “Undivided attention” brought to you by a small lizard on the bathroom window
#34 Turned around for one minute while Walter was out running around and he got himself all the way up the door! Minky the cat was jealous.
#35 My cat loves her buddy. She constantly wants to play and he’ll be no part of it
#36 Baby bearded dragon and cat, should I keep them apart?
#37 They want that lizard soooo bad!
#38 Lizard got pushed to the edges and attacked my cat. What a feisty little lizard!
#39 “See I has big claws and you has little claws. Now do you understand the difference?”
#40 “Am I being punked here? Do something for Christ’s sake!”
