Snakes and cats...

[Elocin]

There's a carpet python in my neighbors tree right now... Do I let my cats outside?

I live in a fairly 'snake predominate' suburb of Brisbane and I know the snakes are always out and about... I'm just freaking out because I saw the snake.

Will they be ok or should I keep them inside?

[KimB]

I think it would depend on the size of the snake and the cats. If you have kittens and the snake is big then no I wouldn't. Snakes don't tend to attack anything bigger than what they could eat unless attacked first (self defense) so if your cats are likely to attack it then I would also keep them inside.

[angelaartsstudent]

Am not 100% sure a cat would be stupid enough to even bother sniffing a sleeping python...luckily they're pretty still when their not eating.

I've lost 2 dogs to snakes, but never a cat....but I'd probably wait a few hours for snakey to move on. However, if he looked like he's digesting a feed I would let kitty out, becuase snake is pretty much going to do nothing! :-D

[Nicambhar]

depends on how big the snake is I suppose... We live in the bush and have some whopper snakes here and my cat and dog are still alive and they are fulltime outside pets.

[Elocin]

Thanks girls... As soon as the birds started going off, both cats ran inside and refused to go back out until the birds calmed down, so I'm relieved about that.

No more sightings thus far and the boys are running around outside

[Nicambhar]

speaking of snakes, * shudders * how's the brown snakes swimming around the floodwater's in Rockhampton. I'd be a bit scared to go to sleep just in case I had an extra something in my sheets in the morning :O

[Elocin]

Oh I know... Make me shudder just thinking about it

[Joeve]

Cats love snakes, so much fun chasing their lovely slivering tails! My cats are all outside except the new kitten and we live on acres so I am relieved every night when they return home to the nest for bed. I figure that they love being outside so i can't keep them in, but I fear snakes so much... if I knew there was a snake actually in the vicinity though I would keep them inside.

[Elocin]

I was worried about them wanting to play with the slippery little sucker too Jo, but they both bolted upstairs and wouldn't go outside even after the snake had gone away. They were still inside about 3 hours afterwards even though the door was open about an hour after we saw it...

[Nettie]

I've had two cats and both got bitten by brown snakes (costly!) - so yes, cats DO tend to play with snakes, unfortunately!

[Joeve]

Nic - you have chicken variety cats! Lucky you better them be like that than like Netties expensive ones!

[Elocin]

They are pretty big sooks... I think they were more scared of the noise the birds were making though.

Whenever the snakes show up, the birds go off, so hopefully my boys will remain big fat chicken cats

[snikkers1]

I'm glad the jungle cats are sooks Nic cause I wouldn't want to see anything happen to them they are to cute.

when DH and I were in roma and the road to miles was closed due to flooding saw brown snakes going over the road there through the water. It's quite scary hoe well they go through the water.

[beckoes]

we just paid $1000 to keep our cat alive after she got bitten by a brown snake....she is now an indoors cat casue we cant afford another $1000 if/when it happens again! I know she would be silly enough to annoy a big python!
and about the floods...I heard on the news this farmer talking about how he had to move all his live stock off a small patch of land that was surrounded by water as the snakes had all found thier way to the same patch and his animals were all getting bitten! CRAZY

[Nettie]

Our 2 cats got bitten 3 times (one cat got bitten twice). Cost approx $350 a time... not cool!