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[andreea]

I have an urgent matter. I had just received last week in a Thursday a male chinchilla. IT was bought from a pet shop and we kept its cage. The first two nights it cried a lot but after that he started getting accommodated. The problem is that I was at the University in another city and today i had to come to my hometown for holiday. I have a cat at my father's house and i talked to somebody to take care of my chin for the holiday, but unfortunately it had to be postponed for 2 days. Now i don't know what to do to stop my cat from scaring off my chinchin. I tried to cover the cage in a blanket so that the chinchilla won't see the cat starring at him. My cat is a bit jealous and he doesn't allow us to stay with our doors closed (like ever). And when i am home he always sleeps with me.  I am not sure what to do. To keep my chinchilla covered or to try lock it in another room (which is colder and i hope my cat won't start jumping on the door handle like he always does when it;s locked out. Please help. I am really worried. After these 2 days, I will take my chinchin to my in laws and he will be safe.
p.s. the cat cannot stay locked because it start jumping on the door handle and cry louder and louder.

[GrayRodent]

How is your chinchilla doing, acting, playing, etc? Is it acting like it is healthy, eating normal amounts of food, has normal fecal output, etc? That is what will tell the story. If he is not eating, not pooping, acting like he is sick, you are okay. If you know what he weighed when you got him then make sure he hasn't lost a significant amount of weight. Otherwise there will have to be intervention to save its furry little life.

Covering the cage is a good idea. Just make sure it has light during the day through the blankets. Chinchillas can be safely kept inside out of a draft in cold temperatures. I don't recommend going below 50F though without special provisions.

[andreea]

@GrayRodent

Well, he acted surprisingly good. During the travelling, i was driving so i couldn't pay more attention but i only heard him cry only a little bit. He stayed in the car, covered in blanket for like 6h tops. He didn't cry much. Now, after 4 h spent at home he didn't cry and he ate a bit like 2 raisins and some apple but he even let me pet him and he showed me where to pet him. He is starting to like me so I guess he isn't that scared as i thought. His poop seemed a bit smaller than the rest but it seemed hard as the other.
I am keeping him covered, but should I let him stay during the night in the same room as me and of course my cat ('cause i Can't get rid of it) or should I move it in another room? The cat start to leave the covered cage alone, but I don't know for how much longer.
Thank you.

[GrayRodent]

Some chinchillas are very sensitive to noise and stress and some are not so it will depend on what personality your pet has. And some cats are okay around other animals while others are going to pounce on any tiny movement. As a general rule you want to make sure a chinchilla that is relocated is put into an environment that is as stress free as possible to avoid difficulty taming and handling them. As a general rule it is best not to have cats around chinchillas because cats can seriously injure a chin through the bars if the conditions are right. Having the blanket over the cage should minimize the risk of that.
I also recommend not giving a chinchilla treats when they are under stress or for at least two weeks after relocation. Treats should only be given to chins if their fecal output is normal. Two raisins in one day should be the limit for treats in a day. Anything on top of that is too much and can cause digestive problems. Make sure your pet has constant access to loose hay, high quality pelleted diet, and water. Check the flow of the water each day as water bottles are not always reliable.
I also recommend tracking your pet's weight regularly once a week as a general practice.