Here's why this is a concern:
* Predatory Instinct: Cats have an instinct to hunt and kill small animals. Gerbils are the perfect size and movement pattern to trigger this instinct.
* Potential for Harm: Even if a cat doesn't intend to eat a gerbil, the act of catching and killing it can be very traumatic for the gerbil.
* Safety: It's important to keep cats and gerbils separate to ensure the safety of both animals.
It's important to note: While some cats may be content with simply chasing a gerbil, others may be more likely to kill and eat it. It's impossible to predict how any individual cat will react to a gerbil.
If you have both cats and gerbils, it's essential to take precautions to keep them separate, such as:
* Separate cages: Keep gerbils in a secure, cat-proof cage.
* Supervised interactions: Never leave cats and gerbils unsupervised together.
* Training: You can try to train your cat to leave the gerbils alone, but this may not be successful.
Ultimately, it's always best to err on the side of caution and keep cats and gerbils separate.