Chinchilla vs Cat

I have extensive experience with animals & animal behaviour and so my animals always have an escape route if feeling threatened. Chi Chi is a mid age Chinchilla which I rescued from Freemans Bay, Auckland. Whiskers I rescued from under a school classroom in Mangere, Auckland that had been getting its daily meals from the kids. Both were obtained 2 weeks apart in April 2014. Both have lovely personalities. Never ever seen a cat before that doesn’t use its nails but Whiskers is a first, just always gently bi