Interested in a sun conure, but have cats...

[nekomi]

Hi everyone,

I'm new here, and just want to say that after lurking and reading the boards for a few hours now, you all seem like very helpful folks! :) Glad that there's a place like this for newbies like me to learn about bird keeping.

Anyway, I'm interested in possibly buying a sun conure within the next year or so. I have always held an interest in parrots, especially conures, but have never had the proper finances or space to consider one (apartment living :D).

Just a few weeks ago, my enthusiasm for these little guys was re-ignited bigtime, when I fell head-over-heels in love with a little sun conure at a reputable shop in our town, named Jeepers. He is such a sweetheart - very social, friendly little guy who already knows how to "step up", loves being petted and snuggled, and is fairly quiet for a conure (at least I'm told, but I guess I should take that with a grain of salt :D).

My main concern revolves around the 5 cats which I currently own. They are all indoor-only cats, well-trained, and very predictable. All but one were raised by me from kittenhood and have never had a chance to chase prey. My husband and I work from home, and know their personalities extremely well. All of them are extremely laid back (not even interested in our fish or reptiles), except for one which was a stray rescue, and a bit more "predatory" in her behavior, but still very easy-going and listens well. Since there are 5 of them, they tend to take out all their energy on each other and don't tend to show much interest in stalking my other pets. And lastly, they are all extremely well-established in their daily routines (eat, playtime, sleep, eat, playtime, sleep... :haha ).

I'm not sure what the best placement of the conure's cage would be. I want to keep the cage somewhere he will get plenty of interaction - ideally, the den where I do my work from home. However, our house is very contemporary, and there are no doors on the first floor. I can't keep the cats locked up all the time to prevent access to the cage (nor would I want to!).

Conversely, I don't want to keep the bird in "solitary confinement" in our bedroom, as we only go there to sleep, and I want to be able to interact and chat with the conure throughout the day. Not to mention that the bird will NEED this type of interaction!

What I've been considering first are ways to cat-proof a cage. I know the squirt bottle method works as I've used this before with my cats. I've also been considering more "passive" training such as the motion-sensing alarms, to train the cats not to go near the cage. I've also been wondering about the cage itself. Perhaps an acrylic cage may be a good choice, as the cats won't be able to access the conure at all in that case? But I've read some negative reviews on acrylic cages in general, so I'm not sure.

In addition, any "introductions" would take place very slowly. I've considered buying the cage first, and setting it up so the cats can get used to the idea before the bird arrives, as well as playing conure recordings on the computer to get them desensitized. When the bird does arrive, I am going to make sure to introduce him to the cats one-at-a-time, with the conure perched on my hand, and the cat harnessed and held by my husband. Just so that they can learn that the cat is NOT prey or a plaything. Is this a good way to approach it?

Anyone have any suggestions? I'd really like to make this work, but I'm not willing to sacrifice the quality of life for either my cats or a conure by stuffing them into a bad situation.

Thanks!

[dragon06]

Well I am not a bird expert by any means but here is my opinion. Please be very careful with the cats. A cats saliva is toxic to a bird and can kill it. I say this while owning a Senegal Parrot, a budgie, 2 dogs, 2 cats, 1 tortoise and a fish tank.

The cats are never even allowed on the same floor as the bird is. Many animals live in harmony for periods of time but then sometimes one of them turns...strict supervision will be required.

We keep our Senegal and Budgie on the main floor of the house where he gets lots of interaction from his cage. Whenever he comes out of the cage the dogs are taken to an upstairs bedroom and the cats remain upstairs as well. This is a very strict rule in out household.

I will tell you a story even though it is not specific to cats. This is the second Senegal I have owned. My first one was accidentally killed when a friend unknowingly opened the cage with the dog present. I was on the other side of the room and by the time I ran there it was too late. I tell you this just so that you will be careful.

Owning a bird is a wonderful experience and Sun Conures are very pleasant (my friend has one). Just be very careful with the cats, accidents can happen in a split second. The cat doesn't even have to be trying to kill it, it can just be trying to play or being curious but if a drop of that saliva gets in the bird that is bad city.

I am not trying to discourage you from getting a bird from any means...just trying to give some info.

[nekomi]

Thank you so much for the information! I was aware of the toxic bacteria in the cat's saliva, but forgot to mention it in my (admittedly wordy!) post. Thank you for bringing it up. One thing I am not 100% clear on is if this bacteria can also be transmitted by scratching.

We keep our Senegal and Budgie on the main floor of the house where he gets lots of interaction from his cage. Whenever he comes out of the cage the dogs are taken to an upstairs bedroom and the cats remain upstairs as well. This is a very strict rule in out household.

I think this is an extremely good rule; we use the same rule in our household whenever the reptiles are taken out of their cages, as well. I'd likely apply the same rule to the bird, too. I guess my post was mostly concerned with the cats being out-and-about daily, while the conure is in his cage.

The cat doesn't even have to be trying to kill it, it can just be trying to play or being curious but if a drop of that saliva gets in the bird that is bad city.

Agreed 100%, curiosity can get the best of cats quite easily. That is mainly what I'm concerned about.

I read another post about toddler-proofing which suggested acrylic/plexiglass "barriers" hooked to the sides of the cage; I think that is something I'll research a little more thoroughly to see if it's a good option.

Thanks again for your input, I appreciate it! :)

[Wilder]

I'm not sure how well they work, but the "Scat Mats" that are meant to keep cats off of/away from things might help in this case. Of course, this does not make it entirely safe for the bird is to be out for the day if the cats are loose; if he flaps to the ground outside of the "protected" area, anything could happen. Still, it might work to keep them from pestering the bird while he's in his cage.

Beyond that, it would be best to put the cats up for a few hours each day while the bird is out spending time with you. And he is a parrot -- he WILL want to spend time with you. Lots of time. In fact, I'm pretty sure my birds have become miniature feathered growths on my shoulder or fingers. I half expect them to be there when I go to bed, even. Gotta love 'em.

[dragon06]

Originally Posted by nekomi

One thing I am not 100% clear on is if this bacteria can also be transmitted by scratching.

Yes it can be transmitted by scratching. Scratches are also very lethal as birds do not have the same clotting mechanisms as our blood and can bleed to death from the smallest cut. You should always have some "Quick Clot" or corn starch on hand.

I meant to mention in my other post that we had an acrylic cage for our Senegal for the first year and it worked very well. The only reason I still don't have it is that I moved from Canada to the US and it was too big too move and couldn't be taken apart (it was molded). There are some nice acrylic cages out there though...just remember if you go acrylic you'll have to put lots of playgym type structures and hanging perches and whatnot because they won't have the bars to climb or to attach perches to. I also found it harder to clean the acrylic cause EVERYTHING sits on the paper. And it was hard to reach all of the corners.

ok that's all I have to say for now

[4HAND]

I would suggest a catfree room for your conure.Even if the cage is protected like Fort Knox the bird can experience stress from a cat staring in a predatory way.To live under the watchful eye of someone who would eat you if given the chance could severly restrict your bird's enjoyment of life.Even if your cats never make a move on your conure,his prey instincts will keep him on alert 24\7.That said,a sun conure is probably one of the best choices as they don't often pluck their feathers.My blue crown conure came from a home with 4 older harmless cats.He was really plucked when we got him,but has grown back nearly all his feathers within 3 months.I feel it is the absence the cats that accounts for this.
Tena

[nekomi]

Scratches are also very lethal as birds do not have the same clotting mechanisms as our blood and can bleed to death from the smallest cut. You should always have some "Quick Clot" or corn starch on hand.

Wow, thank you so much for the information. I had no idea about that!

Even if the cage is protected like Fort Knox the bird can experience stress from a cat staring in a predatory way.To live under the watchful eye of someone who would eat you if given the chance could severly restrict your bird's enjoyment of life.

Tena, thank you so much for the input. I will keep it in mind... I think you raise a valid point.

Unfortunately, we really do not have an appropriate bird room that can be closed off to the cats... our house is extremely open, and the only two rooms that have doors (aside from bathrooms :) ), are the master and guest bedrooms. We don't spend any time in either of those rooms (well, except to sleep) and it seems counter-intuitive to keep a bird in the room where we are trying to have it quiet. ;)

Thankfully, our house is quite large, and the cats have plenty of room, and toys and things to occupy them, so I don't think they'll be staring the bird down 24/7 (in fact, I'll be surprised if they hang out in front of the cage much at all). As it is now, they show almost no interest in the snakes or the fish tanks, preferring to nap in the sunshine, wrestle with each other, or hunt down potato chips or whatever else may be accessible in the kitchen. ;) When they do hang out in front of the snake's cages or in front of the tanks, it's not even in a predatory fashion. Usually they just stretch out and watch the activity until they doze off or get bored.

In addition, the cats and bird would be carefully introduced under complete control and supervision. I know that the cats can learn to differentiate between "family" and "prey" and I really do think that they would ignore the bird while it was in the cage. But I could be wrong, and that's why I appreciate everyone's input.

Anyway, any other thoughts, advice, or anecdotes would be appreciated. :)

[4HAND]

Since a separate birdroom is not an option I'd like to make another suggestion.Although they are controversial,a Happy Hut or similar enclosure would provide a spot to hide.Care must be taken to keep threads trimmed to prevent entanglement.Even something as simple as a cardboard box with an entryhole can provide a nice retreat.
Tena

[birdsnreps]

i would never use an acrylic cage for this reason, it restricts airflow through the birds cage. they need fresh air at all time, but not drafts. stagnant, hot air feels and smells pretty gross to me, and i think it can harbor bacteria too.

have you thought about getting a smaller bar spacing so the cats wont be able to stick their paws though? that could be another thing for you to think about :)

also, when you do your introductions to the cats, you might wanna harness the bird too, cause the conure can easily become frightened, and while tyring to get away, he could jump towards the cat and get swiped by the cat.

[nekomi]

Since a separate birdroom is not an option I'd like to make another suggestion.Although they are controversial,a Happy Hut or similar enclosure would provide a spot to hide.Care must be taken to keep threads trimmed to prevent entanglement.Even something as simple as a cardboard box with an entryhole can provide a nice retreat.
Tena

Thanks for the suggestion - that is something I will definitely consider!

have you thought about getting a smaller bar spacing so the cats wont be able to stick their paws though? that could be another thing for you to think about :)

Do you think the 1/2" bar spacing common for conure cages would work? I really can't imagine my cats being able to stick a paw through a cage with bars that close together. The only issue I wonder about is the birds' feathers possibly poking out now and then, or the bird being so curious that he tries to reach out to the cats. I'm not sure if it would be in their nature to act this way, seeing as I've never owned a bird. :)

also, when you do your introductions to the cats, you might wanna harness the bird too, cause the conure can easily become frightened, and while tyring to get away, he could jump towards the cat and get swiped by the cat.

That's a fantastic idea! I heard it's difficult to get birds to accept a harness, though... any suggestions?