Bird Question for Cat Owners

[Chico's Mom]

Hi. I got a kitten last week, and he is very interested in my birds, and is very kitten-ish in loving to chase his toys, laser lights, etc. I have seen birds and cats fairly well getting along and had a couple of questions.

First let me say that my birds have their own "room"...my condo's patio is enclosed with windows, not screens, and opens up to the living room by sliding glass doors. The doors are always closed so the birds can only come to the living room when I allow them to, and the cat cannot get to the porch. When Cosmo (kitty) goes near the entrance, even though it's closed, he gets a squirt from the invisible water bottle in the sky and has pretty much learned to watch them without putting his paws on the glass. Point is, my birds are safe.

So... to get to my question: For those of you who have bird-friendly cats, did you "train" your cat, or was this always your cat's inclination to be mellow towards the birds.

I feel bad for my feathered kids because they don't get to hang out in the living room much anymore. I know I could put the cat in the bedroom for a while, but I was just curious as to whether or not you "worked with" your cats or not, to get them to behave around the birds.

Cosmo is waaaay to kittenish now for me to even think about introducing them, but just curious.

Thanks for listining and any answers.

[NotEnoughTime]

Originally Posted by Chico's Mom

So... to get to my question: For those of you who have bird-friendly cats, did you "train" your cat, or was this always your cat's inclination to be mellow towards the birds.

In my experience a kitten is taught to hunt by its mother. There is an instinctual "movement following" that cats have - the way a bird or rodent moves causes the cat to look and follow... But cats will not "hunt" unless they are fully raised by a parent that knows how to hunt...

Originally Posted by Chico's Mom

Cosmo is waaaay to kittenish now for me to even think about introducing them, but just curious.

My view is the sooner a kitten or cat is introduced to the family pets the better. My cat *knows* that my green cheek is a pet and ignores her while she also *knows* that the birds at the bird feeder are not pets and will sit at the patio door an watch them for hours...

Now, something else to keep in mind...

Cats *can* (not *will* despite what some people say) carry two bacteria that are quite deadly to birds:
1) Cat Scratch Fever,
2) Pasteurella bacteria (from what I've read approximately 60% of cats have this bacteria)
Both of these seem to be passed through broken skin.

*but* without immediate (and I mean immediate) treatment your bird will die from Pasteurella.

So I do not encourage any contact between my cat and bird...

[failurebydesign]

I had a cat while I had birds, and mice, and my cat never chased either. One time my mouse jumped off my hand and ran in front of my cat and he just looked at it, I could put my birds on the cats back and he would walk around with them on him,

I think if they are raised with you bringing multiple birds/rodents home then they get so use to it that the instincts dull down.

[Shawn2774]

I have had birds and cats for several years. The cats are curious, but have never done anything to harm the birds. With the size of the birds that I have had, including the GW Macaw now, I would feel sorry for the cat that decides to try to attack the bird.

[brdfvr]

Both of my cats are older (7 &3) when the birds are out they have to stay in the bedroom most of the time. My younger cat has no prey drive whatsoever and just ignores the birds. But my older cat when he is caught staring at the birds (even when they are in their cage) I say his name and clap my hands really loudly, this usually scares him and he runs to the bedroom. However, there have been close calls. I think he's scared of the birds now. I let him see the birds face to face and Skyy raised her wings and bit him on the nose! He was so scared! I would say it's a process of watching them very closely and getting the cat used to your birds.

[hollyhawkz]

Originally Posted by NotEnoughTime

In my experience a kitten is taught to hunt by its mother. There is an instinctual "movement following" that cats have - the way a bird or rodent moves causes the cat to look and follow... But cats will not "hunt" unless they are fully raised by a parent that knows how to hunt...

My view is the sooner a kitten or cat is introduced to the family pets the better. My cat *knows* that my green cheek is a pet and ignores her while she also *knows* that the birds at the bird feeder are not pets and will sit at the patio door an watch them for hours...

Now, something else to keep in mind...

Cats *can* (not *will* despite what some people say) carry two bacteria that are quite deadly to birds:
1) Cat Scratch Fever,
2) Pasteurella bacteria (from what I've read approximately 60% of cats have this bacteria)
Both of these seem to be passed through broken skin.

*but* without immediate (and I mean immediate) treatment your bird will die from Pasteurella.

So I do not encourage any contact between my cat and bird...

There's a reason I quote NET as well! He is bang on. Also, sorry, but I would let the birds, being extremely flock oriented, have the priority in the house, not the cat, who is more individualistic.

[pecks]

Originally Posted by hollyhawkz

There's a reason I quote NET as well! He is bang on. Also, sorry, but I would let the birds, being extremely flock oriented, have the priority in the house, not the cat, who is more individualistic.

Unless you have a cat that is even remotely like mine, who adores people. I swear, some cats have to be dogs in disguise.

[Angelwing]

I don't let my cats interact with the bird. My bird stays in my bedroom where the cats aren't allowed, unless I'm also in the room and my bird is in the cage. The cats have learned they get the spray bottle if they go near the cage. If I want to give my bird a bath in the sink, kitties have to stay in a separate room with the door closed until we're finished. I would never trust a cat and bird to mingle, even supervised. I don't care what the size of the bird is, there are too many risks.

[Chico's Mom]

OK, so I took Chico the tiel out, and she must've known something was up, because she let me hold her whole body cupped in my hands, which she NEVER allows...she insists it's the shoulder or nothing, unless she is allowing me the privilege of giving scritches.

Cosmo needed some coaxing to investigate, and Chico gave a giant hiss, which Cosmo correctly interpreted and backed off. 15 minutes of having them in close proximity, maybe a foot apart, with Chico safely cupped in my hands and getting scritched, and Cosmo did once try to swat at her tailfeathers. I put Chico back in the cage, and opened the sliding glass doors so Cosmo could go out there. He spent some time standing on his hind legs looking into the cage, so I picked him up and let him see inside closer. Chico tried to bite him, and Cosmo was startled. Cosmo is on the porch now, got sprayed by the water bottle when he tried to jump onto the cage (flight cage), and is now just lying on the floor watching them.

He is completely untrustworthy. But, I will allow him to explore the porch as long as I am in the living room and can see what he's doing. Birds, of course, are in the cage.

I will bring Chico out several times a week to see if any progress is made. I'm not that concerned about Rico, because he doesn't really care if he spends any time with me or not so "living room time" isn't really necessary with him.

I just want to be able to let Chico hang out with me on the couch for a while every day without locking up the cat, but we will see.

Thank you all for your information! I shall keep you posted.

[hollyhawkz]

Originally Posted by pecks

Unless you have a cat that is even remotely like mine, who adores people. I swear, some cats have to be dogs in disguise.

Ha ha I know what you mean! I just mean flock/pack mentality as opposed to most cats who do not employ a social survival strategy.