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Old December 2nd, 2004, 10:46 PM
Pet_Freak Pet_Freak is offline
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Can Cats and Birds Get Along?

Hello.

The other day my boyfriend and I found a kitten under a car. I'm not sure how old it is, it does't look like it's a year yet...maybe six to eight months. We haven't taken it to a vet yet, but will once we get the money.

Anyways, my boyfriend took it home, as my family already has 3 cats and a dog (two strays we took in last year). He really wants to keep it, but his parents have birds. These birds are not in a cage, however they are trained to stay in a designated corner, and are still able to fly. No one is home from appox. 8 a.m. - 2 p.m. He wants to keep this cat, and I would just like to know if there is any way to keep it from attacking the birds?

Also, is it bad to keep the cat in one room (his bedroom) when no one is at home?

If anyone has any suggestions requarding what he can do to keep this cat, please let me know. I know he's willing to try anything. Recommended websites to read or anyting would help too.

Thank you,
Lindsay

Last edited by Pet_Freak; December 2nd, 2004 at 10:56 PM. Reason: Forgot something
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Old December 2nd, 2004, 11:14 PM
Lucky Rescue Lucky Rescue is offline
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Quote:
and I would just like to know if there is any way to keep it from attacking the birds?
In a word - no. A cat CAN learn to leave birds alone when you are there, but no way will it leave them alone when no one is home. The predatory instinct is just too strong. I would never ever do this.

No, there is nothing wrong with putting the cat in a bedroom when no one is home. This is the only solution, and look at it this way - the cat will be much happier in a cozy bedroom with toys etc. than starving to death on the street.

Maybe your boyfriend could put a little window seat up? Cats love to sit at windows and watch birds, squirrels and just see the world go by!

A nice cat tree to climb and lie on would do very well too!
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Old December 2nd, 2004, 11:34 PM
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tenderfoot tenderfoot is offline
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Ditto to what Lucky said.
We have 7 medium & large parrots, 3 cats & 5 dogs. Everyone does very well together when we are here, but I would not trust anyone together under any circumstances if I were not here.
I even question keeping the birds out when no one is home - birds can tear through things and escape, chew on a live wire and be zapped, fly into the toilet and drown, or even fly into a window or wall and break their neck. Sorry to be so negative but birds can get into very serious trouble when their people are not watching.
Just be sure that the cat cannot learn to open the door and get into the birds. One of my cats can open doors and I am sure I would find a terrible disaster if my birds weren't safely confined when I am gone.
Best of luck.
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Old December 3rd, 2004, 12:37 AM
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CyberKitten CyberKitten is offline
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I was looking through Siamese Rescue before I finally brought Yin Yin home (I still do now and then to see who found a home and so on) and one very intelligent Siamese kitty was "returned" (as if she was merchandise, sigh!) because she attacked the owner's "birdies". This person had assumed the cat and birds would be fine together. Of course not. Birds are prey for cats no matter the breed!!

There are occasional cute stories about birds and cats who do well together but those are rare circumstances that have taken months and years of training. (and even then I bet their humans do not leave them alone together!)
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Old December 5th, 2004, 02:20 PM
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lilith_rizel lilith_rizel is offline
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There is nothing wrong with keeping a cat in one room, shen not home. It is very reasonable, especially for a kitten. Hope all goes well.
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Old December 5th, 2004, 05:01 PM
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chico2 chico2 is offline
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A friend of mine has some kind of parrot and a cockatiel+5 cats,3 of them Siamese. The bird-cages are always open,but they are hanging from the ceiling and my friend has constructed all kinds of branches and things for the birds,so much fun to watch....The only cat that is really interested is his 2-year old Siamese,always trying to get to the birds and although he is incredibly agile he could not jump that high....the other cats don't bother..
But of course you can never be sure....
Here are the two birds and the other pic is the Siamese culprit"Junior" and "BiBi"whom I would steal if I could,he's a wonderful cat!
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Old December 5th, 2004, 05:15 PM
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CyberKitten CyberKitten is offline
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Awww Chico, yours are very cute. I have a good friend who has 3 cats (one Siamese), a beagle and two birds who all happlly co exist. But she said it took some training and of course her cats like yours are well fed and not interested in chasing birdies!! It can happen but accidents occur.

(Don't ask me about when I had a beagle and a bunny and the bunny - who was the dominant being - chased the beagle). Of course the bunny had been there first, lol
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Old December 5th, 2004, 09:59 PM
Lucky Rescue Lucky Rescue is offline
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Cats can be well-fed to the point of obesity, and may still kill anything they can catch.

I wasn't able to have a bird or small animal for over 18 years because one of my cats would walk up walls to get them, I swear!!
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Old December 5th, 2004, 11:04 PM
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glasslass glasslass is offline
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Puss-Puss has NEVER eaten anything she has killed. Actually, only thing she has killed are a family of rats. Everything else she's brought in alive and unharmed and we've taken them away from her before she could play with them. It's sport for her, not hunger.
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Old December 6th, 2004, 08:29 AM
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chico2 chico2 is offline
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CyberKitten,those birds and cats are not mine,they belong to a friend of mine,I have enough with my 3 kitties...but thank's anyway!!!
My cats have caught birds and mice outside,but they too never eat them,as I or my husband are always outside with them,we usually manage to save whatever they catch...but sure,they always lay in wait for some bird to be foolish enough to get close,they are cats after all!!!
Although I would love a parrot,I would not have one,unless he could fly freely in the house,but I would prefer to see them fly in the jungle where they belong..
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