Can I Still Own A Bird If I Have A Cat?

[slinky-kitty]

I have 3 cats. They are indoor cats with outdoor supervision. My two budgies used to be indoor. We have moved and now they are patio budgies and come inside for exercise. In my old house, the birds would be in a room closed off from the cats. The cats could never be in the same room as my budgies unsupervised initially. Definitely never in the room when budgies are out! Over time I could leave the door to the room the budgies were in open when I wad home, but this is largely because it was a room which essentially opened up to be our main living area when we were home. I purchased a horn and when the cats would go near the cage I would ring it. I actually already had it and would use it to stop them getting onto kitchen counter. They hate the noise but the budgies didnt mind it at all. I also made a mote out of the spikes used to deter birds from landing on things outside to prevent the cats from jumping onto the windowsill near the cage. And that was a deterrent but not fail safe. If you had to lock your bird away in a separate room for significant periods of time I wonder if you should get two so they can keep each other company? So, having a cat and bird is doable but you must think things through carefully before you go ahead!

 

[Featheredfuffs]

Once my step dad forgot to lock the cats out of the room as he cleaned my finches cage. My brazen zebra finch, Beepers, flew right past his hand, and my cat jumped four feet up into the air and caught him. Poor little guy was killed immediately

Anyway, we now have a double door system in place so there is absolutely no way the finchies can be hurt. If my family had been a little more aware and careful about closing doors, Beepers would still be alive today

Like many others have said, it's doable, but be very cautious.

 

[Mizzely]

I have a 16 year old cat who was terrified of birds when she was younger because she got out of the house once and was attacked by a pair of nesting blue jays. Still, since bringing home the parrots, she got used to them, and yet I still found her stalking the birds once, arthritis be damned!

Bird rooms work well Cats can sometimes manage to kill birds through cage bars, so make sure they also don't have access to the cage. Spraying water at a cat approaching the bird doesn't actually teach them anything except that they can't do that while you are watching. Separation is the only way I will do it now. Just too much risk.

For my cats, they also tend to hang out in the bedroom all day while the birds are most active so I just close the door. They are more active at night so then they get free roam of the house except the bird room at night. Seems to work well for us, and I have made it work in 4 different houses now over the past 6 years.