Ways to Ward off Cats? (Safely)

[saroj12]

Correct, I do not keep my birds in the bedroom. They are in the living room with cages that are NOT on a surface, but rather freestanding on their own cage legs as that is safer.

Glad you’ve made that loud and clear.

 

[BirbBrains]

But your birds are not in your bedroom, right? The OP is misapplying your advice because it’s what he wants to hear.

@saroj12

To be clear about something. I am not "misapplying advice because it is what I want to hear." I would prefer if you were a bit more polite in your claims. As @Mizzely stated, cages on stands are just generally safer. I am doing what I can to help the situation of having cats and birds in the same room. If you don't like what I am trying to work out, that's fine by me. But please, do not accuse me of misapplying advice when you have very little evidence. Thanks.

 

[saroj12]

@saroj12

To be clear about something. I am not "misapplying advice because it is what I want to hear." I would prefer if you were a bit more polite in your claims. As @Mizzely stated, cages on stands are just generally safer. I am doing what I can to help the situation of having cats and birds in the same room. If you don't like what I am trying to work out, that's fine by me. But please, do not accuse me of misapplying advice when you have very little evidence. Thanks.

Why is it not sinking in that birds cannot be in the same room as cats?

 

[BirbBrains]

Why is it not sinking in that birds cannot be in the same room as cats?

Why isn't it sinking in that you don't have to care?

 

[saroj12]

Why isn't it sinking in that you don't have to care?

but i do care!! It's birds lives after all!

 

[BirbBrains]

I have met people who are able to have both cats and birds in the same room. Heck, I myself kept a hamster and cats in the same room, which, while not a bird, still can be hunted by felines, for years.

 

[Mizzely]

The problem is we have seen a lot of people on the forum lose birds to cats after peacefully coexisting for years We feel those deaths with the owners because we grow to know them like they are our own flock. So it's not meant as an insult; more as we don't want you to experience that pain.

That being said, my cats DO have access to the living room once the birds are in their cages. But again, I have large cages and the cats cannot knock them over or get on top of them. Cats can reach through bars or feed doors and kill birds (another thing that has happened on here) so I make sure to put roosting spots at the back center of the cage (where the cage is against the wall) where they can't reach them if they somehow managed to do so. Covering the cages at night also discourages the cats because they can't see them so there isn't that movement drawing them in.

I also have rats, which are prey to cats and predators to birds. You just have to think 2 steps ahead every time.

 

[saroj12]

The problem is we have seen a lot of people on the forum lose birds to cats after peacefully coexisting for years We feel those deaths with the owners because we grow to know them like they are our own flock. So it's not meant as an insult; more as we don't want you to experience that pain.

That being said, my cats DO have access to the living room once the birds are in their cages. But again, I have large cages and the cats cannot knock them over or get on top of them. Cats can reach through bars or feed doors and kill birds (another thing that has happened on here) so I make sure to put roosting spots at the back center of the cage (where the cage is against the wall) where they can't reach them if they somehow managed to do so. Covering the cages at night also discourages the cats because they can't see them so there isn't that movement drawing them in.

I also have rats, which are prey to cats and predators to birds. You just have to think 2 steps ahead every time.

but Shawna, what if someone has a night fright and thrashes around the cage. Will your cats ignore that?

 

[Mizzely]

but Shawna, what if someone has a night fright and thrashes around the cage. Will your cats ignore that?

I have not had a night fright in 7 years so no idea. But they still can't see into the cage, there is nothing next to the cages to let them get up higher, and they can't get on top of the cages.

 

[BirbBrains]

I have met people who are able to have both cats and birds in the same room. Heck, I myself kept a hamster and cats in the same room, which, while not a bird, still can be hunted by felines, for years. There are ways to make it work.

 

[BirbBrains]

ah sorry my computer glitched and commented twice

 

[Roxhum]

Well I think this conversation has pretty much played out but I feel a need to mention that my birds do not have the good sense or experience to fear the cat or the dogs. There is a greater risk of my birds approaching the dogs then the other way around. The birds are not stressed out by the sight of a cat.

 

[Shezbug]

I have a siamese who is more than happy to kill mice when she can, she is not real good at it but she does have a go. She will not eat them and has never played with them.......she kills them just like she does when she finds a lizard who has made it inside.

I have seen 2 cats hang off suspended bird cages to get to the birds inside. Cats will do as told (if trained) only when they are watched, left to their own devices they will do as they please. Cats have also been known to kill for fun at times.

Cats will also become used to a new routine given enough time and consistency, the only ones that do not are those who have the owner better trained than the owner has the cat trained. It is not cruel to lock cats out of a particular room for a period of time but it is cruel to lock a bird in a room with a cat (my opinion).

Having birds and cats is a juggle can that can be done safely but strict safe guards must be put in place to protect the bird at all times as it will not be able to protect itself when the cat knows people are not around and it decides to investigate (kill) the bird........it is a major part of their make up so they are not going to ignore the bird because all house holds should be peaceful and happy. It just does not work that way.

I am reading that you have cats and want birds and are trying to work out the best way to house them all. Do your research and never ever trust your cats, keep them as far apart as possible and never allow the cats to have access to the bird cage area unless you are there watching (even then it is freaky for the birds and unfair).
I am pretty sure you do not want to go through the hassle and expense of getting birds then cleaning up their parts and burying them straight away, so I am fairly confident that you will do the right things to keep your new birds safe and stress free and that you will manage your cats just fine.

Cant wait to hear about your birds when you do get them

 

[Sylvester]

Choosing one animal's life over another animal's access to a single room is unfair?

No, hrafn, I don't think anyone's life is at stake here. Real life is just not that dramatic.

 

[Sylvester]

Someone is going to get shortchanged.

Why? I own both cats and two cockatoos and nobody gets shortchanged in my family. People are capable of balancing things.

 

[Sylvester]

If we went by my last statement, then NO ONE would let cats and parrots near or in-sight of one another. I never said anything about owning a cat and a parrot at the same time. I said, IMO: they do not belong together under any circumstances. I know people on this forum, that responsibly own parrots and cats without ever allowing their cats anywhere near their parrots.

Not always practical in small living situations. The OP has already stated that her space is small. And why would she want to anyway? Are the birds going to melt the minute a cat lays eyes on them?

 

[Sylvester]

@Sylvester
If you wrote clearly enough I would not need to make an effort to process what you write - it should be clear as day.

I greatly object to your saying that some breeds of cats don't hunt. They all have the capability and do when given the opportunity.

I'm astounded that you say to bring the cat up to the bird's cage to see how he reacts. I would not be comfortable in a cage with a dragon on the outside staring at me, as if I were lunch. That statement alone illustrates that we are not on common ground.

They don't have to get used to one another - ever - and it is my belief that people should not own cats and birds at the same time
Spay bottles may work while you are there, but not when you aren't and a spray bottle won't control more than one cat at a time.

Look, when it comes to birds I give you differentiation treatment. When it comes to cats, please do me the same favor. I not only come from generations of cat lovers but I also have done research on cats in the form of 1500 page thesis. That paper included the different breeds of cats throughout the centuries and their unique characteristics.

And didn't I tell the OP to SUPERVISE the interaction?! Once again, please PROCESS my words.

 

[Sylvester]

Tell that to the Persians and ragdolls I grew up with, who killed birds and mice on a daily basis.
It's massively irresponsible to claim any breed of cat "never" hunts and give someone a false sense of security, based on your personal experience. Predators are predatory, and cats are among nature's most successful hunters. Those are facts.

No, they are not facts, they are observations from your own experiences.

 

[Sylvester]

@saroj12

To be clear about something. I am not "misapplying advice because it is what I want to hear." I would prefer if you were a bit more polite in your claims. As @Mizzely stated, cages on stands are just generally safer. I am doing what I can to help the situation of having cats and birds in the same room. If you don't like what I am trying to work out, that's fine by me. But please, do not accuse me of misapplying advice when you have very little evidence. Thanks.

And it can be done.

Now you said you have Rex's? Other than what I have read about those good looking felines I have never met anyone who owned one.That breed intrigues me. What are they like?

 

[BirbBrains]

@Shezbug
Thank you!