any advice for a (hopefully) soon to be cat owner?

[PopsDops]

i've been begging my mom for literal years to get a cat with no success, and instead became a bird person xD. but my love for cats is still there.

so, for some info, i live in a third world country, in a 107 square meters (1151,73 square feet) apartment with my parents. i'd like to get a kitten that would spend it's time indoors since i would fear for it going outside (mainly cuz i dont want it to get sick, injured, or worse, stolen).

anyway, i have some questions that i would love if you guys could answer them:

1-apart from the vaccination and neutering/spaying stuff, what can i do to make sure it's healthy?

2- lets say i get a kitten, it would obviously be raised with 3 birds in the house, would that be a problem if i made sure they become friends from an early age?

3-what should i buy before getting a cat (except for food, food and water bowls and some toys) ?

4-is it really necessary to neuter/spay and vaccinate a cat if it's gonna spend its time indoors? ( i have a friend who has a cat, not vaccinated or neutered/spayed, it roams outside constantly and according to him it got sick once). the reason im asking this is because i doubt i could get a cat neutered/spayed in a third world country, not sure about it tho.

5-can cats be taken out on a walk like dogs?

i think that's it. this site has helped a lot when it comes to bird stuff so i have no doubt i'll get great help from here.

thanks in advance and stay safe

 

[Zara]

would that be a problem if i made sure they become friends from an early age?

Cats and birds do not ever become ¨friends¨.
They must be kept separate for the birds safety.

3-what should i buy before getting a cat (except for food, food and water bowls and some toys) ?

A tall scratch post/stand thingy. They like to climb

5-can cats be taken out on a walk like dogs?

You could try harness training the cat. I know some do it. My friend brings his cat to my office on a harness.

 

[Ali]

They like to climb

My Bailey jumped out a second floor window and walked off like nothing happened!

 

[Ali]

tall scratch post/stand

We also have a mat on the floor for scratching to stop her attacking the carpet and sofa

 

[PopsDops]

Cats and birds do not ever become ¨friends¨.
They must be kept separate for the birds safety.


A tall scratch post/stand thingy. They like to climb


You could try harness training the cat. I know some do it. My friend brings his cat to my office on a harness.

okay thank you.

obviously i wont put the birds and cat next to each other, that would be a death sentence for birds, i just dont want to cat actively trying to kill the birds or jumping at their cage

 

[Zara]

My Bailey jumped out a second floor window and walked off like nothing happened!

I think this is where the 9 lives kick in

obviously i wont put the birds and cat next to each other, that would be a death sentence for birds, i just dont want to cat actively trying to kill the birds or jumping at their cage

The best way, is to keep a closed door between the cat and the birds.

 

[Ali]

think this is where the 9 lives kick in

They must do!

 

[mak]

Cats and birds do not ever become ¨friends¨.
They must be kept separate for the birds safety.

Unless the bird is a large macaw and the cat a kitten. In that case they must be separated for the safety of the cat.
Parenthetically, where I live there are wild cats (much like squirrels in the states), I once saw two big blackbirds chasing a cat!

 

[Zara]

Unless the bird is a large macaw and the cat a kitten. In that case they must be separated for the safety of the cat.

Indeed!
I think it is a two way street. A messy, dangerous situation that should just be avoided for everyones safety

(I´m not saying, don´t get a cat, just to keep them separated if you do)

 

[tka]

I would not allow cats and birds to be in the same room. Cats are predators with millenia of finely-honed instincts. You are not going to prevent them from jumping at their cage, not least because you cannot be there to supervise every minute of the day. It's simply not fair on your birds to have a predator hanging around watching them.

Unneutered female cats come into season and will produce mating calls, which will attract every unneutered tom in the area. They'll then have a wonderful time fighting and screaming at each other and being a general pain in the bum. If she escapes, she'll end up pregnant. Unneutered toms have a tendency to spray urine to mark their territory and are more likely to escape, especially if there's a female cat in heat in the area.

 

[scrape]

2- lets say i get a kitten, it would obviously be raised with 3 birds in the house, would that be a problem if i made sure they become friends from an early age?

I don't think that's a good idea. Just separate them, having a cat too close can scare birds. So I recommend you keep them separate, in different rooms if possible. It's hard to fully trust a predator.

3-what should i buy before getting a cat (except for food, food and water bowls and some toys) ?

Cat litter and box. Can't forget that

4-is it really necessary to neuter/spay and vaccinate a cat if it's gonna spend its time indoors? ( i have a friend who has a cat, not vaccinated or neutered/spayed, it roams outside constantly and according to him it got sick once). the reason im asking this is because i doubt i could get a cat neutered/spayed in a third world country, not sure about it tho.

Yes. Please, please, please fix your cat. Cats having babies is a HUGE problem, so please don't contribute to the problem.
I know it may seem like work, but it is very important for your cat. And for the future of other cats.

5-can cats be taken out on a walk like dogs?

I think so if you raise them to get used to it. Don't overwhelm them. Just try not to compare them to dogs. Oh, and if you want to walk them, you will have to buy a harness, a simple leash won't cut it.
Good luck. I love cats and kittens. I love keeping two and watching them play all day long

 

[TheOddFlock]

1. to help keep the cat healthy feed it wet/canned food instead of dry. Dry food leads to kidney and bladder problems. Most of the cats water comes from food, and dry food doesn't have enough water in it for cats. It may be a little more expensive, but still cheaper then the vet bills.

2. The cat will not be friends with the birds. Cats are natural born hunters, and little flying creatures seem like a good target for them.

3. Litter box and litter, scratching post, a break away collar and id tag, if you plan on taking the cat out for walks I'd also recommend a harness, as a cat can slip out of a collar.

4. Neutering/spaying not only prevents babies but also some diseases. It will help keep the cat healthier. Vaccines, my cats are indoor but they still get their vaccines, incase they ever escape, and because it is required by law the get cats and dogs vaccinated against rabbies where I live.

5. If trained from a young age, yes! When I was looking to adopt there was a cat that enjoyed to go for walks, I didn't adopt him as he wasn't a good fit for my household, but it is possible to get a cat to enjoy walks.

Also some more tips:
1. Don't keep their water and food next to each other, cats don't like their water near their food.
2. Keep food and water far away from litter box, in a different room if possible.
3. When buying toys get one of each type, to see which your cat likes best. Get a catnip toy, bell toy, feather toy, crinkle toy, etc.
4. Cats are attracted to moving water, so I'd suggest getting a small cat fountain instead of a normal water bowl if possible.

 

[brownie17]

Thank you for sharing useful information!

 

[brownie17]

I have recently become a cat owner and I hope they will be friends with my parrot. I'm looking for ways to help them become friends, but in the meantime, I have to protect the parrot, because the cat jumps on the cage and scares him. But I believe that soon I will be able to post a fun video about their friendship, that I saw on YouTube. Meanwhile, the vet prescribed my cat vitamins in the form of tablets and I try to give them to her, and she spits them out. If you give me some advice, I would appreciate it. By the way, I found the Catademy blog where there is a lot of different information about cat care and found an article about pill poppers, have any of you used this method to give a cat a pill? Pls share your feedback.

 

[mak]

Please do not encourage your cat and bird to interact. No matter what you may have seen on the internet a cat is a predictor with predatorial instincts and a bird is prey. Trying to make them "friends" can only end tragically.
If I remember correctly AA has a policy about not posting unsafe videos such as interactions of birds with cats.

 

[Peepers]

I didn't get a bird until my cat died. I thought it would be too risky.

 

[NightOwls]

I have recently become a cat owner and I hope they will be friends with my parrot. I'm looking for ways to help them become friends, but in the meantime, I have to protect the parrot, because the cat jumps on the cage and scares him. But I believe that soon I will be able to post a fun video about their friendship, that I saw on YouTube. Meanwhile, the vet prescribed my cat vitamins in the form of tablets and I try to give them to her, and she spits them out. If you give me some advice, I would appreciate it. By the way, I found the Catademy blog where there is a lot of different information about cat care and found an article about pill poppers, have any of you used this method to give a cat a pill? Pls share your feedback.

Birds and Cats should not be friends. They can co-exist in the same household - usually takes a few years for the cat to settle and not be so interested in the birds.

Pill poppers - also called pill shooters or pillers - can be used but can be a bit awkward with a moving cat. Easier just to use hand/fingers.

You can also crush the food into some wet food or use a pill pocket or mask to hide the pill so the cat will eat it.

 

[macawpower58]

But I believe that soon I will be able to post a fun video about their friendship, that I saw on YouTube.

That video on YouTube will get someone's bird killed.
Very few cats are safe with birds, I'd even hazard none are 100% trustable.
Do not try and get your bird and cat to 'be friends'.
Yes, I believe 'some' cats can cohabitate in safe households, but this is only done with lots of safety measures in place.
There must always be a way to keep the cat entirely out of the room the bird is in, especially for when you are not home.

 

[Gigibirds]

Hi! I have birds, and then my sister got a cat....She is a munchkin cat, so that basically means they have really short legs. They are more expensive, but it has definitely saved my birds' lives. The cat just watches the birds all day, licking her lips. There's no real way for them to become friends. Dogs and birds can be friends (like my dog and my parrotlet; I've even had my bird sit on the dog before!), but cats just have too strong of a hunt drive. The cat, Eisa, tries to catch my birds whenever she sees them flying. One of my birds likes to sit in my lap, and the cat once pounced ON MY LEG trying to catch my bird. Or when I was sitting on the sofa, with the bird in my hair, the cat climbed up the back of the sofa and pounced on my NECK!! I tried to make them friends but it doesn't work. With a larger bird that can fight back, you would be ok, but I have a parrotlet and lovebirds and they are just too tempting. If you get a cat, make sure that the bird cages are cat-proof, and just try to keep them safe! But, if you do get a cat, I wish you all the best with him/her!
Here's a pic of our cat in a stocking:......Basically what I'm trying to say is that cats are awesome, but they are very dangerous for small birds.

(also yes, we put our cat on a harness and take her outside sometimes. She is also an indoor cat, but she won't go on a proper walk, just a kind of stroll around the back yard)

 

[fluffypoptarts]

@Gigibirds Cats are very dangerous for ALL birds. Cats and birds are never okay together, no matter how large the bird is. The bird can still get hurt or killed, and the bacteria on the cats claws and in its mouth is deadly to birds.

Dogs and birds should not be loose together either - they also cannot be friends and no predator can be trusted, period.

You should not be risking the lives of your birds and leaving their welfare up to luck and the shortness of your cat’s legs.