Can Cats and Birds Live Together

[Sylvi_]

I’ve had my two cats since 2014, they’re never allowed out when Mimi or Yuka are out of the cage in the bedroom.

The girls come to the living room or family room during the day for about 2-3 hours and the cats are set into a separate bedoom with plenty of enrichment inside. (Cat tree, toys, litter box etc.)
We even have a note on the door that says to keep the door closed just so there’s never any miscommunication between the family.

There can be no exceptions with birds and cats. No letting down your guard. I know there’s videos of them appearing to be peaceful with one another but when you allow that interaction, it’s not a matter of if the cat hurts the bird, it’s when.
It just takes one scratch or lick and it’s the bird that could potentially lose it’s life. Especially because you have small lovebirds.
If you’re able to commit to the kitten never interacting with your birds, it’s definitely possible. But you have to know what you’re getting into.

To add on, I didn’t see this mentioned but getting two kittens actually works better. They keep one another occupied and busy, one sole kitten tends to act out more from boredom in my experience.
When I got my male and female, they were adopted within a week of one another. I credit them having each other to why they didn’t care about my birds when I got them.
Get your kitten’s boundless energy out with proper toys, make certain they never have the chance to interact with the birds and establish solid boundaries. If the kitten focuses on the bird cage, redirect them with a fun toy and reward them for changing their behavior.

It can be a long process but if you want to add in cats, it’s vital. Think long and hard about if you can guarantee both kitten and birds having a safe and great quality of life in your living space.

 

[JKate]

I think it depends on the cat, our current cat is a house cat who shows absolutely no interest in birds, mice, anything really. Whereas our cat who passed a few months ago was a full on hunter, he was a lovely boy but would always try to catch birds/mice. With our current cat, I would have no qualms about having him alongside birds, with precautions of keeping the cat in a seperate room whilst birds are out, always triple checking cage doors eg. Because he won't be going out of his way to hunt them. Our previous cat would have most likely not left the birds alone so I wouldn't have felt comfortable because no matter how many precautions I took he would always be looking for ways around them.
With a kitten I would be also looking into doing a bit of socialisation. Letting the cat in the room with the birds securely in the cage, and doing things such as playing/distracting the kitten may help as the kitten will become used to the birds and see them more as part of the furniture rather than snacks.
In saying this NEVER EVER let any birds out with out ensuring the cats are safely in another room and have no way of getting to the birds.
The reason for socialising to to help reduce stress to the cat, and stop them becoming obsessive over trying to get to the birds. It is important to remember just because your cat isn't interested in the birds it does not mean they would not follow their instinct if an opportunity arises.

 

[budgieluv3]

I think it depends on the cat, our current cat is a house cat who shows absolutely no interest in birds, mice, anything really. Whereas our cat who passed a few months ago was a full on hunter, he was a lovely boy but would always try to catch birds/mice. With our current cat, I would have no qualms about having him alongside birds, with precautions of keeping the cat in a seperate room whilst birds are out, always triple checking cage doors eg. Because he won't be going out of his way to hunt them. Our previous cat would have most likely not left the birds alone so I wouldn't have felt comfortable because no matter how many precautions I took he would always be looking for ways around them.
With a kitten I would be also looking into doing a bit of socialisation. Letting the cat in the room with the birds securely in the cage, and doing things such as playing/distracting the kitten may help as the kitten will become used to the birds and see them more as part of the furniture rather than snacks.
In saying this NEVER EVER let any birds out with out ensuring the cats are safely in another room and have no way of getting to the birds.
The reason for socialising to to help reduce stress to the cat, and stop them becoming obsessive over trying to get to the birds. It is important to remember just because your cat isn't interested in the birds it does not mean they would not follow their instinct if an opportunity arises.

yes we have a hunting dog, but he has never shown any interest in birds.

 

[Ili426]

I have Two dogs, a boxer and a Pomeranian. I think they are more scared of my GCC. He’s only 6 mo old but has attitude. Either way, I am always careful to not leave the cage open when we are not home. My bird is not flighted and sometimes get spooked and ends up on the floor. Next thing you know he is walking down the hall looking for me. My dogs just watch him stroll by.

 

[zoo mom]

I have 3 young cats (less than 2 yrs old), and 6 birds ranging from cockatiels to a Rosebreasted (Galah) cockatoo. My birds have a separate bird room. The cats are never allowed in the bird room and the door to the bird room is always shut. I also have a tall pet gate across the doorway to further prevent cat access. My cats absolutely would try to catch the birds. They chase anything that moves such as my clothes that I am wearing, cat toys, curtains, cords etc. I would be very cautious about getting a kitten, especially if your children are younger. It only takes a moment of distraction to make a mistake and lose a bird because of it.