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New Setup Recommendations

maimaie

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I posted a while back about a new cage order that did not go well... We finally got over that experience and are ready to try again. I found a cage online and chatted with the company already and feel pretty confident that we will get a good quality cage.

So our GCC currently has his own room upstairs, which of course had pros and cons. We want to move him into the main living area, of course also with pros and cons. The new cage will go into the corner of the room with a big window.

Biggest concern is the cat. We rescued the cat as a kitten and have kept them separate ever since (7 years). Our plan is to install a permanent gate that will corner off the corner of the room with the bird cage. In the event that the cat does jump over the gate the cage is plenty large enough to all our GCC room to move away, but obviously we want a gate that is tall enough to dissuade the cat from even attempting to jump or scale it. Does anyone have experience with such a set up?

Second concern is the floors. The floors are older tile floors that need to be replaced anyway, but not for a few more years. The grout is cracking and I want to prevent poop, seeds, and food from getting between the tiles and I want to prevent our GCC from coming in contact with any loose grout. Of course I want something water tight and easy to clean. Anyone have suggestions?
 

Zara

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For the cat, setup your gate, but only ever allow the cat in your living room if you are present, or not at all. If you are not home, or you are cooking or busy, put the cat on the other side of the door.

What about filling in the gaps in the grout with silicone? (Like for sealing a sink) It should hold you over a couple of years ´til you re-tile :)
Or get one of those plastic mat/liners for the floor? Like this : Amazon.com: Resilia - Clear Vinyl Plastic Floor Runner/Protector for Deep Pile Carpet - Non-Skid Decorative Pattern, (27 Inches Wide x 6 Feet Long): Home & Kitchen
 

maimaie

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@Zara, thank you for the recommendations!

There will be no way to exclude the cat from the living room while we are not home (at least not long term), which is why our GCC is currently in his own room on the second floor. This is something that we have thought about a lot, but our current set up in just not sustainable: our GCC is suffering and it's not his fault. During the transition we will keep the cat in a separate room while not at home, but that won't be fair to him either as he is used to having run of the entire house. However, I will do some more thinking about an appropriate transition process to ensure everyones safety. The living area is not currently separated by any doors or other permanent fixtures.

That type of plastic sheeting is exactly what I was thinking of, although I want to find something a bit more... attractive, I think. I looked at office chair mats, but I can't seem to find one that will be big enough to cover the whole/majority of the area (roughly 6'x6').
 

Leih

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I have 3 cats and 4 birds. My birds are in cages that are on wheels, aka floor cages, because these are too heavy for the cats to knock over. My cats come into the bird room, I bring the cages out to the living room, everyone is okay. I never actually trust my cats with the birds, but the cats have learned to leave the cages alone. I used a spray bottle when they'd get too close and they now barely even notice the birds. Like I said though, I never actually trust the cats because they are hard wired predators, nothing will change that, but I do my best to keep everyone safe . I have a spare bedroom that is the bird room. When I'm not home, they all stay in there with the door closed, and radio on. I have lights and radio on a smart plug so I can control them when I'm not at home.
 
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Leih

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Also, keep in mind that a determined cat will get through nearly anything except a closed door.
 

Gribouille

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I would be afraid that the cat would find a way to come in away, and the bird will be stressed to see the cat looking at it all the time... If you really want to do thins, I would build a voliere, with the gate going all the way to the ceiling.

As for the floor, I would buy a piece of lino to cover the floor over the whole bird area. They come in many colors and designs, just choose yours! Easy to clean, and you don't have to worry about the bird eating anything it shouldn't. Filling the holes with anything other than cement could end up with the bird taking it up.
 

maimaie

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@Leih thank you for the advice. I agree 100% that you can never trust a cat around a bird! We discussed it a bit more and are going to aim for a fence/gate that is a minimum of 8' high (if not completely floor to ceiling) so we can be confident that the cat will not jump over.

@Gribouille thank you for the idea! I found several styles of vinyl flooring and have ordered samples.
 

Leih

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@Leih thank you for the advice. I agree 100% that you can never trust a cat around a bird! We discussed it a bit more and are going to aim for a fence/gate that is a minimum of 8' high (if not completely floor to ceiling) so we can be confident that the cat will not jump over.

@Gribouille thank you for the idea! I found several styles of vinyl flooring and have ordered samples.
8' sounds like a good height!
 
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