Budgies and kitten

[SaltandPepper]

I am getting a kitten next week, and I already have two budgies. The budgies are in their cage most of the day downstairs in the living room, the living room doesn't have a door, it's very open. When I let them out for exercise, we go upstairs in my room, because the living room has too many potential dangers.

Now, the kitten will start upstairs in my brothers' room, and we plan to eventually let him roam around the house. Obviously, I will close the door to my room when the birds are out of their cage, but will the cat try to attack them when they are downstairs in the living room? Is there a way I can get her to learn to ignore them? I was thinking of moving the birds to another room and closing the door when no one is home, just in case.

Are these safety precautions enough? I'm mostly scared of the cat attacking them when someone is at home and they dont notice, or they dont get enough time to react.
Is there anyway to train the kitten to ignore them?

What should I do?

 

[fiddlejen]

Extremely dangerous situation. Cats are dangerous enough but kittens moreso. Cannot train instinct out of a cat, much less a kitten. Kitten cannot be confined to one room for very long. Kitten will not "try to attack" them, but, kitten WILL view them as toys.

 

[itzjbean]

Hi there, cat and bird lover here!

I currently have a kitten (16 weeks!) as well as a 9 year old ragdoll cat and 4 cockatiels (and a dog). Kitten and cat have free roam of our house, birds stay in a bedroom where their huge cage is though it remains open when birds are in their cage. If birds are out both cats are closed out of the room and not allowed in.

Kitten showed initial interest in climbing the cage but with a spray bottle she is quickly learning birds (and scratching couches, climbing onto the kitchen counter ) is not allowed. You have to be diligent with discipline for kittens so they learn right away what is acceptable. Keeping the birds up high (off the ground and not on a table) is ideal, though not everyone can get a huge cage on a stand.

Where do your birds sleep? Do they sleep in the living room in that cage, or in your bedroom? Where is the kitten going to stay during the night, will it be confined to a room at first (like your brothers room overnight?) or have free roam eventually? Keeping them separated while no one can watch kitten is going to be key here. Do not let the kitten near the birds if you cannot watch the kitten. Of course you never want to leave the birds out of the cage and leave the room with the kitten around, just not a good situation with that. You can watch the kitten near the birds in the living room but I would not let the kitten have free roam until she gets a little older and poses no threat to the birds/ ignores them. If you responsible and understanding that the 2 can potentially be unsafe around each other, there is no reason both cat and bird can't live in the same household in harmony. best of luck!

 

[noodles123]

Cats can learn to open doors and they are so fast and quiet (def would get those squeeze knob covers for the handles that they use around children to keep doors shut). I wouldn't have a cat and bird...ever....I know people do it, but they carry bacteria that can kill a bird from a small scratch.

Seems like the birds will have to be shut away all day alone so that the cat can roam free..

Do you have to get the kitten? lol

Even if a cat seems to ignore a bird, it only takes one moment for things to go wrong, and they are programmed to hunt (hense all of those fishing pole+ feather on a strong toys...chasing lazer pointers etc)...and they have small claws that can fit in small areas...

I just wouldn't be comfortable risking it. They are far to efficient at killing birds...It is a personal choice, but not one I would ever make.

 

[SaltandPepper]

Thank you all for your amazing advice!!

I've decided to not let the cats into the room when they are eout of the cage and to move the bird cage to another room where the cat cant go when no one is home.

As for when we are home, I will watch the kitten very carefully around the birds. If she learns to ignore them, then all is good. If she constantly wants to attack them, then I might need to move the birds to a place where the cat will never be allowed to go. But the only place I can think of that would work is my bedroom, and it's best not to keep birds in a bedroom, but we'll cross that bridge when it comes to it.

Again thanks a lot!!

 

[bug_n_flock]

One of my beloved budgies was eaten by my cat Charlie. Everything was always fine until the day it wasn't. A threat is never "real" until it is "too real".



I was out of town viewing potential properties to buy. I thought Fatty's cage was so cat proof, but it wasn't. I came home to the cage door wide open and... you don't need the image I have in my head.



A bird does better in a bedroom than it does in a room with a cat IMHO. Can they move to your bedroom and you take up a bedroom centered hobby?

 

[ParrotGenie]

Please Don't Extremely dangerous and seen cats over the years get into cages and injured, or kill and eat smaller birds. Even when adapted to birds cat can revert to natural instincts.

Worst case keep bird in a room where it can be locked and no way cat can get into room. As others stated every thing is fine till one day it is not.