SAFE for me to get a cat (kitten) if I own cockatiels?

[Inko-ai]

If you really want a furry, cuddly pet along with your birds, you could always get something like a rabbit or a guinea pig. I don't personally have experience with guinea pigs (although a friend of mine had one for years and really loved her). But I do have a lot of experience with rabbits. They can be super cuddly if you socialize them properly, and sometimes their personalities kind of remind me of a cat.

 

[Skarila]

Ok, as a huge cat and bird lover, and I had both of the species in my household, including a dog, here is my two cents:

I had two very docile cats, and a parrot. Both cats came in as kittens. Very quickly they learned that even looking at the bird was a no-no. However their genes probably played a big role here.
I always joked that I would hardly ever come by such docile cats ever again. There are breeds of cats that are pretty much wild and have a strong instinct to hunt. Then there are those which are absolute lazy bums. To be very honest, I would like to have a cat again. Just there is one problem - money.

One breed I'd trust 100% is the Ragdoll. They are such gentle giants, and absolutely docile. However, such a breed by itself is extremely expensive, and all the grooming they need, the food and the vet bills (as they need their yearly vaccines and check ups). I'd also make sure to go test for toxoplasmosis (another nasty parasite that shows no symptoms in humans nor cats, and cats carry it very often) and other nasty stuff that can be harmful for the bird. The cat would stay at home at all times, and the simple hygiene would have to be high (often cleaning, as we do after birds already.

I personally heard far more horror stories where the dogs actually hunt down people's parrots rather than cats. My dog was the same, almost killed my bird in mid flight by jumping and catching with her jaws.

So all pretty much comes down to the personality of the cat. They can coexist with the bird but with precautions. Test for the bacteria/parasites, keep the home clean, keep in separate rooms if possible. My cats would just go under the table and do their own thing, avoiding my parrot (IRN). Another thing I love in cats is that their body language really tells you everything. If a cat has a fixated stare at your bird, wide eyed, you can bet it wants to hunt it. If the cat is just blinking away, obviously relaxed, then no need for panic. They rarely hunt and react in a second, unlike a dog.

A dog is something I highly wouldn't recommend in the same household as a parrot. I personally would never ever again.

 

[Rolly]

Don't know about cats but I have a 6 pound Maltese and she and my RBC Louie "get along". They are both on the bed with me every evening and are used to each other. My dog was very curious at first and wanted to consistently sniff my RBC but now she is over him and ignores him except when Louie start flying around the room and starts screaming his head off. My Maltese will start barking too (maybe it is a game they secretly play with each other) but at the end of the day I know my dog very well and knew she would not bite Louie. But there is something to say about what I read above and "feline instincts". However, again it depends of the nature and character of the cat too. I owned about 3 cats in my lifetime and from those 3, I would probably have only been comfortable with 1 having around Louie. But if you get them as kittens and they are constantly near the birds when they were small, they might be ok with the birds and accept them as "family" but with "instincts" there are no guarantees in life.

 

[Jeff1]

I have 2 cockatiels (they are fully flighted as I don't believe in wing clipping). They are NEVER in a cage unless it's at night (sleep time). I would really LOVE to cat one day. I'd get it as a kitten to ensure there is LESS risk to my birds (or at least I hope that's the case).... but I am very worried wether it is SAFE for to me ever own a cat since I have birds... even if I get the cat as a kitten?

Thanks in advance for any advice!

I HAVE 3 BIRDS AND TWO CATS. I never leave them in the same room. My African Grey Parrot was here first and the cats have grown up with him. The aggressor is the bird as the kittens were rescued young and have grown up with the bird. I think they are afraid of the bird but I NEVER leave them in the same room. My parrot lives outside of his cage in his own room. It can be done but YOU MUST be on top of the situation ALWAYS. Any encounter will be a deadly one for the bird. I have it down and live alone so it works for me.

 

[bittybo]

I'm thankful for all the replies! Before I started this thread I was 99.9% going to get a kitten in a few years... but now (after reading the replies) there is literally ZERO chance I will get a kitten when I have birds. I would never be able to live with myself if my birds got injured or worse just because I wanted a cat!

Having to keep cat in separate room from my birds is definitely NOT something I would ever want to sign up for. I hope my birds live a long time... but when they pass is the only time I will ever get a kitten.

I've wanted to adopt a Mustache Parakeet for the looooongest time but I was too worried the Mustache Parakeet might injure my tiels (they'd never be kept in same cage of course). I also have to make a decision whether I want to switch from being a bird person to a cat person!! I consider myself a bird person.... I love the way birds smell and am addicted to sniffing them!! Why do they have to smell so good LOL.

... I've had cockatiels my entire life (while having small dogs many years ago)... and I did have a cat when I was a kid. I will never have a dog again as I'm not huge into dogs.

.... but I think it would be a nice break/switch to become a "cat person" as birds are not the easiest to care for and I fell in love with cats after I was hanging around a cat that stays at an avian bird store of all places. My old neighbor's cat was so amazing and they had a DIY realistic cat tree... it was really cool.

I have many years to make my decision (if I want to switch to being a cat person) as my cockatiels are only 9yrs old and 4yrs old. I THINK I can make the switch from birds to cats.... but I'm not 100% sure. I've got plenty of time to decide... in the meantime I will enjoy my birds with NO cats!!

I have 3 cats and 4 birds.my parrot is very aggressive with my cats. i had one cat for 22 years. he was very old and had no interest in any of my birds. i trap a feral cat and brought him into my home. he was extremely interested in my birds. he could stand on any piece of furniture and somehow stretch his body like an accordian so he could see the birds. i trained him not to do this by squirting him in the face/body with a spray bottle of water. it worked. then i had to put my 22 year old cat to sleep on feb 2020. the feral cat was terribly despondent over the loss of his buddy so i went out and got 2 more rescue cats to make him happy. the 2 rescue cats didnt like my macaws screaming and stayed away from her but once in a while they would try and reach in her cage to pat her. this was not a good idea as i stated before my parrot is extremely aggressive towards anything that has eyes and looks at her. of course this didnt help my other 3 little birds. this was at the beginning of the shutdown and my husband and i are retired so we were home all the time. birds are only allowed to be loose under supervision in my bedroom with the door locked. i try and have them loose at least 3 hours per day in my bedroom. at the beginning the 2 new rescues were wrecking havoc and would terrorize the whole house at night while we were sleeping. i woke up to kitchen curtains laying on floor.big potted plants turned over and dirt everywhere sometimes the cats were just sitting on the potted plants. they apparently thought they could walk across the curtain rods which is why the curtains ket falling down. one time woke up to crash as they knocked one of the brd cages over. they also got a lot of water spritzing during the day. it took almost a year and a half for them to settle down. they now accept the birds as part of their house and show much more interest in birds they see through the windows outside. i wouldnt trust them if any of the brds got loose but everyone has settle down and my macaw has not interest in them and ignores them and the little ones pay very little attention to the cats. if you are willing to put in the time and effort and also able to lock cats and dogs in seperate rooms when you are not at home to supervise it can be workable. years ago i lost a little budgie who was so thrilled to see the dog he flew to him and the dog jumped up in the air and caught the bird midway. i blame my self for that as i was not attentive at the time. my cats are all feral rescue cats so it might have made this a little harder. just remember its like having a houseful of tiny tots who dont listen and you must constantly supervise so everyone stays safe

 

[parrottoys]

I have 2 cockatiels (they are fully flighted as I don't believe in wing clipping). They are NEVER in a cage unless it's at night (sleep time). I would really LOVE to cat one day. I'd get it as a kitten to ensure there is LESS risk to my birds (or at least I hope that's the case).... but I am very worried wether it is SAFE for to me ever own a cat since I have birds... even if I get the cat as a kitten?

Thanks in advance for any advice!

 

[Barbeejo]

Thanks so much for all the replies! It's so confusing when I see so many videos on youtube with people having parrots and cats in the same room but its always seemed like an accident waiting to happen. I always cringe when I see many of them have their bird literally right next to the cat chewing on the cat's whiskers!

Seeing the replies here REALLY makes me no longer comfortable to even think about getting a kitten because I CANNOT imagine having to separate my birds into a separate room from my cat. It seems I must choose birds OR cat, but NOT both and of course ZERO chance I would EVER rehome my birds!! It confused me so much as an experienced avian contact told me it would be OK so long as I get the cat as a kitten and "train" them.

I was hoping to get a Moustache parakeet one day.... not anytime soon... this would be many years from now. What size parrot do you feel is OK to have around a cat? If I had a Macaw or Cockatoo I'd be more fearful of the cat getting injured I will never have a Macaw or Cockatoo however. So I guess I must choose if I want to have a Moustache parakeet or a cat many years from now. I cannot imagine not having a bird in my life though... hence why I wonder what size/type of parrot would you feel comfortable having a cat in the same house with?

Hi,
I have always had an Amazon and a cat but my Amazon always scared the cat away by flapping his wings and attempting to bite! My amazon passed 6 months ago, at the age of 35, the cat is now 9. My new baby double yellow will never be allowed to be exposed to my cat because he would be defenseless, as he is a baby and would not know how to defend himself. I would never risk it, but again it is all about managing risk and be cognizant of the danger.

 

[samirae]

I have 2 cockatiels (they are fully flighted as I don't believe in wing clipping). They are NEVER in a cage unless it's at night (sleep time). I would really LOVE to cat one day. I'd get it as a kitten to ensure there is LESS risk to my birds (or at least I hope that's the case).... but I am very worried wether it is SAFE for to me ever own a cat since I have birds... even if I get the cat as a kitten?

Thanks in advance for any advice!

I have 2 cats I adopted from shelters at older ages. When adopted they were 12yrs and 6yrs. I also fostered two kittens at one point. The older cats have done great, still have both (18&12 now). They are essentially cuddly furniture accessories.

The kittens were a disaster. Kittens want to play, hunt, be predators, and birds are prey/toys. Had to re-foster-home the kittens asap, but my Senegal got scratched, through the cage, and lost an eye as a result of having kittens for less than a week.

My advice would be to definitely foster first regardless of what age of a cat you bring home, just in case it doesn't work out, and be extremely cautious. I think kittens, which are playful hunters, are a really bad idea for birds as small as cockatiels that are flighted house roamers. That's a meal and a game for a kitten. An older cat will care a lot less, MAYBE, plenty of older cats are still playful, but many just want a warm place to live out their days lol.

 

[ssteckov]

Please consider adoption first! Many loving animals, an older, settled, cat, for example, is Waiting for a loving home!

 

[AnimaliaPrime]

I have 2 cockatiels (they are fully flighted as I don't believe in wing clipping). They are NEVER in a cage unless it's at night (sleep time). I would really LOVE to cat one day. I'd get it as a kitten to ensure there is LESS risk to my birds (or at least I hope that's the case).... but I am very worried wether it is SAFE for to me ever own a cat since I have birds... even if I get the cat as a kitten?

Thanks in advance for any advice!

In my experience, yes it's perfectly safe, with a few precautions at the start. I used to volunteer at a parrot sanctuary and we always helped to dispel the myth that parrots and cats cannot co-exist. Even small parrots can live perfectly fine and safe and happy with cats. The exceptions are most budgies and maybe parrotlets. The trick is, the bird cannot act like prey. Any sassypants little parrot is usually pretty safe from housecats. I had a Quaker who the cats were all afraid of (more on that later) and now a Green Cheek--same thing--she rules the house and tells those cats she's boss--as you can hear from the occasional cat screams as they get bit by her! LOL

The other thing that is important is having a cat who is not too "wild" or predatory, doesn't go outside, etc. So, with my Quaker, I did make a mistake. The three cats we had were all completely fine with him and very respectful. I have pictures of them all looking out the window together--sitting side by side on a table, enjoying each other's company--bird and cat. Then we got a new kitten off of a farm. He was 11 weeks old and used to living outside and being rough and tumble--and we think he may have some bobcat in him--possibly. Well, at 6 months he did kill my Quaker. He always seemed a little too interested--but it seemed like he liked the toys in the cage more than the bird. My Quaker had issues, was not fully flighted and was elderly by this point. He was always out of his cage--but unless I picked him up--he was ON his cage or just above on his playstand. One day I found him downstairs, weird. He seemed fine, so I just figured something spooked him. Well, three days later he died from a bite would I found on his neck. Not a big one, and I didn't find it sooner because he was NOT very easy to handle (he was a rescue). That was 5 years ago.
Enter Piper the baby green cheek. I was SUPER careful with her--and let her wings grow out so she is fully flighted. I've had her for almost 5 years now and she knows who the trouble cat is. She takes no guff from any of the cats and she will fly to the floor and CHASE that same killer cat--who is not a fat lazy housecat. She will bite him in the face, etc. He is so confused and dismayed by this, he gives her a wide berth. But for the first year I had her--he was not allowed in the same room with her, unless she was in her cage. And since I got her as a baby, she is very affectionate and handleable, she is always with me.
From what i've seen with cockatiels, they can go either way as far as being sassy and self-protective, or being timid and frightened. I would say introduce the kittens to the birds when they are very little. Hopefully the tiels will peck the kittens and scare them a bit, and then you're off to a good start. LOL I leave all of my cats alone in a room with my loose bird--even the former killer cat. When she has to get locked her room (but loose out of her cge) I don't let him get locked in with her--but it's happened a few times by accident and it's been fine. She and the other three cats --all girls, are buddies most of the time. Sometimes Piper still goes after them a bit--they usually try to steer clear of her.
So that's the deal, if your birds don't act like timid prey and you never leave them alone with the new kitten until you know the score, you should be fine.

 

[imouse1]

I have a mixed household. If you want to know how I manage it safely, let me know. I got 3 cats, 4 doges, and the bird in the house with 0 incidents thus far (but it has been less than a month and I do take some special precautions).

 

[Nokota]

I have 2 cockatiels (they are fully flighted as I don't believe in wing clipping). They are NEVER in a cage unless it's at night (sleep time). I would really LOVE to cat one day. I'd get it as a kitten to ensure there is LESS risk to my birds (or at least I hope that's the case).... but I am very worried wether it is SAFE for to me ever own a cat since I have birds... even if I get the cat as a kitten?

Thanks in advance for any advice!

I very rarely speak on this forum as often I don't feel I have anything worthy to contribute, not having a 'tiel anymore. Vivi is sorely missed. However, I do believe I have information more pertinent to your situation than most.

I have a lovely little budgie named Blueberry, who doesn't even sleep in her cage half the time, but on a play gym. She's only trained in step-up and flight recall, but is an amicable companion nonetheless. I live with my father. He did not tell me he was getting a dog. He also did not tell me Sophie was a retired bird hunting dog, trained to help hunters kill pheasants. She was simply here one day, and nearly killed my little Blueberry.

Her former owner trained her with a shock collar. She still wears it much of the time. It has a "warning" beep that the dog's controller is supposed to press as a warning to stop what she's doing or else be shocked. I've had to make use of that. I've also made use of a muzzle. Over time, and many treats and praise, she has learned that ignoring Blueberry gets her treats, and Blueberry is not allowed out unsupervised if Sophie is in the room. Starting at the bird or following the bird gets her told off, ignoring Blueberry when she flies across the room as if she is not there gets her praise and treats. It has been a year, and last month I was able to dispense with the muzzle, though I still do not allow them alone unsupervised. I believe following these same precautions and training will allow you to have both a cat and cockatiels.

Since it is a kitten, I would suggest putting them in a limiter clip to reduce their urge to fly (simply clipping alternating flight feathers to make flying more exhausting, not prevent it) as taking off in flight is a major trigger for the chase instinct. Getting used to the birds as peers when very young will help. Though again, do not leave them alone unsupervised.

Cats are not food motivated unless hungry, so if you wish to train your cat to avoid the bird, skip their meal, and use a fake bird (possibly made of real cockatiel feathers!) to practice with them. Give them their meal after "Avoid the bird" training. It may be possible to teach the kitten that the cockatiel is a predator, utelizing loud noises or other unpleasant stimuli in association. I did it with our last dog, whom we got as a puppy. As an adult, Cooper the golden retriever (a breed historically used to hunt birds) would skittishly run away when Vivi got within about a yard of him. lol!

There are many ways to train a predatory animal away from another pet. The choice is up to you. I wish you luck, and due diligance in training your kitten, whether it is to be kind or to avoid your birds alltogether.

Stay Determined! <3

 

[henry0reilly]

5 dogs, bearded dragon, guinea pig, flighted cockatoo, permanently clipped amazon, 2 canaries, 2 outside cats, a rescued sphinx cat, and a kitten we really want to find a home for. My wife sees nothing wrong with keeping the birds and cats caged in the same room. The amazon likes to forage on the floor when he is out of the cage and we've had a couple near misses with dogs wanting to sniff him. Kitten is almost 8 months and a stalks the birds. I don't think our cats should ever be in the same room with our birds, even under supervision due to the stress on the birds but my wife thinks otherwise. Kitten also harassed the beardie when she was allowed in the room where he lives.

 

[Scott]

Late to the conversation, loving the respectful, erudite, well reasoned dialog!!

I've debated, weighed risks, limit my household to parrots and dogs. My love of cats is sated by volunteering at local animal shelter. No doubt multiple species can be quite safe given simple, repeatable, well understood safeguards.

 

[parrottoys]

I have 2 cockatiels (they are fully flighted as I don't believe in wing clipping). They are NEVER in a cage unless it's at night (sleep time). I would really LOVE to cat one day. I'd get it as a kitten to ensure there is LESS risk to my birds (or at least I hope that's the case).... but I am very worried wether it is SAFE for to me ever own a cat since I have birds... even if I get the cat as a kitten?

Thanks in advance for any advice!

The answer is no. A thousand times no. Never. There is no reason to put your birds at risk. And having a loose cat and free flight birds is a DEADLY combination. You may as well give away your birds because they WILL BE KILLED. Do not get a cat with birds in the home, much less free flying 'tiels.

 

[parrottoys]

5 dogs, bearded dragon, guinea pig, flighted cockatoo, permanently clipped amazon, 2 canaries, 2 outside cats, a rescued sphinx cat, and a kitten we really want to find a home for. My wife sees nothing wrong with keeping the birds and cats caged in the same room. The amazon likes to forage on the floor when he is out of the cage and we've had a couple near misses with dogs wanting to sniff him. Kitten is almost 8 months and a stalks the birds. I don't think our cats should ever be in the same room with our birds, even under supervision due to the stress on the birds but my wife thinks otherwise. Kitten also harassed the beardie when she was allowed in the room where he lives.

There will be dead birds if you allow a cat to be around them. Why doesn't anyone understand this? NO CATS AND BIRDS. The birds will be mutilated and killed. Cats cannot be trusted. Get rid of the birds or the cat.

 

[imouse1]

I dunno. My 3 cats are around my bird. Two of them are athletically 15 pounds, one of whom is traumatized by his mere presence because | bird loud and move fast | and the other who doesn't understand how he got in the window or his cage being a permeable window. (I love them but they are *so* dumb. The third one just likes to watch him while we watch TV and he runs around on the bed (but could have something to do with her being 13 and coming out of triadisis and we're working on her kidney failure). Closest call we've had with any of them was the first day when they tried to get into the cage and the cage smashed on top of them. The Sir felt so threatened he was still eating when we got the 15 feet from kitchen to bedroom. This bird is literally out all day the last 4 weeks, even in bed with my 2 cats and 1 doge, only going And Gregg even has the audacity to perch in the orange cat's cuddle shoulder, which I can show you scars where he randomly jump attacks me for attention then leaps off of to his next destination. But the only unsupervised time is when he's locked in his cage. And these cats are well-trained in what is and what is not theirs. They were 5 when he came home so it wasn't a matter of age, it was a matter of having cats secure in the knowledge there are rewards and consequences for their actions. They have toys, perches, and attention--and the warning Gregg is not a toy or food. They do not get positive attention if they start doing toy or food cues. They do get positive attention for leaving him TF alone. We are working on closing the distance between their 8-foot jump range and their sleeping-all-over-my-feet range. If someone is with me, we'll have someone put an arm in front of their chest so they can go face-to-face that way they can't accidentally swat him. That will be a long process and it will never be unsupervised but you can train them to coexist.

Gregg also has a habit of jumping from counters to try to get the table or vice versa but because the big box store had his wings clipped he always ends up on the floor. All of the dogs know Gregg is not food and not a toy, and they are likewise trained like the cats to discourage food- and play- seeking behavior where it involves Gregg. Two of them hate how his bite on their noses feel when they go to sniff him so they have no interest in the sky chicken. One of them doesn't understand what or how he is. And then my doge has a very strong urge to pick him up the way she keeps picking up the sick cat to move her to someplace safe and dark so we're having to work extra hard on keeping a safe distance and making sure to diminish unwanted cues while encouraging the good ones. At night or whenever else he's in the cage, she gets on the only chair tall enough to allow easy access to the cage so she can watch him and gets very uncomfortable if Gregg gets upset over something. He gets a wide berth and they are very aware of it. And we double down on the order of things by making sure he gets a treat before them.

It can be done. Can it be unsupervised? No. Is it impossible? No. Depends on the time and effort you're going to put into it.

Here's a picture of us right now as proof of my claims. Gray is under the blanket at my feet because it's cold. Doge is to my right out of frame because we're working on trust. You just have to handle training opportunities for what they are as they present themselves.

 

[chris-md]

There will be dead birds if you allow a cat to be around them. Why doesn't anyone understand this? NO CATS AND BIRDS.

Because thats your opinion, not fact.

“There will be dead birds” is akin to a crazy person on the corner preaching end of times, can’t really take this seriously.

I recommend reading the thread again and note where most people are successfully keeping mixed households. Whether you approve of their choice to do so - as evidenced by quoting and lecturing Henry - is irrelevant.

The only relevant point here is that you personally would never mix, and that’s very valid. You’re not willing to assume the management required, and that IS a fair point.

 

[imouse1]

Because thats your opinion, not fact.

“There will be dead birds” is akin to a crazy person on the corner preaching end of times, can’t really take this seriously.

I recommend reading the thread again and note where most people are successfully keeping mixed households. Whether you approve of their choice to do so - as evidenced by quoting and lecturing Henry - is irrelevant.

The only relevant point here is that you personally would never mix, and that’s very valid. You’re not willing to assume the management required, and that IS a fair point.

I agree. Having a mixed pet household is like having teenagers in a house of booze and prescription drugs: you can't always monitor the kids, you can't take everything with you. The best you can do is lock up what and who you can and trust that you put in enough work in the kids that they'll stay where they should.

 

[Terry57]

There will be dead birds if you allow a cat to be around them. Why doesn't anyone understand this? NO CATS AND BIRDS. The birds will be mutilated and killed. Cats cannot be trusted. Get rid of the birds or the cat.

Why doesn't anyone understand this? Because many of us have both, and if the cats are not allowed around the birds at all they can't attack them.
Being in the same household and being in the same room are two very different things.
Your opinion is no more valid than anyone else's who has commented on this thread, and telling people to get rid of their bird or cat is a bit much.