Scared TO DEATH!

[SilverSage]

Well I just had the fright of my life!

I've been feeling really ill and had gone back to bed after feeding my birds. Well something woke me up, and it sounded like my cat Whiskey was trying to get into my room so I opened the door. In he walked with a mouth full of long grey feathers! I immediately ran out into the living room and saw feathers all over, and more long grey feathers. Way too many to have come from any toy. I tried to think clearly; I have two birds with grey tail feathers; Titan and Cinder, my turquoise GCCs. I checked on them but they are fine. I checked all the cages, no one missing! I re-visited my thought about the number of feathers; could they have come from a toy? No, there were too many. So I went back in the bedroom to look for Whiskey and I found him with a Zebra Dove. My "indoor only" cat (we live on the 6th floor of a condo) managed to go hunting in the 6'x10' patio and brought me his catch. The bird was bleeding but still able to fly. He is missing most of his tail feathers and all the feathers off his back. I cleaned him up as best I could and I have him in a brooder in the bathroom.

I have a picture of the bird but there is some blood and I don't remember what the rules are.

We live with a dog and cat and I love them just as much as I love my birds. This comes as a reminder though that he IS A CAT and that I'm not being "paranoid" when I take precautions!


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[JBassset]

Like I told someone else. I trust my cats. Implicitly.

I trust them to be cats. They will behave around the little bird until one day they don't. They'll ignore him until they decide not to.

When that day comes my goal is to not have let my guard down and to be in place and ready. Especially now that Stephen has found out that their scratching post has yummy catnip on it. Of ALL the snacks I give him the one he wants the one most is the one that's guaranteed to draw kitty interest to him!

 

[SilverSage]

"I trust them to be cats" I love that! Mind if I use that quote?

He wants the catnip? That is hilarious and terrifying at the same time!

I know catnip is controversial but we use to to show our cat what is his and what is not. He knows he isn't allowed to do ANYTHING even remotely like stalking the birds or staring at them in their cages, and he obeys that but I'm under no delusions that he is "obedient" when I'm not in the room


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[Flboy]

The cat in my house openly stalks my JoJo and twice has leaped onto his cage! When JoJo is out, cat must be locked away, no one home? Cat locked away!

 

[SilverSage]

We are fortunate to have had Whiskey from a young age. He knows that any sort of stalking behavior ends with unpleasant things for him (such as loud noises or being sprayed by a water bottle! Terrible!). Our dog also considers the birds to be under his protection and will literally stomp the cat for any perceived threat. Stomp with his feet; no biting. I'm not sure why.

Interestingly enough, whisky seems to know the difference based on his behavior today. He never gave up trying to get the bird back (I let him go after doing what I could for him) and the dog didn't seem to care.

Regardless, I won't be lulled into complacency!


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[JBassset]

"I trust them to be cats" I love that! Mind if I use that quote?

Go for it. Assume any of the junk I say is fair game!

He wants the catnip? That is hilarious and terrifying at the same time!

Catnip is a member of the mint family. (Sorta.) Some even consider it a kind of mint. But it is usually considered and herb like basil or, well, mint.

I figure if the little dork wants to eat it and the cats aren't near then I don't care. It's just happy coincidence that the cat tree I put the nip on is highly visible and the cats can't sneak up on it without me seeing them.

 

[Scott]

Wow, that was a terrible fright, Dani. Glad you were able to rescue the Dove, and hope he/she makes a full recovery.

Thank you for posting yet another reminder of how mixed-pet households must be vigilant. In this case the victim was well beyond your control. The power of your words indeed makes the point without a picture!