Thinking about a Parrot, Own Several Cats

[Desire Mercy]

Hello,

I'm in the process of learning about parrots (and parakeets). My girlfriend bought a Green-cheek yellow-sided conure about 7 months ago and I've fallen in love with them. I'm thinking of buying a conure or a linnie in the next few months, but am trying to make an educated choice as to whether its a wise idea.

First, note, I'm an experienced pet own. I've never owned a bird, and I know they aren't like cats or dogs, but I do know how to invest my time and effort into my pets and care for them properly (all of our pets have lived well beyond average life expectancy—we take care of them very well). That is to say, I'm a responsible pet owner.

I own several cats. My question is whether or not that automatically puts my home out of the running for owning a bird. Obviously, I wouldn't leave the bird unattended with the cats. I've read you can train cats to leave the birds alone (water bottle, anyone?). My bird would most likely be in rooms usually monitored by people (he'd rarely be alone).

Would the cats cause too much stress on the bird? Or would they learn to live (relatively) peacefully?

Thanks!

[CSLFiero]

No one can mind their babies all the time, they always get in trouble eventually. That's to say cats and birds can't coexist, numerous accounts show they can...

But if your baby darling conure gets eaten, you've been warned. The only way to guess at how your cats will behave with a parrot is how do they behave with eachother/toys/food. Don't fall in love with something if you honestly think it might end up dead.

[Desire Mercy]

Well, I imagine unless I'm careless and leave the cage open, the cat wouldn't be able to eat them. I'm also leaning towards leaving their flight intact, which would help keep them safer.

[Michael]

The problem isn't so much the training, sure cats can be "trained to leave the bird alone" with varying degrees of success. The bigger problem is instinct. Cats have an attack reflex to certain kinds of motion. I recall a study where they raised a cat with a mouse to be good friends. But eventually the mouse scurried in a sort of way and the cat could help itself but to kill it. It didn't eat the mouse but the cat couldn't help killing it anyway. That's the problem with cats/dogs around parrots.

The only way I would endorse a parrot in a household with cats or dogs is if the carnivorous pets can be kept 100% separated by physical means from the avian pets and vice verse. I say vice verse because let's say a dog gate might keep the dog from going to the bird but it won't keep the bird from flying toward the dog. Another issue is that when the bird flies past a cat or dog they instinctively jump up and catch it like a ball. That's another way a lot of birds get killed.

100% separation means they are either in entirely separate rooms or crated while the other type is out. Basically it is so difficult, risky, and complicated that why bother? It sounds like you're doing a good job but have your hands full. I wouldn't see much benefit in adding a bird. Enjoy the pets you have and if some day you have a house without cats/dogs, then you can look into a bird.

[Wolf]

I have 6 cats, 3 dogs, and 3 birds ( a 4yr old Senegal female, a 12yr old CAG female and a 13yr old Yellow Naped Amazon ). All of these are rescues, just like me. I am disabled ( major back issues ) so I have the time to share with all of these different animals. We all live and play together with me supervising the interactions of all concerned beings. Birds are never allowed to be out unless I am there to oversee them and the others , The point is that we all get along well with each other and all is well. That being said one must never forget that dogs and cats are predators and consider birds food (quite tasty ). They must be under constant supervision if they are ever in the same vicinity, period, no exceptions! If one can do this there is no reason that they can not live a long and happy life together.

All of us have suffered abuse at the hands of others and are all scarred from it, but we are all happy with each other.

[Pajarita]

A lot of people manage to keep different species as pets. I have 7 dogs and 6 cats but they are always kept separate from the birds. My dogs are well trained and my cats are all seniors but it's like Michael says, you can't rely 100% on training because instinct takes over and prey drive is what it is. As to supervising... well, I've been doing animal rescue for a looooong time and have heard all kinds of stories plus, if there is one thing I've learned is that you can't trust yourself to be always 100% in control because animals react before they can think so the trick is to prevent the tragedy. Nobody can supervise to that extent, cats and dogs are much, much faster than we are and once they jump up to catch that flying thingie going by, you would have to be Superman or Flash to get to it in time.

So, to make it work, you would have to restrict the bird to one single room and never allow the bird out of it or the cats in it. It's a pain in the neck but it's doable. Only make sure you (and everybody else in the household) are fine with doing this for the next 25 years or so...

[Michael]

A lot of people manage to keep different species as pets. I have 7 dogs and 6 cats but they are always kept separate from the birds. My dogs are well trained and my cats are all seniors but it's like Michael says, you can't rely 100% on training because instinct takes over and prey drive is what it is. As to supervising... well, I've been doing animal rescue for a looooong time and have heard all kinds of stories plus, if there is one thing I've learned is that you can't trust yourself to be always 100% in control because animals react before they can think so the trick is to prevent the tragedy. Nobody can supervise to that extent, cats and dogs are much, much faster than we are and once they jump up to catch that flying thingie going by, you would have to be Superman or Flash to get to it in time.

So, to make it work, you would have to restrict the bird to one single room and never allow the bird out of it or the cats in it. It's a pain in the neck but it's doable. Only make sure you (and everybody else in the household) are fine with doing this for the next 25 years or so...

Thank you for that. I completely agree.

Just one note. I remember someone posting once about keeping dog in a separate room and being in a different room with the bird. The door was closed but the knob wasn't completely latched. The dog barged in and went straight for the bird (for whatever reason). So even with physical separation you still have to realize you are taking a certain amount of risk just by having the two in the same house. However, with substantial responsibility and precaution if can be done. It's just way way more work than it seems to be worth to have both.

[Desire Mercy]

Well, right now, we own several dogs too. One of our dogs is a pitbull who is dog aggressive (but extremely docile towards people). Should the pitbull get to the other dogs it can become really bad for both dogs. As a result, we've adopted VERY vigilant and vigorous system of checking and securing doors and animals when we need to rotate them outside (the pit spends most of the time in the house).

I know of course that this won't change anyone's mind as I'm sure everyone has their own deep-seated beliefs on the issue. Since posting this, I've done an extensive amount of research. The breeder I'm getting my Quaker (finally decided on a Quaker ) from also breeds exotic cats. They've been breeding various birds and cats for a couple of decades now without incident.

I'm not naive enough to think something couldn't happen, but I'm confident enough in my training abilities with my cats and dogs and my own vigilance to invest in this venture.

As for our dogs, the only dog I'm worried about is rarely in the house and has not entered the room I will be keeping my bird in five or so years. She's a husky and we've had to becareful with her around our cats. The pit couldn't care less. Aside from occasionally scaring the cats, she's never bitten one. Even my new kitten starts walking around her at times and nipping her. She never bites back, just starts whining for me to take care of the bugger.


As for taking extra precautions, I plan on making a galvanized steel window-screen to cover the bars when I'm not able to monitor the cage to avoid cats getting their paws through the bars (which would be pretty impressive without seeing as the bars are super narrow). I have a high velocity squirt bottle positioned next to the cage, and am already training the cats to avoid the cage sans the bird.

For those who do have the two together, cats and birds, what tactics have you found to be successful in keeping both safe?

[Wolf]

As stated in previous reply I have 6 cats and 3 dogs and 3 birds. The cats all weigh in at about 10 lbs. each and are all rescues from abusive situations, mostly neglect and/or starvation. The dogs are 1 old Shiz Tzu, about 14 yr. old, who was malnourished and physically and mentally abused, I almost went to jail in acquiring him. The other 2 came as a pair about 10 wks. old, were abused, I don't know the particular as I got them from Humane Society. They are now just over a year old and weigh 72 lb. and 90 lb. respectively.

Birds are 1 Senegal,(F),between 4 & 5 yr. old. She is bonded to me and fears no living animal that I am aware of, although she can be dicey about new things such as toys. She is a very aggressive little bird and if it is not me her preferred choice of action is bite first, take no prisoners and bite again. She actually flew into our yard and lives and landed on me at the beginning of a cold snap that would have killed her had I not taken her in the house with me, not that I had much choice as she didn't want to get off.

1 CAG (F), 12 yr. old, She came up from Florida to another set of people wearing nothing but her underwear, due to emotional stress. She could not accept these new people and was given to me. She is firmly bonded to me and doesn't work well with others.

1 Yellow Naped Amazon, 13 yr. old (F) We will keep her and work with her and see who she bonds with if anyone, hopefully to my lady. This one will be a long slow process as she (the bird) is totally psychotic.

Now you have an idea of all animals in household, it works sort of like this-- birds are housed in separate large cages in main living area. Dogs have fenced yard for when they are outside and the cats also have a fully enclosed outside area. All of us have pretty much free access to the house and spend a great deal of time socializing with each other, sleeping, playing, eating and/0r just hanging out.

Dogs and cats have no problems being together at any time, however , if we leave or go outside the dogs go to their yard, the birds go to their houses and cats are either in house or in their pen. There is absolutely no physical contact cross species without direct oversight and supervision by either myself or my lady. Within this framework we all have a wonderful time together, and the only ones who ever get bit by anyone are myself and my lady (by birds). This is who, what and how we do it here.

[flamingo]

hi i have 4 cats

my parrots have their own room no one interacts


Some cats are sweet but you get the odd huntress that is very capable

aftering seeing a cat take out a pheasant (adult ring neck) and even a full grown female mallard duck i will never underestimate them, some of them are so strong solid muscle


I even saw a feral cat attack a hawk while the hawk was eating a pigeon, I am studying vet tech and a cat bite to any bird is lethal thats why a bird of prey wont survive if it attacks the cat, it will get bitten and die of infection

i dont think cats are that aggressive to parrot species 1. because parrots are cunning and smart 2. because they are loud and know how to intimidate. But still ferals made the largest parrot in the world go endanger.