Will cat eat small bird?

[momoftwins]

My DD10 and DS10 are begging to get a cat. She has been looking at cats on the internet. We have a parakeet (very small little bird) and are concerned the cat will eat the bird. If you have/had a bird and cat,has this happened to you before?

My DH and I want one too.

 

[Stitchfans]

unless you hang the bird from the ceiling. even so, our cats tried to jump up to the cage. one actually made it and was clinging onto the cage and scared the two poor parakeets to death.

(not to mention how noisey and messy they can be)

 

[Saffron]

Not if you keep the bird caged while the cat is around. And some people even have cats and birds running/flying around together, and they remain friends, but I would never try it.

I've had parakeets for the last 10 years and cats a lot longer than that. Sometimes the cat will jump up to the chest of drawers the birds' cage is on, and he will sit there and watch the birds, and that freaks the birds out, so they start screaming at him, but he has never tried to bat at them or get into the cage etc. He just likes to watch them. And they hate it, so the cat loses, he has to leave the room if he won't get down.

On a sad note. When I had 4 parakeets, I used to keep their cages hanging in the living room. I guess after cleaning the cages one day I didn't put the bottom of one of the cages on tight enough or something went horribly wrong with the cage, I'll never know. While I was in the room, the bottom of the cage fell off. By the time I turned in the direction of the cage to see what made the noise (I had cleaned the cages in the morning, this was the evening) one of the parakeets flew out of the cage. Which prompted the cat to bat at the bird while it flew past him. And the parakeet did not survive. It was a horrible moment for all of us, just absolutely horrible, and it all happened within a matter seconds, maybe 3 - 5 seconds, from beginning to very tragic end.

 

[M 'n C]

honestly i wouldn't chance it. My parents have an outdoor cat that enjoys "hunting" and will leave them half eaten presents including birds. She is very well fed. I think its just in their nature to hunt their prey. I don't know what kind of cage you have but I would think that it would have to be very small holes to keep kitty's paws out of the cage. You would be amazed where a cat can fit themselves.

 

[poochie]

I tool had a parakeet and a cat. One day while we were at my DH grandmothers funeral some horrible happened. We too had the cage hanging up high. We walked in the door and the cage was on the floor seeds and feathers everywhere. My poor dog was cowering and shaking in the corner. My DH said the bird more than likely got away as we left the window open slightly in the livingroom.

But no when I went down stairs my cat was sitting there amongst the feather and what was left of poor tweety. My big german shephard mix was quite tramatized by the whole thing. Remember cats are born hunters and it can come out when least expected. I now know no rodents or birds as long as we have cats. Too much temptation.

 

[Tim Gunn]

I would never chance it. I've seen too many pet birds killed by cats even when the owner thought the cage was somewhere the cat could never get to

 

[MushyMushy]

Our cat ignores our cockatiel, but we N E V E R take the bird out of the cage if the cat is loose.

 

[JESW]

It really depends on the cat and the bird but it is best not to chance it.

We have 3 cockatiels, 9 parakeets and a hamster in our small bedroom. I let the cockatiels out every day and the parakeets some days - so that is 11 (since one of the 'tiels is sick and can't fly) out in one small room. Every once in a while one of our cats will get in the room. Our 18yo is afraid of the birds and stays away - the other two are 15 months old and much more interested, especially one of them.

One day when just the 'tiels were out we found Koko sprawled across the 'tiles cage and just inches from the paraketts cage just watching... The birds just went about their business ignoring her. Another time she was stuck in the room for over 6 hours with ALL the birds out and we didn't lose one - but the cat ran out pretty fast when we opened the door!

Despite our luck without losing a bird, I still don't trust the cats with them and don't knowlingly leave them alone together. The hamster is another story...the birds don't mind him (he is in his cage 99% of the time) but the cats are waaaaaaaay too interested in him when he runs on his wheel - and two of the cats have caught mice from the basement. So they are NEVER in there when Chip is out..

Jill

 

[The Mystery Machine]

To quote the famous Tweety Bird of Looney Toon fame...

Bad ole' Puddy Tat

My dogs I have now would eat them too ....Butters has already caught himself a bird out back.
When we whisper in the house they think birds are out back and go bananas...

 

[Melissamoo]

I completely agree with JESW. It does depend on the cat/bird. We have 3 cats and 2 parrots. The birds are always left out (we've had one bird for 4 years, the cats range from 2 yrs to 8 yrs), unless we are gone. The cats are actually afraid of the birds, and stay away from them.

 

[Charade]

Cats LOVE birds.


They taste like chicken!!

 

[jedi_librarian]

Cats + Birdies =

birdee

 

[dementia412]

I have a bird and three cats. Two of my cats (both females with claws, one hunts mice and birds outside) love to stare at that cage, and try to get to it... there is no way they can get up there, but they do try. The other cat (male and front declawed) couldn't care less so long as the cage is up, but when I take it down for a cleaning, ect... he goes as nutty as the other two... I could not clean the cage and defend Jackie Bird alone! Indoor cats bought when they are kittens tend to get along with birds better, but mine were wild cats taken in by a shelter.

 

[maryssasmom]

we have 2 cats and a labrador - they look at the bird and that is it. the bird thinks he is tough and has been fine. the bird has been around since 99 and all is good.