Cats and birds are two pets who are accustomed to home raising, but can it be together in one place? This is what we will explain to you during the journey of this article.
Cats are naturally predators while birds are naturally prey, so this can cause problems if these two types of pets need to live together.
Cats and birds coexist
The cat and the birds can get along in the house, but you will need to take some measures to ensure that the cat does not have physical access to the bird at any time.
A cat’s natural instinct can pounce, catch and “play” with the bird at any time, immediately endangering the bird’s life, but of course every cat and bird is different.
Some cats won’t care about pet birds at all, while others will make it their life’s mission to get a bird, you’ll need to evaluate your pets’ personalities and you’ll always be on the lookout if you let the bird and the cat interact.
Natural instincts of cats and birds
Cats will hunt in the wild, chase and surprise their prey, which can consist of small mammals, reptiles, fish and even birds. It is fun for a cat to jump and pick up things, and birds are no exception to this capture. Cats are birds that are fun to play or as food.
Most birds, whether in captivity or in the wild, will fly away at the slightest jolt, noise, or watch of the cat. If it feels less threatened, the bird may shriek to alert other birds of a predator.
Birds kept as pets are usually not large enough to harm a cat if they try to defend themselves but even if a large bird such as a parrot is approached by a cat, it will instinctively be frightened and will flee if possible before a fight.
How are cats dangerous to birds?
This may seem like an obvious answer but cats can hurt or kill a bird very easily, they will hurt a bird with their sharp claws or they can cause serious cuts and infection from bacteria in its mouth.
Cats can also pull on the important feathers needed for flight, balance and warmth, and cause serious psychological trauma to a bird that has been attacked or threatened, and cats can eat young birds.
Ways to help cats and birds coexist together
Despite the fact that cats like to hunt and even eat birds, there are things you can do to help these species live together peacefully within your home.
- Secure the birdcage:
If you have an exotic cat, make sure your bird has a secure cage that the cat cannot enter so you don’t have to worry about them when you’re not home.
In addition, make sure that your cat cannot knock on the bird cage, set the cage on a stand or sturdy table, or make sure that the cage is heavy enough that your cat cannot push it.
- Put them in separate rooms:
Consider placing the bird cage in a room where you can keep the cat away from, as a bird trapped by the cat can cause unnecessary stress to the birds.
- Try introducing your bird to your cat:
This is usually a very slow process and should be started simply by allowing caged birds and cats to see each other from a distance.
Eventually, you can reduce the distance between the two after making sure they are both comfortable and not stressful, and some people who have cats that show no signs of entering predator mode will get their bird out of the cage and allow the two to see each other without bars in the way.
If you feel comfortable trying this, it should be done with great caution and awareness if the bird tries to jump out of your hands or if your cat tries to pounce on the bird.
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