I am so confused....

embell · Oct 2, 2006

HI! My name is Emma and I am 14....
My parents promised I could get a kitten once I got straight As (they never thought it would happen). I have straight As now.
I have two dogs, three fish and one cockatiel. I live in a very old house so if we were to get a cat I couldn't hank the cage. My bird also has full range of the house most of the time, he is in his cage when he is being bad and when we can't watch him.
I love him very much and I don't want to get a kitten if it will eat him once it grows into a cat. Yet I have been wanting a kitten ever since my 17 year old cat died in my arms at 3:00 in the morning. That was in Feburary. I never thought I could get good grades but now I have some nice grades and I really want a cat but my whole family is extremely weary about it... Please help me and give me your honest opinion. A kitten or (sniff) no kitten??

asecretk · Oct 7, 2006

Well I would not advise a cat unless you have a seperate room for your bird that you could put the bird in and can keep the cat out.

I have 10 cats and I have two cockatiels but the birds never leave their cage. I know for a fact the cats would kill them. Several of the cats are always trying to get at the birds through the cage. I know the birds are safe and the cats can't get them but it is still bothersome. I wish I had a seperate room for them.

I used to have two parakeets in a cage that I had hanging from the ceiling. I had one cat at the time and while I was not home she knocked the cage down and the bottom broke. We came home to one dead bird. The other was sitting on the curtains and in shock but he recovered.

I am sure there are some cats that are very mellow and may not even give the bird a second look but they are far and few between. But you have to remember cats are natural preditors. They are not being bad it is instinct.

Maybe you could find an adult cat at a shelter that has been around birds. You never know you may get lucky. And females are hunters more than males. Not saying males don't hunt but not as much as females. At least in my experiance.

Good luck!

trouts mom · Oct 7, 2006

The cats instinct will be to chase the bird, so unless the bird stays in the cage, I don't think it would be safe for birdy

gingersmom · Oct 7, 2006

This is just my opinion and not meant to be directed at anyone in particular. Before adopting my kitties, I grew up raising birds, and had birds as pets well into my 30s, until my dear cockatiel, Alex, passed away in January 2005. He was 17 years old, and had free reign of the house until he died.

Just like it would be cruel to keep a cat locked up in a cage with no exercise all its life, I personally think it is even more cruel to keep a bird locked up in a cage for its whole life. They have wings and are meant to fly, not to have their wing muscles wither and atrophy from disuse in a cage!

I would suggest that you tuck away the idea of a kitten until you are out of school and living on your own. It probably seems like forever to you, but it really isn't that far away.

You have some wonderful pets that love you already, and while it would be nice to have a baby kitten, it might make more sense to wait a couple of years, and not have to worry about keeping your bird locked up, or worse, having it get killed by the cat.

It doesn't mean you can't ever get another cat, just that you should postpone the idea for a while...again, just my opinion.

By the way, gigantic congratulations on getting and staying straight, as well as doing better in school - that's really commendable, and I know you've worked hard to get there. Is there something else that your family could do for you that would celebrate all your hard work and positive attittude? You deserve something really nice!!!

starryeyedtiger · Oct 7, 2006

Originally Posted by GingersMom

This is just my opinion and not meant to be directed at anyone in particular. Before adopting my kitties, I grew up raising birds, and had birds as pets well into my 30s, until my dear cockatiel, Alex, passed away in January 2005. He was 17 years old, and had free reign of the house until he died.

Just like it would be cruel to keep a cat locked up in a cage with no exercise all its life, I personally think it is even more cruel to keep a bird locked up in a cage for its whole life. They have wings and are meant to fly, not to have their wing muscles wither and atrophy from disuse in a cage!

I would suggest that you tuck away the idea of a kitten until you are out of school and living on your own. It probably seems like forever to you, but it really isn't that far away.

You have some wonderful pets that love you already, and while it would be nice to have a baby kitten, it might make more sense to wait a couple of years, and not have to worry about keeping your bird locked up, or worse, having it get killed by the cat.

It doesn't mean you can't ever get another cat, just that you should postpone the idea for a while...again, just my opinion.

By the way, gigantic congratulations on getting and staying straight, as well as doing better in school - that's really commendable, and I know you've worked hard to get there. Is there something else that your family could do for you that would celebrate all your hard work and positive attittude? You deserve something really nice!!!

I couldn't agree with you more

epona · Oct 8, 2006

I agree - my parrot lives in the main bedroom and the cat is only allowed in there when Jasper is caged and we are around to watch (and retrieve cat from top of cage). He is fascinated by the bird and would not hesitate to lunch on him given the chance. It can be done, but only by restricting the animals movements to certain areas of the house, and if your bird is used to having the run of the house, this would not be fair.

Oh and I forgot to say - congratulations and well done for doing so well at school

I am so confused....

embell

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asecretk

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trouts mom

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gingersmom

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starryeyedtiger

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epona

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