Kittens and Bird?

Ok we have been planning on adopting two little boys. We're already set up and everything and we should be getting them in about a week or two. BUT being the careless one I am I had reviewed everything about introductions with my dog yet neglected the fact that we have a cockatiel. Now our cockatiel has his wings clipped and has certain spots up high where he likes to go so we're aware of where he'd be but is it possible to train my kittens to "befriend" our birdie?

The pasturella bacteria in a cat's saliva is deadly for small animals and birds.
Even if you could teach them to be friends, it is in the bird's best interest if the cats have no contact whatsoever with the bird.

Cats lick themselves clean,therefore they are covered in the very same proteins and bacteria contained in their saliva.

Hmm thank you very much. I'll just have to limit the birds time out of the cage and make sure the cats are out of the room while the bird is free to roam. Is there anyway to train the kittens to not try and jump to get our bird when he is up high or is that impossible?

Many years ago, before I started breeding bengals, we had a nice gray moggie named Tootie. Tootie came to our home as a little kitten rescued from a local pet shop. We already had a bird named Buulaia...Boo for short.
He was a beautiful Kakariki Parakeet and he was the apple of our eyes.
Tootie grew up around Boo and seemed indifferent to the bird and his antics...always ignoring him or just contently watching. Boo had been within paws grasp and actually within inches of the cat way too many times to count. Boo actually seemed to like Tootie and would play little games with him, which the cat mostly ignored.
We thought all was well and the predator and prey would get along for life because of the "kitten" growing up in the midst of the bird.

We were wrong.

One day, after Tootie was about 2 years old, Boo was out on the couch with us as usual...running up and down the couch chattering away. Tootie was on the floor lounging. Something startled Boo and he made an attempt to fly to the other side of the room. His wings were clipped back to keep him from flying into the windows and harming himself. Well that was his undoing, because Tootie was on him in a flash. One bite and it was over for Boo.
2 years of friendly co-existance ended in seconds.
It's been nearly 20 years and my wife and I have still not forgiven ourselves for allowing our precious bird to be killed like that. The fault was completely ours and not the cats. He was just acting instinctually.
I truly think cats and birds are a bad idea and it is the bird who will ultimately pay the price. Cats will bide their time and when the right time presents itself your bird will lose it's life.
I think if you're an animal lover that enjoys cats and birds, the best idea is to choose one or the other. Good luck to you and please don't let your new kittens have any contact with your bird.

Oh my goodness. I feel really stupid for not knowing any of this. I can't back out of getting the two new kittens now, we've already arranged for them. But my bird, I can't get rid of him because I wanted cats. I think I should just give the bird an hour or two everyday out of the cage while I keep the cats in a seperate room. If that doesn't last I'm afraid we have a better chance of my grown brother taking our bird to live with him. I hope that doesn't happen. Thanks for the help.

Just be sure that the bird continues to get his time out of his cage, but only do so after the kitties are shut securely in a room to themselves.
It is not impossible, you just have to be diligent, and never, ever let your guard down, no matter how uninterested that cats may act.

I have 6 cats and two parrots, they are able to share the same home, but the two should never be loose in the same room together, much less allowed to interact.

Thank you for the help.

I have a cat and a Senegal parrot. I also know, at any given time, which of the doors in my flat are open or closed. The parrot gets time out of his cage with me in the bedroom, with the bedroom door closed and the cat in the sitting room with the sitting room door closed. I do not let the cat into the same room as the parrot and leave them unattended at any time. The cat is locked in another room when the parrot is not caged.

You have to be very careful, and very aware of where all your creatures are. A cat is a predator, and a bird is its prey. There will always be a risk, but you can take steps to minimise that risk- ie. never let them come into contact.

I have had lots and lots of experience with cats and birds threwout my life


cats are really MUCH smarter then we think when it comes to family pets many cats learn quickly what is part of the family and what is NOT I personally think they have more self control then dogs



http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b336/animals1981/Picture105.jpg'


THIS same cat is the cat that i found starving and ate a few of my birds! (he was a stray) now he lounges with them and lays down while they peck and eat around him he has NO interest in harming them now


BUT I do agree accidents do happen and one thing is KITTENs dont usually know better then to not attack family pets so if you wanted ur cats and birds to have a good relationship wait till they are adults at least

I'd just have supervised time for each - the bird has freedom time when the kittens are locked up in another room and the bird is caged (securely) when the cats are out.

Those pics you see of birds/cats being peaceful are not "common". I always wonder just how close the pets are and imagine one day the peaceful cat WILL have bird for supper. Its instinct.

I knew a rex breeder who moved to an old farm house. Her cats were totaly indoors, no hunting experience at all. And yet they would find mice presents in the morning. The cats instinctively hunted and killed the mice during the nite.

My little rex female would stalk a fake rubber snake and she had the skills of a cat in the wild on how to approach and do a death hold on the back of the snake.