[Charlotte__]

We've just got a new cage for my cockatiel and it's to big for my bedroom so it's going to have to go in the living room, it's legs are only about 30cm off the ground but they can't get on to the top of the cage, I was just wondering if they could scare my bird to much or will she get used to them? (The cats are never in the living room when we aren't)

 

[KTyne]

All I would be worried about would be the cats reaching through the bars to get to the birds. If they can fit their paws through I'd make some type of guard to go around the bottom of the cage, and make sure they can't somehow knock the cage over.
Just watch your bird and see if they get stressed with the cats around, if the cats are paying too much attention to the birds spray them with water and they should get the hint to ignore the birds.

 

[lperry82]

I would try and keep you cat away, some members have lost their birds to cats recently

 

[Set]

It really depends on the cat. I have two cats currently, both who grew up with birds. One has knocked a cage over trying to get to them before, the other one has little interest in them at all.

If the cage is unstable at all or easily knocked over, I'd be quite worried about the cats knocking it over. And as KTyne said, be sure the cats can't reach their paws in. Even if they can't get their paws in, feathers do sometimes stick out. And cats are QUICK. Both my budgies lost their tail feathers through the cage bars to my evil little Twitch when I was right there; just a squawk and a cat running away with feathers in his mouth. Obviously he's no longer allowed near the birds.

 

[Mentha]

A cat on top of your cage can cause all sorts of frights. My cat like so sit on top of my dove cage. I put some fabric on the top so she can't see them and they can't see her. She finally lost interest when she realized she couldn't see down on them. I also have a spray bottle handy whenever she looks at a bird funny. I would not trust a cat with any bird they are natural hunters and have no loyalty toward their owner besides the feed me now response. My cat has tried to catch my African Gray and has been known to catch baby rabbits, so I know she's capable of killing a cockatiel very easily.

 

[AMSD]

We had the tiels for about a year and a half before our kitten arrived and it was a horrible transition that caused me to regret adopting her in the first place Alaska is a very active and quite aggressive kitten who has zero contact with the tiels as I could never ever trust her. We bought a bigger and very sturdy cage much higher from the ground but she is never alone in the same room as the birds.
The birds now have their own room (we had a door installed in our front sunroom) and the birds have their out cage time in there and they sleep in there.
The kitten was jumping almost two metres from the ground to get on top on their cage at night while covered and they were having night frights because of her
Cats are just too fast. We have the spray bottle on hand at all times!
She is 10 months old now and is slowly settling down but I will never trust her.
30cm is really close to floor and I would be looking at a way to put a safety barrier around the bottom of the cage and never leave them alone in the same room because as discussed, the cage does not mean they are completely safe.
Be on guard at all times as it is just not worth the risk. It only takes one little swipe of a cats nail to lose your precious bird.
I wish you good luck in finding the methods that work best for you and your household
It's hard to be an animal lover but keep animals who can't all love each other.

 

[NardiB]

i have seen cats on youtube eating tiels its not safe . i wouldnt do it ...

 

[morla]

Cats can be dangerous!

 

[KateBascombe]

Booby trap your cage! I had three cats when I first got my tiel, and I hung up fabric around the bottom part of her cage (loosely) when the cats would try to jump and climb the fabric they'd land on their tooshies when the fabric pulled loose. Within 2 weeks they had figured out that trying to climb up to the bird got them nothing but embarrassed and they quit trying. I still wouldn't let the cats in the room when she was out of her cage. But otherwise there was never a problem, in fact Robbie really liked one of my cats and would flock call if she could hear him meowing elsewhere in the house.

 

[lperry82]

i have seen cats on youtube eating tiels its not safe . i wouldnt do it ...

what i think they should be banned

 

[Moya]

My cat has tried to catch my African Gray and has been known to catch baby rabbits, so I know she's capable of killing a cockatiel very easily.

Sort of off topic, but does the African Grey get along with the cockatiels or do you spend out of cage time with them separately?

 

[Mentha]

The African Gray is out of her cage all day, the adult cockatiels are outside in an aviary, babies in a brooder. Last year my gray decided to fling babies, she cannot be trusted around cockatiels. I don't allow the babies out in the house because of the cat. I do take them out in the aviary to learn how to be birds though.