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Vis_Vitalis
Flutterer
Joined: 02 Sep 2005
Posts: 164
Location: Greece |
| cat and bird symbiosis |
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Hello...
My fiance really wishes to adopt a blue indian ringneck, unwanted by its owner.
The problem is, he also has a pair of cats at home (a deaf, castrated male and a female)
Is there any advice to make them co-exist ??
How can I make absolutely sure the ringneck is safe in its cage? |
Friday February 23, 2007 12:58 pm |
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Sue
Joined: 13 Jan 2005
Posts: 10102
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Ehm I don't know about this.. Cats could jump onto the cage when the ringneck is hanging from the bars.. But I don't know how likely the chances will be? |
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Saturday February 24, 2007 12:21 am |
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shirin
Moderator
Joined: 27 Apr 2005
Posts: 7405
Location: Canada, Toronto |
I don't have any experience in this, and I know there are people whose cats and birds live in harmony together that will be able to give you advice. But please please be careful, and take it slow. Birds are very prone to heart attacks, so I wouldn't allow the cats to be able to jump on the cage, unless the bird has gotten used to them. You also have to make sure that you are able to give the bird out of cage time. If it's going to be a case where he'll have to stay in the cage all the time because of the cats, then I wouldn't adopt him. |
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Saturday February 24, 2007 12:47 am |
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Papug
Experienced flier
Joined: 16 May 2005
Posts: 1293
Location: Canada |
quote:
Originally posted by shirin
Birds are very prone to heart attacks
I didn't know that Shirin. Very interesting... Why are they prone to heart attacks? |
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Saturday February 24, 2007 2:29 am |
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shirin
Moderator
Joined: 27 Apr 2005
Posts: 7405
Location: Canada, Toronto |
It's because they have a faster heart rate and higher blood pressure than mammals. |
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Saturday February 24, 2007 2:37 am |
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NakedDogMom
Fledgeling
Joined: 09 Apr 2006
Posts: 312
Location: Ohio |
We have four cats (all indoors only), four dogs (again, all indoors), and two parrots (Sennie and G2).
Everyone gets along. It's the birds that I worry about and have to correct. Sera (Cockatoo) will go after the dogs or cats. I have to go get her so she won't pull on a tail or bite at a nose. The cats wouldn't dream of jumping onto their cages as they are terrified of them.
Now, maybe if we had a budgie or a finch (something much smaller) then I might not be so certain about this. But the Goffin's and Sennie are pretty much the bosses of everyone! |
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Saturday February 24, 2007 3:01 am |
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Papug
Experienced flier
Joined: 16 May 2005
Posts: 1293
Location: Canada |
quote:
Originally posted by shirin
It's because they have a faster heart rate and higher blood pressure than mammals.
I don't mean to bug you Shirin, but is there actually any reference in the literature saying that they have heart attacks because of that? What is the mechanism behind the birdy heart attack? Atherosclerosis?
I'm sure you have access to a lot of literature on all these fascinating topics because of your interests and the ornitology courses you're taking. Please share... this is really interesting  |
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Saturday February 24, 2007 4:05 am |
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shirin
Moderator
Joined: 27 Apr 2005
Posts: 7405
Location: Canada, Toronto |
 My professor told us that, without too much detail. We were doing the circulatory system, and she said that birds blood pressures are much higher than us, and therefore they're prone to heart attacks. In fact she said, humming birds in particular, who have extremely fast heart rates are very vulnerable, and that when we go in the field for banding (we're doing that when weather gets warm), that if we catch a hummingbird, we should release it really quickly. I do have the information in my text book in detail  I will read it this weekend and let you know
By the way if you're interested, the textbooks we use are Ornithology by Frank B. Gill, and Cornell Lab of Ornithology Handbook of Bird Biology. |
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Saturday February 24, 2007 4:19 am |
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Papug
Experienced flier
Joined: 16 May 2005
Posts: 1293
Location: Canada |
quote:
Originally posted by shirin
I do have the information in my text book in detail I will read it this weekend and let you know
Great! Looking forward to hear from you |
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Saturday February 24, 2007 4:30 am |
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shirin
Moderator
Joined: 27 Apr 2005
Posts: 7405
Location: Canada, Toronto |
I feel like I have an exam  |
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Saturday February 24, 2007 4:32 am |
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Papug
Experienced flier
Joined: 16 May 2005
Posts: 1293
Location: Canada |
quote:
Originally posted by shirin
I feel like I have an exam
Then you better study hard young lady!  |
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Saturday February 24, 2007 4:35 am |
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Vis_Vitalis
Flutterer
Joined: 02 Sep 2005
Posts: 164
Location: Greece |
Thanks for the info!
I'm not an ornithologist myself but on what concerns blood pressure, I suppose it's a matter of analogy, meaning that the heart rate of birds are much highter to that of mammals, in proportion to the size of their body ??
I don't think we'll adopt the ring neck. He won't be able to let him out with the cats around all the time. But I have two aviaries in mind that can accept the bird, so if the guy finds nobody to give him, he'll be okay anyway (and much better than in a cage, with two cats around). |
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Sunday February 25, 2007 9:10 am |
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Cheeta
Moderator
Joined: 06 Apr 2005
Posts: 7972
Location: Australia |
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are the two cats indoor cats? I used to have two indoor cats before I decided that they would be much happier running outdoor during day time (they come in during the night). And are they hunters? I have three cats and I have five indoor budgies (plus two others in another room under quarantine before they go into the aviary). I used to worry about the budgies with the indoor cats. but I think it took them time to get used to the idea that they aren't allow to touch those birds by all the yelling and telling off I did when I first got my first two budgies like two and a half year ago. I used to keep them in a seperate room and the room door was shut all the time when no one's home.. but now I don't close the doors anymore on hot days..(except for the 'quarantine room'. that door is always closed). I sometimes, actually alot of time find my cat Cheeta sleeping on top of the cages.... it's a very sturdy cage so it can withhold the cat's weight. she sometimes will sit there watching the bird play, but she never ever lift her paws up to try to catch the bird inside.
In fact I have had the birds out in my bedroom at the same time as the cats. but that's only when I'm there as well. when I'm not there and the birds are out to fly and the cats are indoor, I shut the door to the 'bird room'. they roam around then.
Apollo... well that's another thing.. all my cats ar afraid of his big beak. they will run away from him if Apollo ever gets on the floor. Apollo will chase after them. it's not a good thing if apollo gets to any of the cats. Apollo has pinched all three of my cats tails.. not very nice for the cats, but I guess they learn who's boss around the house!! LOL. I think you'll be surprise at how well the cats understand what's off limit. My cats used to stalk my quails when i first got them, but now they know that it's off limit. but I think theystill find it fun to just watch them run around in their cages/aviary floor. |
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Sunday February 25, 2007 2:23 pm |
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Vis_Vitalis
Flutterer
Joined: 02 Sep 2005
Posts: 164
Location: Greece |
They are both indoors cats. I'm not sure about the rest since they are not mind (and I don't know much about cats anyway). |
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Monday February 26, 2007 4:16 pm |
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meg832
Fledgeling
Joined: 16 Jun 2006
Posts: 365
Location: Ohio |
I have three cats and a parrotlet. One cat was a street cat and an excellent mouser; I don't know if the others were outside before I rescued them. I have had no trouble with the cats concerning the bird. In fact, when the bird falls off her play stand (jumps?), one of the cats has made it his job to stand guard over her until I come and pick her up. The bird adores the cats. When I come home, the cats are always asleep near her cage as if they are keeping her company, so I know they enjoy her, too. I introduced them calmly: no face-to-face, just mater of fact, keeping the cats at a distance until the novelty of a bird indoors wore off. I kept her alone in the bathroom at night and while I was gone at first. One strict rule I have with all my pets is that whenever one pet gets attention, they all get attention. One pat for this cat, then the other cats get a pat and the bird gets a touch or an acknowledgement. They all understand that they will get attention, so there is no jealously. |
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Tuesday April 10, 2007 7:29 pm |
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