Cats?

[JSimko]

When we got birds, we were kind of nervous about how the cat was going to react. Now that we have had birds for at least 6 years, I no longer worry. In fact our cat has decided that all birds even those outside are family. Last summer we had new neighbors move in next door, and they brought a cat with them. One day I was sitting outside with my blue and gold and my cat. Suddenly we heard a weird screeching sound about 50 yards away and both the bird and the cat got real tense. Then the cat took off in the direction of the sound. Once I saw where she was headed, I noticed that the neighbors cat was attacking a bird. When my cat got there, she jumped on the other cat and faught just long enough to let the bird escape. After that she returned to my side. Then another time we had bees in our ceiling and had to have the house sprayed. We moved the birds out of our house and into another neighbors house. That whole day the cat looked absolutely heart broken and spent the whole day going to each spot where a cage had been and looking for our birds. Once we moved the birds back in the cat was immediately in a better mood and spent the rest of the night enjoying their company on the couch. My question to everyone is, what pets did you have before you got birds and how did they react to you getting birds? By the way we have a dog that has so much seed in her diet that the birds outside usually follow her around. Also the cat will kill other small animals outside, however she protects birds.

[Jenny]

What amazing stories! My first budgie that I got was the only pet. A little after getting my second budgie, we got an italian greyhound. He never did get along with them, and would jump straight up in the air trying to see them in their cage! At the time, though, they weren't let out of their cage. WE eventually had to give our dog away, and so when I got my conures, lovebird, and other budgie, there were no other house pets except for quite a few mice and a salamander, which didn't mind a bit! Our salamander actually enjoys it when Kirby sits on his cage, and he'll come right up and "smile" at him! My mice completely ignored Kirby even when he'd "babysit" them while I cleaned their cages. We have two cats, but they're strictly outside cats except when they come to the front door and pitifully meow, in which case we feel bad and then let them in for awhile. My brother's cat, "Fuzzy", is almost never home and will leave for months at a time and then one day decide she wants to drop in and say hi. So, she's never seen the birds. My other cat, "Chantel", surprisingly ignores Mortie and Kirby for the most part. In fact, outside she'll sit right in my lap with Mortie less than a foot away making loud sounds, moving around, and investigating her, and all she does is purr! However, she does hunt other birds and mice outside occasionally, but my theory is that she's not used to a bright green, half-plucked noisy thing coming right up to her, and doesn't realize he's a bird just like the rest of them! The other day, I took Mortie with me over to a neighbor's house, and they have two cats. I was holding one, and Mortie crawled right onto the cat's back and was just sitting there looking so happy squawking away, and all the cat did was shut her eyes and start purring! None of us could keep from laughing!

[JSimko]

My blue and gold plays with the cat all of the time. One time the cat was swatting at his tail, so he gently grabbed her tail with his beak and started to laugh. Then the cat put he nose up to Taz's face to say hello. She sniffed Taz and Taz tasted her.

[birdygirl]

Wow. My cat thinks the parakeet is food and the pionus is his friend. Weird. That is amazing that the cat actually fought abnother cat to rescue a abird.

[birdgirl]

I had dogs cats fish and pretty much every other pet before I got my Budgie they all seem to love him though and he can preen the dog and cats all he wants the Hampster really doesn't care.

[Blueiis]

We have a Border Collie and a cat with our lovebird. Every now and then, the cat gets that look in her eye and tries to pounce on the bird, but he dive bombs her, so I suppose all is fair.... We had the cat long before the bird, and the bird long before the dog. Never had any serious problems. The dog won't chase the bird inside, although she is naturally curious. Once outside, though, anything with wings is fair game.