Birds of a Feather?

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Q: Dr. G., I have a small cat and my boyfriend has a 5-year-old cockatiel. We’re planning on moving in together. The bird is larger than my cat but is there any danger of them being together if the bird is out of his cage? Any tips for a happy interspecies family?

A:The cockatiel is bigger than the cat?! Yikes! In the game of life, the rules state that boys will be boys…and cats will be cats.

Sure, there are examples and “techniques” that profess to teach everyone to get along. But the simple fact is that cats have a little voice in the back of their minds telling them that birds are dinner (or toys). Sure, they may not act on it. They may actually seem to like each other. But you can never be absolutely certain that one day that little voice won’t convince the cat that his feathered friend is literally his meal ticket. On the flip side, some of the larger birds can really do damage to cats with their claws and beaks.

Now, does that mean cats and birds can’t live in the same house. Of course, not. Plenty of households do it. But it does mean there needs to be separate rooms for cat and bird, and never, ever, ever leave them alone and unattended together in the same room. Even a cage suspended from the ceiling will not deter the cat on a mission. If the cat and bird are very docile, short, supervised introductions with the cat in a harness and the bird in the cage might be possible. Use extreme care though, as the slightest spook can send fur and feathers flying. The number one rule is: safety first. You don’t want to come home one day to find that Sylvester and Tweetie have duked it out in the living room.

Editor’s note: I wonder if the questioner has a cockatiel or the much larger and more dangerous cockatoo. A full-sized cockatoo is well matched to defend itself against a cat. There have been instances of cat and birds being friends but I would not let them interact unsupervised.

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