Health Hazards-Many animal lovers
have fur babies as well as birds for companions. Fur babies are soft, warm and
affectionate, snuggling up on our laps or against our feet on a cold Winter's day.
Unfortunately, both cats and dogs carry bacteria in their saliva that can be lethal to our birds. One of the many bacteria that is carried in the saliva
of cats is called Pasteurella. Although Pasteurella is harmless to cats, dogs and humans, it's
lethal for birds. Birds can die within 24 hours
after being bitten by a cat because
the bacteria multiplies rapidly, spreading throughout a bird's entire
system. Birds that are attacked by cats need to be tested for pasteurella and treated with the appropriate antibiotics
that same day or they will die. Sometimes there are no visible wounds on a
bird after being attacked or pawed by a cat or dog. The bird may have tiny puncture wounds and
scratches on the body, caused by sharp teeth or claws, that are hidden by
feathers, as well as broken bones. Birds should also be taken to an avian vet if they are touched by a cat's or dog's paws or if they come in contact with
their food, toys or litter box, which also harbor harmful bacteria. (Note: Wash your hands with
soap
or use a hand sanitizer after handling cats, dogs or another species of animal to prevent
you from transferring harmful bacteria
to your bird.)
Cats-- Don't Believe Television- A bird should
never be allowed out of its cage when a cat is roaming inside of the house. Cats
are known for their stealth and ability to hunt and kill small animals,
especially birds. Cats are predators by nature and this behavior is
instinctive. All cats, even those that have been de-clawed, can hurt and kill
birds by pouncing on them, pinning them down
and crushing them to death with their razor sharp teeth in a matter of seconds.
Think about some of the behaviors you have observed in cats. Has your cat ever
left a dead bird or other small animal outside of the door to
your home? If your cat goes outdoors and you haven't been presented with the
ultimate "gift", it's just a matter of time before your cat learns
how to hunt. Another example of a cat's predatory nature can
be seen indoors. When we play with a cat, we dangle and wiggle toys that
are attached to strings. Then we sit back and enjoy watching the cat chase,
pounce and attack the toy. The cat really isn't playing. He's stalking something
that he thinks is potential prey. It's not amusing or entertaining to see a
cat pounce, beat and torture a chipmunk to death in the grass outside and it
will be a tragedy if the next victim of a hunt happens to be your
cherished cockatiel or budgie.
Man's
Best Friend-, has some behaviors that can hurt or kill birds as well.
Birds are not safe around some types of hunting dogs, like the Siberian
Husky or Irish Setter. These 3 species in particular are known for having
killed squirrels, outdoor cats and pet birds. Other dogs that are family pets enjoying chewing on objects like stuffed animals, tennis balls and rubber
bones. Dogs also like chasing things that move in the air like wooden sticks or Frisbees, then jumping up into the air to
catch the objects with their
teeth. A flying bird
can be snatched by a jumping dog's open mouth in a heartbeat, resulting in a bird
being crushed to death by a dog's very powerful jaw and sharp teeth. Sometimes friendly, enthusiastic dogs
like to jump up and stand against bird
cages as a form of greeting or to get a better view out of curiosity. Because
of their massive body weight, a bird's cage can be knocked down and the bird may
escape then if the dog pounces or hits the bird with a paw, a bird's fragile,
hollow bones may break. Dogs that are running or playing in the same room can
accidentally knock down the cage too. To prevent your
bird's cage from falling over, avoid rough play that may excite
your dog and don't allow dogs to run
around in the same room
that the cage is in. The best way to prevent an accident is to never allow
your bird out of the cage when a dog is in the room.
If You Have a Cat or Dog,
and they get close enough to paw at or
pounce on your bird's cage, they can literally scare your bird to death. Birds can
and do get
heart attacks as well as strokes from a sudden, severe fright and from sudden excessive
stress. It's impossible to hide a birdcage from a cat or dog because birds are
loud, vocal animals. They also leave their
scent around the house by shedding feathers and feather dust.
This scent can be traced by both cats and dogs due to their keen sense of
smell. There are some
common sense measures that you can take to protect your bird and to help prevent
accidents and sudden frights. Purchase a strong, heavy cage that is on a
sturdy stand, and place the cage away from tables and chairs so cats and dogs can not get higher
or closer to
your bird. Both cats and dogs can knock over cages, causing the bird to
panic, fluttering around in the cage, possibly breaking
blood feathers and fragile bones in the wings.
Sometimes the cage door opens during a cage fall, creating other
dangerous situations. Birds may be caught by the family pet who knocked
the cage open or the bird may escape if a window or door in the home is open. Keep
the birdcage door locked at all times with a child proof safety lock. (Please don't use twist ties because they contain zinc, a
toxic heavy metal). Your bird's safety is compromised even further if you have small
children. Children may let the birds out of the cage when it's not safe to do
so. The use of a safety locks on cage doors will help but teach your children
why it's not always safe for birds to be out of the cage. Also, make it a house
rule that all family members ask you first if it's safe to take the bird out of
the cage. When you go out of the house for a few hours or more, don't ever leave
your cat or dog in the house with wandering privileges. Keep them in separate
rooms with the doors to the rooms securely
closed, using a hook and eye type closure. Cats and dogs can easily push open a
door that is not closed properly. If you have cats, don't get you bird's wings clipped. Your bird needs to be
able to take flight if he is frightened or attacked by a cat.
Frightening the Bird
How could the adorable little fur baby's in this picture hurt or frighten your
bird? Easy. Your cat or dog doesn't have to physically touch the bird in order
to harm him. A dog or cat that is constantly staring at a bird or a dog that is
constantly barking or running around in the same room as your bird's cage will frighten your bird as well.
Birds that are always
frightened are under a great deal of stress and they are more prone to
getting sick and developing behavioral problems such as screaming, biting and
feather plucking. Many birds enjoy watching a cat or dog from a
distance but they will be frightened if the animal gets too close to their cage.
Birds may even talk or sing to a cat or dog. A cockatiel can learn to mimic the bark like a dog or the
psst, psst, psst sound
that you make
to call a cat and they can performance can be highly proficient. Cockatiels can mimic the sounds so well
that the family cat
or dog will actually respond to their call. Birds will also entice dogs by
tossing food out of the cage for the dog to eat. Then when the dog jumps up to
the cage for more food, the bird gets a severe fright. Pets wandering around the house at night can wake and startle
your bird, causing your bird to have a "night frights". During a night fright, a bird panics and starts flapping
wings in an attempt to escape danger by flying out of the cage. Birds often breaking multiple blood feathers and
fragile wing bones during a night fright. As much as many of us love our cats and
dogs, having them around can make some birds feel frightened, stressed, threatened and insecure.
Protect Your Bird
from being seriously
injured, disabled for life or
killed by a cat or dog. No matter how old, friendly or uninterested they are in
your birds, cats kill birds and so do dogs. Believe that the worst can happen
to your bird too and that your cat or dog, as much as you adore them, can kill
your bird if conditions are right. Teach your children about the hazards of sharing a home with a cat,
dog and a bird. Children
should learn to love and respect all animals and they should not punish or be
angry with one animal for behavior that is instinctive. If a cat or dog kills a bird it's not
the animal's fault. From my experience with bird owners over the past several
years, in every single case, the accidental death of a much loved bird was the
fault of a devoted, devastated and guilt ridden bird owner. They either didn't heed the warnings about
not allowing birds to interact with cats and dogs or they simply forgot to
close the cage door or they forget that the bird was out of the cage. The only way to protect
our birds from getting hurt by cats and dogs is to keep them away
from our birds away from them. The golden rule for people who own cats or
dogs and birds should be this. "When in doubt, don't let the bird out
because it's always better to be safe than sorry."
Ferrets,
Other Fur Babies and Birds: Ferrets have become very popular as pets.
Although the little guy in the picture looks harmless, don't let his appearance
fool you. Ferrets are meat eating predators that hunt,
chase that kill birds, reptiles like lizards and snakes, rabbits, hamsters and
other rodents. Even though ferrets have been domesticated, the fast movements
of these small animals may trigger the the predatory instinct in ferrets,
causing them to hunt and kill birds and other small animals. Ferrets are attracted to
both the sounds and movements of birds, even if the birds are inside of
their a cages. These fur babies are also excellent escape artists and masters of getting into bird cages
that they can reach. Since ferrets are also nocturnal, your bird is more
vulnerable to being attacked because you are not awake to supervise pets.
If you do have ferrets and birds, they should be housed in
separate rooms where they can not see each other and they should NEVER be
allowed to interact with each other, even with supervision. If you are considering adding a ferret to
your home zoo, resist the temptation and don't do it. Keeping your bird in the same room as hamsters,
is also strongly discouraged. Hamsters are nocturnal animals, (active at night
and sleeping during the day) and although they certainly will not attack
or harm your bird, their movement and sounds at night will startle and frighten
cockatiels, causing night frights. Avoid keeping other rodents in the same room
as your bird because they can carry harmful bacteria as well.
Special thanks to Denise, Lisa, Joy and JoAnn for sharing their fur babies with
us!
Health Hazards-Many animal lovers
have fur babies as well as birds for companions. Fur babies are soft, warm and
affectionate, snuggling up on our laps or against our feet on a cold Winter's day.
Unfortunately, both cats and dogs carry bacteria in their saliva that can be lethal to our birds. One of the many bacteria that is carried in the saliva
of cats is called Pasteurella. Although Pasteurella is harmless to cats, dogs and humans, it's
lethal for birds. Birds can die within 24 hours
after being bitten by a cat because
the bacteria multiplies rapidly, spreading throughout a bird's entire
system. Birds that are attacked by cats need to be tested for pasteurella and treated with the appropriate antibiotics
that same day or they will die. Sometimes there are no visible wounds on a
bird after being attacked or pawed by a cat or dog. The bird may have tiny puncture wounds and
scratches on the body, caused by sharp teeth or claws, that are hidden by
feathers, as well as broken bones. Birds should also be taken to an avian vet if they are touched by a cat's or dog's paws or if they come in contact with
their food, toys or litter box, which also harbor harmful bacteria. (Note: Wash your hands with
soap
or use a hand sanitizer after handling cats, dogs or another species of animal to prevent
you from transferring harmful bacteria
to your bird.)
Cats-- Don't Believe Television- A bird should
never be allowed out of its cage when a cat is roaming inside of the house. Cats
are known for their stealth and ability to hunt and kill small animals,
especially birds. Cats are predators by nature and this behavior is
instinctive. All cats, even those that have been de-clawed, can hurt and kill
birds by pouncing on them, pinning them down
and crushing them to death with their razor sharp teeth in a matter of seconds.
Think about some of the behaviors you have observed in cats. Has your cat ever
left a dead bird or other small animal outside of the door to
your home? If your cat goes outdoors and you haven't been presented with the
ultimate "gift", it's just a matter of time before your cat learns
how to hunt. Another example of a cat's predatory nature can
be seen indoors. When we play with a cat, we dangle and wiggle toys that
are attached to strings. Then we sit back and enjoy watching the cat chase,
pounce and attack the toy. The cat really isn't playing. He's stalking something
that he thinks is potential prey. It's not amusing or entertaining to see a
cat pounce, beat and torture a chipmunk to death in the grass outside and it
will be a tragedy if the next victim of a hunt happens to be your
cherished cockatiel or budgie. 
Man's
Best Friend-, has some behaviors that can hurt or kill birds as well.
Birds are not safe around some types of hunting dogs, like the Siberian
Husky or Irish Setter. These 3 species in particular are known for having
killed squirrels, outdoor cats and pet birds. Other dogs that are family pets enjoying chewing on objects like stuffed animals, tennis balls and rubber
bones. Dogs also like chasing things that move in the air like wooden sticks or Frisbees, then jumping up into the air to
catch the objects with their
teeth. A flying bird
can be snatched by a jumping dog's open mouth in a heartbeat, resulting in a bird
being crushed to death by a dog's very powerful jaw and sharp teeth. Sometimes friendly, enthusiastic dogs
like to jump up and stand against bird
cages as a form of greeting or to get a better view out of curiosity. Because
of their massive body weight, a bird's cage can be knocked down and the bird may
escape then if the dog pounces or hits the bird with a paw, a bird's fragile,
hollow bones may break. Dogs that are running or playing in the same room can
accidentally knock down the cage too. To prevent your
bird's cage from falling over, avoid rough play that may excite
your dog and don't allow dogs to run
around in the same room
that the cage is in. The best way to prevent an accident is to never allow
your bird out of the cage when a dog is in the room. 
If You Have a Cat or Dog,
and they get close enough to paw at or
pounce on your bird's cage, they can literally scare your bird to death. Birds can
and do get
heart attacks as well as strokes from a sudden, severe fright and from sudden excessive
stress. It's impossible to hide a birdcage from a cat or dog because birds are
loud, vocal animals. They also leave their
scent around the house by shedding feathers and feather dust.
This scent can be traced by both cats and dogs due to their keen sense of
smell. There are some
common sense measures that you can take to protect your bird and to help prevent
accidents and sudden frights. Purchase a strong, heavy cage that is on a
sturdy stand, and place the cage away from tables and chairs so cats and dogs can not get higher
or closer to
your bird. Both cats and dogs can knock over cages, causing the bird to
panic, fluttering around in the cage, possibly breaking
blood feathers and fragile bones in the wings.
Sometimes the cage door opens during a cage fall, creating other
dangerous situations. Birds may be caught by the family pet who knocked
the cage open or the bird may escape if a window or door in the home is open. Keep
the birdcage door locked at all times with a child proof safety lock. (Please don't use twist ties because they contain zinc, a
toxic heavy metal). Your bird's safety is compromised even further if you have small
children. Children may let the birds out of the cage when it's not safe to do
so. The use of a safety locks on cage doors will help but teach your children
why it's not always safe for birds to be out of the cage. Also, make it a house
rule that all family members ask you first if it's safe to take the bird out of
the cage. When you go out of the house for a few hours or more, don't ever leave
your cat or dog in the house with wandering privileges. Keep them in separate
rooms with the doors to the rooms securely
closed, using a hook and eye type closure. Cats and dogs can easily push open a
door that is not closed properly. If you have cats, don't get you bird's wings clipped. Your bird needs to be
able to take flight if he is frightened or attacked by a cat.
Frightening the Bird
How could the adorable little fur baby's in this picture hurt or frighten your
bird? Easy. Your cat or dog doesn't have to physically touch the bird in order
to harm him. A dog or cat that is constantly staring at a bird or a dog that is
constantly barking or running around in the same room as your bird's cage will frighten your bird as well.
Birds that are always
frightened are under a great deal of stress and they are more prone to
getting sick and developing behavioral problems such as screaming, biting and
feather plucking. Many birds enjoy watching a cat or dog from a
distance but they will be frightened if the animal gets too close to their cage.
Birds may even talk or sing to a cat or dog. A cockatiel can learn to mimic the bark like a dog or the
psst, psst, psst sound
that you make
to call a cat and they can performance can be highly proficient. Cockatiels can mimic the sounds so well
that the family cat
or dog will actually respond to their call. Birds will also entice dogs by
tossing food out of the cage for the dog to eat. Then when the dog jumps up to
the cage for more food, the bird gets a severe fright. Pets wandering around the house at night can wake and startle
your bird, causing your bird to have a "night frights". During a night fright, a bird panics and starts flapping
wings in an attempt to escape danger by flying out of the cage. Birds often breaking multiple blood feathers and
fragile wing bones during a night fright. As much as many of us love our cats and
dogs, having them around can make some birds feel frightened, stressed, threatened and insecure. 
Protect Your Bird
from being seriously
injured, disabled for life or
killed by a cat or dog. No matter how old, friendly or uninterested they are in
your birds, cats kill birds and so do dogs. Believe that the worst can happen
to your bird too and that your cat or dog, as much as you adore them, can kill
your bird if conditions are right. Teach your children about the hazards of sharing a home with a cat,
dog and a bird. Children
should learn to love and respect all animals and they should not punish or be
angry with one animal for behavior that is instinctive. If a cat or dog kills a bird it's not
the animal's fault. From my experience with bird owners over the past several
years, in every single case, the accidental death of a much loved bird was the
fault of a devoted, devastated and guilt ridden bird owner. They either didn't heed the warnings about
not allowing birds to interact with cats and dogs or they simply forgot to
close the cage door or they forget that the bird was out of the cage. The only way to protect
our birds from getting hurt by cats and dogs is to keep them away
from our birds away from them. The golden rule for people who own cats or
dogs and birds should be this. "When in doubt, don't let the bird out
because it's always better to be safe than sorry."
Ferrets,
Other Fur Babies and Birds: Ferrets have become very popular as pets.
Although the little guy in the picture looks harmless, don't let his appearance
fool you. Ferrets are meat eating predators that hunt,
chase that kill birds, reptiles like lizards and snakes, rabbits, hamsters and
other rodents. Even though ferrets have been domesticated, the fast movements
of these small animals may trigger the the predatory instinct in ferrets,
causing them to hunt and kill birds and other small animals. Ferrets are attracted to
both the sounds and movements of birds, even if the birds are inside of
their a cages. These fur babies are also excellent escape artists and masters of getting into bird cages
that they can reach. Since ferrets are also nocturnal, your bird is more
vulnerable to being attacked because you are not awake to supervise pets.
If you do have ferrets and birds, they should be housed in
separate rooms where they can not see each other and they should NEVER be
allowed to interact with each other, even with supervision. If you are considering adding a ferret to
your home zoo, resist the temptation and don't do it. Keeping your bird in the same room as hamsters,
is also strongly discouraged. Hamsters are nocturnal animals, (active at night
and sleeping during the day) and although they certainly will not attack
or harm your bird, their movement and sounds at night will startle and frighten
cockatiels, causing night frights. Avoid keeping other rodents in the same room
as your bird because they can carry harmful bacteria as well.
