Always vet after cat contact!

You can imagine how mortified I am that this happened. All is well now but I am posting it in case it might be helpful for someone in the future.

I have four cats of my own that are 100% fine with the bird. I don't let them play together, obviously, but I have no worries that my cats are going to leap at my bird or swipe at her. In fact, due to a defect in her old cage, she got out and spent the whole day out while I was at work (well, I don't know what time she got out). Imagine my shock when I got home to find her sleeping on the cat tower!

Anyway, a couple weeks ago I took in a foster cat until he could be neutered and assessed. He spends the day in his room (spare bedroom) and we let him out for a few hours during the day, making sure the bird was caged or on us (she does not fly). But as people are wont to do, our attention faded and he knocked her off the arm of the couch.

Immediately after, she seemed fine, but within half an hour she was looking sleepy, constantly pouffy, and would scream if I touched her wing. I feared a break but I saw her stretch it out so I knew it was not, although she was carrying it lower than the other.

This was a Sunday night (figures!) so I called the emerg vet in our city - they don't have an emerg avian vet but they do have an on-call vet and I was put through to her. The vet said it was fine to wait until tomorrow if she was eating and walking around which was, and perked up noticeably when I brought out a cheese slice (her favourite treat).

The next morning was heartbreaking. Either an infection was brewing or it hurt from being immobile overnight (sort of how a sore leg is worse the next morning). She was obviously in a lot of pain.

I have never been so worried and stressed in my life!

We brought her in as soon as we can (thankfully our vet is great with triage and knows that a real emergency can't until the next open spot!)

Turned out she had a small cut on her wing. Topical ointment, 7-day course of antibiotics, and she is doing so much better. In fact the day after the vet visit she was miles improved. It hasn't healed fully yet - I can't see any cut or anything, but her baths are no as vigorous and she still shrieks if you touch her wrong but I think she is being a bit of a baby to be honest.

Some of her wing tips turned black which I understand is a symptom of stress and/or infection.

Anyway, it is embarrassing for me, but I wanted to share. Many lessons learned. She is, as I type, pushing her head into my fingers for rubs. I'm sooooo glad she's okay.

Great post and lots of useful information. Thank you for sharing this as some people do not realize just how dangerous cats are to birds. A friend of mine recently lost her amazon to a very insignificant swipe of a cat. The bird was in her carrier getting ready to go for a car ride, the cat swiped at the bird and just barely scratched her on her wing. Long story short the amazon died of an infection after many weeks of treatment. Cats carry bacteria that birds cannot fight. Hard lesson to learn.

I am so glad your bird is doing well thanks to your quick reaction and paying attention to her actions.

Heck even people can develop pretty gnarly infections from cat scratches. Cat claws are nasty. After that experience Libby goes in her night cage in our bedroom with the door closed, and THEN the foster cat comes out for a few hours. No exceptions. I don't blame him, of course. He spent the first six months of his life on the street and to him, birds are food. My cats are wimpy things who think food comes in bowls. Still, I am more vigilant now even with them.

Even if she hadn't shown any signs of pain I'd have taken her in for antibiotics because I knew she could develop a gross infection I'd never see under feathers. It was all the more heartbreaking though to see her hurting. I doubt she'd ever experienced pain before that. I'd only ever heard her distress call once before when she got her foot caught in a string from her little bed thing (I saw it happen and it wasn't tight, so she didn't get hurt at all - and that bed went in the trash).

Here she is - I interrupted her and my husband having a moment:

I'm glad she's okay!

Cats are SO germy! Every scratch I've ever had from a cat has gotten infected, unless I treated it right away. Their bites are even worse, from what I hear.

Awww, she's sooo snuggly looking!

Remy said:

I'm glad she's okay!

Cats are SO germy! Every scratch I've ever had from a cat has gotten infected, unless I treated it right away. Their bites are even worse, from what I hear.

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I can believe that! I knew he got his mouth on her because I could smell cat saliva. Thank heavens he didn't get a tooth in.

Yes, if there is even a possibility of a little scrape, you should take the bird in. I know my cat wants to play with my birds. She gets locked in the bedroom when they are out just in case. She doesn't swipe anymore at the Nanday since getting a nip on her nose, but she is wanting to get a hold of that roly, poly amazon! I kind of want the zon to nip her, but I kind of don't as I know he is strong enough to take off a toe. Sometimes she runs if he charges her and sometimes she doesn't.

Thanx for the helpful info, my cats are never even allowed near my babies cage even though the cats could care less if theya re there i just like to be extra cautious for fear of things like that. (Im a scared bird lol)