Getting a Cat?

I'm considering adopting a cat, but am not sure if that's a good idea or not because of my bird. Basically, ever since I've gotten my bird I've just been waiting for the dreaded day that I'd see a mouse or a rat scavenging off her dropped food. Well, that day has come, and I'm freaked out - I saw a mouse in my living room. I don't really feel comfortable putting poison or deadly traps out, not only because it seems mean and gross, but also because I'm afraid of my bird somehow getting sick or hurt from them. Also, getting a cat just seems like a more reliable way to approach the issue in the long term. Obviously cats can pose their own danger to birds, but I know that lots of people have both as pets so I'd be interested to hear other people's thoughts and experiences on the subject. As for me, I've never liked cats very much. I'd take good care of a cat if I got one, but I'd never get one just for the sole purpose of being buddies with it. I'd be happy to have one around though, as long as I could keep the environment safe for my birdie.

Back in May, just two seconds of my back turned resulted in the tragic death of my GCC, Rio. We had allowed the cats to be in the room with us when Rio was out, as long as we were there. It only takes a moment, for neverending heartache. Now we have River, and anytime the cage door is opened, the cats are closed into another room. (I give them some extra treats to make it not as bad for them). If you get a cat, I would definately recommend keeping them in a separate room when your bird is out. For the cats sake, I hope you would love it as a companion too, not just a mouse catcher. Although they do help with the mice, our house is right beside the woods, so they try to find their way in. I find occasional "gifts" left for me from time to time. One of my cats sleeps beside me every night (she's quite the bedhog though!). The other one, has always preferred to sleep in the bathroom for some weird reason.

Thanks for sharing your story. I'm really sorry to hear about Rio. That's the sort of warning I was hoping not to get! I suppose I was wondering if different cats with different personalities can have different attitudes to birds (even if they are mousers). I know dogs can be like that but it seems more like any cat can pose a risk if you don't keep them entirely separate. And for the record, I don't dislike cats, I'm just not a cat person - you can believe I'd be loving on any cat that helped guard my home. But I'm not sure I know cats well enough to have one with the bird ):

The cat that killed Rio has always been the non-mouser one. He's also a senior citizen, skinny, and diabetic. So I never would have thought he would be the one to grab Rio. I will never know exatly what happened, Rio had been up on top of his cage (taller than me!). I don't know if Draven (the cat) jumped from nearby furniture, or if Rio jumped down to follow me when I turned my back to answer the door. If I had to guess, I would think Rio jumped to follow me, he always wanted to be with me. River (my current GCC who got his name from Rio meaning river in portuguese and spanish) will jump from his cage or play perch if I so much as stand up.

Well it IS possible to have a cat that pays NO ATTENTION WHAT SO EVER to your bird my orange tabby I used to have was like that infact when Halloween was out and I forgot to clip her wings sometimes she would land right next to Chris and Chris wouldn't even move her eyes to look at her. Now my grandmothers cat is forever trying to eat her birds. infact one day it tried to jump throw the window she keeps open in her livingroom for it and we noticed it had a dead bird in its mouth so needless to say be that cat was not allowed inside so the cat started to play with it's catch outside then we realized the bird was infact NOT dead it was very much alive and flew away. I'm sure the bird later died but I can not be sure. I do know though that my best friends kitty is always climbing on top of the cage part of why I'm looking for a new one (she has knocked it over since it sits on top of my dresser). So really it depends on the cat.

It really depends on the cat... my current cat is fat and lazy, and has never caught anything, he also let our lorikeet play on him and bite his ears and tails, in fact, I think he was slightly scared of him! But the cat we used have years ago was sweat as pie but was a DEADLY hunter, she bought in dead birds, rats and SNAKES! We never had a bird around her for this reason.

If you want the type of cat to keep mice away... you're gonna get a cat that will want to eat your bird... you can't have a cat that hunts and will ignore a bird in the house at the same time, it just doesn't work that way. Even the fattest, laziest, stupidest cat WILL take interest in your bird, it's pure instinct. It depends on their personality if they actually take action on that interest or not.

Call and exterminator and forget the cat. Most cats I have seen are too lazy to chase a mouse unless you starve them and that is the only source of food around. I tell people to chose bird or cat, but not both. Because about the time you start trusting your cat and the phone rings or you forgot something cooking on the stove and leave the room, when you return there might very well be a pile of feathers.

Cats are animal therefore, they will do just as nature has intended for them to do, no matter how tame they seem to be.

Also get some mouse traps. Also try cleaning around your birds cage more frequently. How often do you clean his cage and around his cage?? I clean my birds cage daily, I also have news papers laid out on the floor under her cage and change them out daily as well. Also try and locate where the mice are coming into you house at (this is where an exterminator comes in handy, they will usually do this for you).

Disclaimer: THIS ADVICE IS GIVEN BY SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T LIKE CATS so take it with a grain of salt. But if you had seen the things that I have, you wouldn't like cats either.

lol Mike, its MALE cats that are sometimes too lazy to hunt. Our female is the most vicious creature on the planet. But I agree, adding a cat to a bird home is a recipe for diaster. There will be no more cats here if something happens to Gracie. One small bite puts bacteria into the birds bloodstream & will kill them if they are not taken to the vet for antibotics. Some say as soon as 12 hours is too late for help.

Keeping the bird area as clean as possible helps keep rodents under control. No food, they have no reason to come in. There are traps that catch rather than kill, if you would rather use them. You can release somewhere away from your home. Cats are really not the most efficient way to solve a rodent problem, I had 2 cats last year & still had mice. They are part of rural life & don't really bother me.

i think exterminators are a better choice, as you could end up with a cat that just don't catch mice, instint or not, lol

mouse traps are a safe solution, in corners where your bird cannot get to

but unless you find where the mice are getting into your home, the odd one that the cat catches is not going to make a differance as they breed so fast!

we normally get field mice come winter, lay down a few traps and bobs your uncle, at least we know where the bodies are un like with poison, when they crawl where ever an die (normally under floor boards etc! and start smelling!) so every winter, we put traps down around the house up stairs and down, especially in the kitchen.

with traps its instant death, they won't know what hit it

not all cats are the same! its a cats instinct to attack prey, but my ginger cat is so good with the birds. he protects them. he will sit and guard the aviary from other neighbourhood cats too! but i still wouldn't leave him alone with them lose!

Have you considered humane mouse traps?

Rather than kill the mice, they just trap them and so can't really harm your bird (as it'd be too big to fit in it!)

We used humane mouse traps when our hamster got loose under our floorboards etc. Plenty of traps down and we got her no problem.

Otherwise, get an exterminator. Keep your bird safe by not getting a cat, and also for the cats sake, if you don't 100% love the idea of having a cat for the sake of having a cat, then don't get one.

Some cats are good with birds, some are not. If your getting a cat for the sole purpose of hunting mice and rats then chances are its going to hunt anything it can catch (including your bird). Not all cats are extravagant hunters, mine is fat and lazy (and is scared of my bird). In order for you to get a cat, you would have to find one that doesn't want to hunt, which defeats your purpose for getting one. I would call an exterminator.

Thanks everyone. I suspected that any good mouser would also take too much of an interest in a bird. I have cleaned the whole apartment and set live-release traps. I have also put peppermint-oil soaked cotton balls in areas they might be coming into. I clean my bird's cage out every day and take out her food cup overnight, but of course it's impossible to catch every stray crumb. The issue is less an actual infestation than a potential one - I live in an apartment building where pests seem to scatter every now and then when neighbors move out and clear out the mess the pests have been living in. I haven't seen any droppings anywhere, nor have I heard any mouse pitter patter on the floors or in the walls. I am moving to a different building in a couple weeks so am more concerned about preventing future mouse and rat encounters than I am about eradicating them from my current place. I've heard that the very presence of a cat (its smell and that of its urine) can help discourage rodents from moving in, although I don't know how true that is. Oh well.

My cat used to be an extreme hunter, and she never touched the birds we used to have and she doesn't touch Quincey now (but I'm still ever cautious with Cassie around, although she normally stays downstairs). But, all cats are different. Just because their breed characteristic says something, they can be completely opposite.

Although, Cassie did try once to eat the budgies (who were in their cage) when we were out, and the cage fell on top of her. Luckliy, they were all fine, but Cassie seems to be scarred for life when it comes to indoor birds now.

Not all cats are mousers, some are even scared of them! Also, you shouldn't get a cat only because you have mice, especially if you have a bird. Get a cat because you want to love your cat for being an awesome cat, not for being a mouser.

I'd use traps, if I were you. It is mean and sad, but so long as you watch your bird and make sure it doesn't go near the traps, it's a lot safer than a cat.

Plus the cat might leave the half eaten mouse bodies in your shoes.