Cats and a Cockatiel??

[redfurmom]

I have always loved cockatiels but never considered getting one since I have cats. We're moving to a new home in a couple of months and my desire to have one keeps growing. Is it possible to safely bring one into a home with cats? I have 3 kittens who will be between 6 & 8 months old by the time we move. They are very high energy and always playing until they pass out. They also have a pretty strong prey drive. We have an attached enclosure they visit in the day and they pounce on every bug they see.

I work from home so I'm always there. When I do leave for a few hours, the girls get crated so they're safe until I get back home. The bird would never be unsupervised around them. Do you think it's possible for me to be able to have a cockatiel with my girls? I'd love to be able to let her out some during the day. Should I keep her in my office, which is off limits to the cats, so she can fly around freely or in a cage? Can I train my cats (and 13 yr old dachshund) not to hurt her if she flies freely around them?

 

[TeeMom]

It's been forever since I have had cockatiels, but I had them growing up with dogs and cats in the house. Mine were in a large cage that hung from a stand, so the cats had no access to the actual cage and I would let them out in my bedroom with the cats locked out. One of them was actually in love with our golden retriever. He would climb to the top of her head and groom her. It was very adorable. My answer, is "Yes"...cats and cockatiels can coexist in the same house as long as care is taken when the birds are out of the cage. Good luck!

 

[redfurmom]

It's been forever since I have had cockatiels, but I had them growing up with dogs and cats in the house.  Mine were in a large cage that hung from a stand, so the cats had no access to the actual cage and I would let them out in my bedroom with the cats locked out.  One of them was actually in love with our golden retriever.  He would climb to the top of her head and groom her.  It was very adorable.  My answer, is "Yes"...cats and cockatiels can coexist in the same house as long as care is taken when the birds are out of the cage.  Good luck!

Thank you!! That sounds so adorable

I'd love it if mine bonded with all my girls. Maybe it can happen.

Do you think two tiels would be better to keep each other company or start with one? I want a strong bond between my bird and myself but I don't want her to be lonely either

 

[TeeMom]

Thank you!! That sounds so adorable

I'd love it if mine bonded with all my girls. Maybe it can happen.

Do you think two tiels would be better to keep each other company or start with one? I want a strong bond between my bird and myself but I don't want her to be lonely either

I think you will be fine with one if you have enough time to devote to it, otherwise birds are always happier with company.

 

[feistychick]

I have always loved cockatiels but never considered getting one since I have cats. We're moving to a new home in a couple of months and my desire to have one keeps growing. Is it possible to safely bring one into a home with cats? I have 3 kittens who will be between 6 & 8 months old by the time we move. They are very high energy and always playing until they pass out. They also have a pretty strong prey drive. We have an attached enclosure they visit in the day and they pounce on every bug they see.

I work from home so I'm always there. When I do leave for a few hours, the girls get crated so they're safe until I get back home. The bird would never be unsupervised around them. Do you think it's possible for me to be able to have a cockatiel with my girls? I'd love to be able to let her out some during the day. Should I keep her in my office, which is off limits to the cats, so she can fly around freely or in a cage? Can I train my cats (and 13 yr old dachshund) not to hurt her if she flies freely around them?

I have a cat who is an outdoor cat during the day, hunts birds and mice. I got 2 conures before Christmas and was concerned about them being around him. He's been around chicks and poults, and seemed to get it when we told him "no" around them. It took a few weeks of saying "no" whenever he started looking at them thoughtfully. He has never chased them, and I feel pretty comfortable having everyone running around the house at the same time now. I won't leave the birds out of their cage unsupervised when he's in the house - I kind of feel like that might be tempting fate - but we're getting along pretty well

 

[gpop1]

Tiels are on the large size for a well feed house cat to bother with. If the cat is stupid enough to try pawing the bird it will soon learn that a tiel will fight back. Dogs have a bad habit of sniffing a bird and after the first bird bite they generally give them a wide path. When any of my birds go walk about in the house the dog will normally get up and move as the birds seem to walk in a straight line and up and over them which probably isn't very comfortable with there pin like claws. That being said I wouldn't allow the cat near a budgie.

 

[nat1710]

I have just got a cockatiel and have 2 cats, one of my cats caught one of our finches at the weekend luckily it's ok. But the cats seem scared of the tiel and they are terrified of my chickens and ducks so I think it will be ok. The tiel bit one of my cats yesterday so I'm sure it can hold its own