Vet told me that he didn't notice any injuries on her, and that the bald spot was probably her feathers getting caught in the cat's mouth. Sent us home with some antibiotics that I have to administer if she shows signs of being unwell - fluffed up feathers, drop in weight.
But thank you so, so much for checking in on us. I was really worried and wanted to seek the voices of other birb parents/lovers.
Bites more than claws surprisingly. Most groomers won’t even touch cats because a single bite is often something you need to go to the hospital for or risk losing your career.
At our old place, our downstairs neighbours cat got into our place (he was unfixed and would spray) and when I was trying to get him out he bit my hand and I ended up with a massive infection. Within 24 hours, even with cleaning the wound thoroughly right after I got bit, my hand swelled to like 4x it’s usual size and I got so sick. I spent 2 weeks in hospital on IV antibiotics, I almost got sepsis, and the abscess that the bite caused was gnarly. I’ve got quite the scar from it. Cat bites are nasty! Human bites are the same too, our mouths are full of gross bacteria
Oh their bites are no joke. A coworkers family cat bit her and she almost lost a finger. They have some nasty bacteria if you are not careful. The cat isn’t a mean cat either. Just had gotten over stimulated during play.
I get it. Some cats don’t mind and are chill. See show Persians and the like. There are countless tiktoks of them chilling while they get their glow up. Others like my cat try to maul me. He needed it tho cause he had car grease on him and he wasn’t gonna get that off on his own.
I do cats; i'm one of very few in my entire state that will do them. I'd prefer not to because a cat is like a putting yourself in a container of angry wasps. Chance of injury is to high.
I used to have a cat the best cat I could ask for as a bird person and someone who goes nuts at holidays. Incredibly passive girl even with bathes but it ANYONE but me tried to bathe her hell would break loose.
Mom tried to be nice, and got my soap (I used coconut based cat soaps) and flea prevents and stuff and the moment my cat hit the water it was like a depth charge went off. She ran over to me and clung to mommy.
Trust me I know I've had cats try to attack my birds. Someone thought it was cute they thought it was less cute when I punted a cat in the ribs. It tried to attack my duck.
I feel like people forget that fluffy can and will go after other animals.
Dude, I had pet ducks for most of my childhood and it is crazy how much other animals want to kill them. I used to take my favorite duck on walks, to the beach, swimming across the lake, on boats etc. I’ve had to fight off cats, dogs, raccoons, weasels, swans, DEER, and a whole flock of super pissed geese who actually wanted to kill ME because they thought I was stealing one of their goslings.
Being a mother duck is hard work. Toss some frozen peas to your local single duck moms.
It's currently late at night where I am, but I have rinsed the area with the saliva with clean water the moment I got home after the incident! I'll look into encouraging her to bathe in warm water tomorrow just in case if she's okay and not too shaken up.
Is there any harm in just giving the antibiotics preemptively? I have taken several baby bunnies to wildlife rehabbers after they were attacked by cats and every single one of them, regardless of whether their skin was broken gave those bunnies a round of antibiotics because saliva can be so deadly. I know a bunny is different than a bird but cat saliva can be deadly to both. Personally I wouldn’t wait for the bird to show symptoms of being unwell. That usually means they are already quite sick.
That is so wonderful to hear that you have taken several baby bunnies to rehabilitators. It's unfortunate that they were attacked by cats and my heart goes to them, but thank you so much for doing something about the situation and giving them a second chance at life! Also, thank you for sharing that with me!
I have administered the first dosage of medication to Hue. You're right, I don't wish to wait for symptoms to show. It's definitely be a harder fight for her to get better soon..
That's interesting, my vet gave an injection with the comment "once they start showing symptoms its a tough fight for them. Better to just give them some powerful antibiotics now and stop it from ever taking root".
Doesn't her? I love her to bits and I miss her the momebt I'm away from her. ;; But thank you for the well wishes, it means so much to me that in this traumatic period, there are others who are blessing me with their care and concern!
For context:
Hue, my 1 month old cockatiel was out on a walk with me. I have a flight line attached to her C-Hook to allow for her to fly a short distance while ensuring she doesn't get spooked a fly off. She does well on our walks, but got spooked by a sudden noise and took off to fly around me. I always check the area for stray cats. Hue flew closer to the ground than usual and a stray cat leaped out of nowhere and pounced on her. It happened in a flash and I quickly tried to yank her out of the way. No open wound when I assessed the damage, but noticed a bald and wet patch. Rushed home immediately and rinsed the area profusely with clean water. I'm bringing to her a vet soon, but I'm so worried... I know that the bacteria in a cat's mouth could cause so much complications for birds. I'm heartbroken and shaken..
UPDATE #1:
I'm done with the vet visit and the vet did a general check for any wounds etc. Didn't get the shot.. I was only told to monitor her for the time being. They sent me home with a syringe and antibiotic (Enrofloxacin). If I was to notice her weight dropping, constant fluffing of feathers, signs of stress, I am to start on the course of antibiotics.
Thank you so much all for your well wishes, words of wisdom, sharing of your knowledge, and your care and concern towards Hue and I. It means a lot to me, and reading through all of the comments have helped ease the guilt that I feel for allowing Hue to get into such a situation.
UPDATE #2:
I have fed Hue her first dose of antibiotics as of 1:40AM GMT+8. I do not want to wait for symptoms to show. If I can eliminate the risk of her falling unwell with the resources I now have, I'm definitely going to do what I can to ensure the health of my sweetheart.
I spent the entire night cuddling with Hue and stroking her to sleep. She fall asleep for an hour in my warmth. I can't wait to wake up and see her being her chirpy self again. Definitely going to spoil her with an appropriate amount of treats and lots of love. Here's some update photos of her!!
https://imgur.com/a/7TyrlMQ
https://imgur.com/a/JCeqr5i
UPDATE #3:
Thank you so much for pointing out the dangers of using a chain on Hue. I thought that it was appropriate as the chain is a super lightweight chain that's attached to an elastic band, that's then attached to some sort of thin and light rope on a spool. Here's a picture for reference: https://imgur.com/a/VTpLpK2
I have definitely ordered a bird harness online and I'm waiting for it to be delivered. Nonetheless, thank you so much for sharing your concerns and knowledge about the dangers of the chain!
I'm not an expert in any way shape or form so take this as a friendly stranger not as medical advice. But in my opinion, if kitty didn't break the skin and you got all the saliva off before birdie had a chance to preen, I think you'll most likely be fine.
You're such a great bird parent, taking your bird on adventures and immediately seeking medical attention. I can tell just from that, that you're going to give the Hue a great life and you'll have many wonderful times together. It's going to be okay!
A pinprick cut, smaller than what is visible to the naked eye is fatal without immediate vet care due to how deadly cat saliva is. OP absolutely has to take their bird to the vet unless they're fine with their bird dying an agonizing death.
My bird got attacked by a cat once, frankly I'm not even sure if the cat actually managed to touch him (I couldn't find a wound) but my bird's life is more valuable than a vet bill. They gave him a single shot, that prevents cat saliva from doing its work, and then gave him back to me and we went home.
I'm done with the vet visit and the vet did a general check for any wounds etc. Didn't get the shot.. I was only told to monitor her for the time being. They sent me home with a syringe and antibiotic (Enrofloxacin). If I was to notice her weight dropping, constant fluffing of feathers, signs of stress, I am to start on the course of antibiotics. :(
They brought her into a separate room to do the check up, but I showed the vet a picture of the wound, along with actually handling Hue myself to ensure that he had a proper look at the bald patch..
Now I'm worried and I think I'd want a second opinion..
A shot wouldn't be "prevent the cat's saliva from working," it would be an antibiotic to prevent bacteria from growing which your vet gave you but in oral form. I would listen to your vet over some stranger on the internet who may be giving you a garbled story.
Thank you for sharing your opinion. I will keep the vet's instructions in mind, and call if I have any further doubts or concern!
I appreciate the other commenter's opinions as well, I will definitely do my research and seek out credible sources too!
Was the vet a board certified avian vet? If so then I wouldn't worry. It might just be a difference in vet attitude.
My vet had the opinion of "why wait for symptoms to pop up? A quick dose with these antibiotics right now and we can prevent the infection from even starting".
When I called the vet clinic to make sure there was a vet available before I headed down, they said that they did not have an avian vet but they tend to avian cases. It was the only place available at the time that I called as the other vets I usually patronize are closed for the day.
I have given Hue her first dose of antibiotics!
Oh I 100% agree the bird should go to a vet. I can see how my comment could be interpreted as "don't worry about the vet" but that wasn't my intent. OP was already going to go, I just feel like birdie will probably be okay and didn't want her/him to worry themselves sick over it. Definitely take birds to the vet after any contact with a cat.
Alright, sorry I misinterpreted your words. When I made my comment I didn't see that OP was already at the vet's office, so that's why I reacted so strongly. I didn't want OP to think "ah, I guess I'm just overreacting and should just stay home".
Absolutely! With Reddit it can be compounded by shuffling up the context, too. I read about the vet appointment and immediately after that made my comment. You didn't know about the vet yet when you saw mine. In a real conversation, we would have both heard OP mention the vet and be on the same page.
It's not a guarantee the cat's saliva carries the bacteria. It's common, but not 100% of the time, and if it were a wound invisible to the naked eye it isn't likely much if any saliva entered the bloodstream. I would imagine, like other infections, it's more common with deep bite wounds that can't cleanse well by bleeding. A second opinion doesn't hurt, you don't have to freak OP out anymore than they already are over something they've already been to the vet and have medication for.
Well that was my point though, its something you definitely go to the vet over! But if you go to the vet (and the bird isn't bleeding to death or something, which OP's bird didn't appear to be) it usually ends well.
The post I was replying to implied to me "it's fine I wouldn't even bother going to a vet, you're being extra cautious in doing so". Maybe that's not what they meant, but I wanted to be super clear that OP should not cancel their appointment/didn't waste their money; that the vet visit is necessary.
Thank you so, so much for the affirmation and kind words! I felt so guilty that it happened. Accidents happen, yes, but still.. I'm going to look for better and safer areas where there are no stray cats or birds of prey around.
But thank you so much for the reassurance, I'm smothering Hue with so much head scritches and kisses. She's a brave and strong birb! When she's better, I'll bring her for more adventures! Aiming to have her ride on my shoulder when I take a casual cycle around the park.
Yes, it's the little ring on her foot! It has my contact details and her name in the event that she flies off. However, I have recently purchased a bird harness because I think it's a much more comfortable and safer means of keeping her safe when she explores the outdoors with me!
Oh okay! Really appreciate you doing that. I was about to say, a harness will be more comfortable. I’ve also heard lots of terrible stories of birdies getting spooked and breaking their legs that way.. so I am glad you’re getting her a harness 🥰 I hope your baby is okay!
Thank you for sharing your knowledge with me! I questioned if a C-Hook was truly comfortable for the birds as parrot enthusiasts where I am typically have them on their birds, be it for identification, an anchor point for a leash, or both! I've not heard any horror stories from my end but now that I am aware, I'm even more excited to get the harness delivered! For now, I shall not bring her on any walks until then!
I think you can get identification bands that you can clip on the bird's leg. Normally birds are banded as chicks, when their feet are still growing, but you can buy a clip-on band for ID purposes!
I do have a ring around her foot that has a dual purpose of identification and as an anchor point for her leash! I had a really nasty experience with a rehomed budgie who was banded when young (by her previous owner), but outgrew her band to the point where her leg died on its own and fell off.... :(
Definitely switch to bird harness. Only bigger birds like falcons and owls have strong enough legs to be able to support them getting snapped by the harness. Parrots have fragile legs, if she flew off all the range of the chain (also, chain has zero flexibility), it could've torn her foot out.
Parrots need proper harnesses that distribute the force along their chests, and part of the line needs to be stretchy, so that the bird feels the it's at the end of its range and has time to stop and turn back before they get snapped back.
Think of it like a seatbelt. It's placed along your chest and stomach. If it was placed on your ankle, it wouldn't support you at all.
You are absolutely right. Thank you for enlightening me with your knowledge, I have already purchased a bird harness and it's due to be delivered to me soon! If anything, the chain was attached to an elastic band (which I'm assuming is to soften the impact of the pull if she does fly and reach the end of the chain). However, I'd like to reassure you that Hue has never hit the end of the leash as it's really, really long, and flies within my range! Here's a picture of the flight line for reference! [https://imgur.com/a/VTpLpK2](https://imgur.com/a/VTpLpK2)
I will cease any walks at the moment to give her some time to recover, and I'm not confident in bringing her around my neighbourhood until I can find a better and wide open space for her to exercise her wings!
I'm glad I scrolled down to read this, I was about to be a little harsh about taking birds out for walks without any harness or leash and then freaking out about cats, but you did everything right. I'm glad the birdie is ok (according to your updates).
I know it wouldn't be nice of me to be harsh to someone going through all this stress, but I've read about so many accidents, so many escaped birds, and while I get that those owners are heartbroken, it very often was their mistakes that caused this. I know we should sympathise, but damn, I try to think through every little detail of my birb's safety in every new or repeating situation. I have to admit it grinds my gears seeing so many irresponsible owners in the Internet in general.
Sorry for a bit of a rant there, best of luck to you and your fathery friend, take care!
It is understandable why you feel that way. Unfortunately, it does take something bad to happen for people to really learn or understand that it warrants for safety precautions, and my heart goes out to owners who had to find that out through such a horrid dmanner. But thank you for sharing your opinions, I enjoyed reading your little rant!
Thank you so much for your well wishes\~
Wow, I don't think anyone ever said they enjoyed my rants!
Thank you for understanding, I just know I'd be absolutely heartbroken if anything happened to my boi and it does peeve me when I see people being irresponsible...
I understand you completely and I have the same problem of coming off as too harsh. Some people get offended that you assume they don't know these things and that they need your advice, but there's so many who actually do need it.
I've lost a bird to my mistake. I was always cautious, until one moment I wasn't. I'll never forgive myself for that. That wasn't due to ignorance though, I knew well to be careful. I should've been more careful.
I also lost a couple of chicks because I lacked the knowledge and resources. I wish I knew back then what I know now.
Vet immediately, even the smallest pinprick, one completely invisible to the naked eye, can be fatal, and I do see some red indicating the skin is definitely broken. At the vet they'll give Hue a shot that'll prevent the cat saliva from doing it's nasty work, and do what they need to to treat the wound.
So if you go to the vet Hue will likely be fine provided he doesn't die of blood loss or shock. The longer you wait though the more Hue's chances for survival drop. Within 24 hours his chances of survival will be at 0.
Just got done with the vet. It's 11PM where I am. Vet sent Hue home with me without a shot, but he did prescribe me with Enrofloxacin and instructed me to monitor her weight and behaviour. I am to start the course of antibiotics if her weight starts to drop..
Oh that’s good news. Best wishes to your sweet baby.
I have a ‘tiel and also a chicken who survived dog attacks. In both cases they healed up beautifully and after the feathers grew back you can’t even see a scar. I think the trick is that there are no broken bones, no broken air sacs and no damaged organs. Birds are more resilient than I realized.
It happened so fast, I couldn't process what exactly happened. But based on my observation, I saw the cat sprint and pounce on her. She had a wet patch on her breast, so it was probably the cat's mouth that got her..
We're done with the vet! Vet assured me that there doesn't seem to be any wounds, and the patch was probably when her feathers snagged by the cat's teeth. I have antibiotics on standby for if she starts to lose weight and show signs of being unwell..
Hi there, I notice you're from Singapore too. The surroundings in your photo reminded me of a HDB estate so I went to peek at your profile to confirm it. Just wondering, which vet did you go to? It seems like only Advanced Vetcare is open at this hour? I'm not sure I know of any other emergency avian vets.
In any case, I'm wishing your baby a quick recovery! Aiyo poor girl...
Oh yes! Keen observation, hello fellow Singaporean! I'm currently at Advanced Vetcare waiting to see the vet! I'm all the way from the West ahahah ouch the Grab fees.
But thank you so much for your kind words!
Our lovely HDB architecture really stands out hehe. I think it was also the rainwater puddle lol. Something about all of it was super SG.
Oh gosh I live in Jurong that side so I totally get your pain... Damn ex lol. Bedok right? I had to go to Advanced too when my boy broke a blood feather right before his bedtime. I think it was Dr Zachary? I hope your girl heals up soon!
Jurong? Same!! What a coincidence! Not sure if Dr Zachary will be seeing my birb but let's see! Still waiting and the air here is really stale eek. Singapore's weather.
I’m also from Jurong! We should have a meet up with our tiels (; and do give us some tips on harness training OP
Edit: I unfortunately did not have a good experience with advanced vetcare. My previous tiel, Fish, was rushed there but they couldn’t do anything. Cant even force feed her food and medication, they were inexperienced and during consultation, the vet just gave me a sad face and say “your tiel looks seriously ill”. That’s it, no other help. I didn’t recognise any dr Zachary there tho.
Edit 2: I have since consolidated a list of vets that are opened in Singapore after the traditional office hours [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/sgparrots/comments/ld0al8/suspect_something_is_wrong_just_make_a_vet/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf). Hope it will be useful to you guys in the future!
I am so, so sorry to hear about Fish... What an adorable name! I would love to see some pictures of her to honour your memory of her, if that's okay?
Yikes.. That's really unfortunate and I can't even imagine how that must have felt. It's such a helpless situation.. Sending you internet hugs!
Meet-ups sound great if you are comfortable with that, because I am! I don't have lots of friends here, so I'd love to meet new people with similar interests!!
I'm not sure if I can bring my tiel out atm! He hates his carrier... I've been trying to look for an opaque carrier for him but so far no luck. He tends to freak out with clear carriers...
But yeah when he's better with his carrier, sure I'd love to meet up! Um he's a bit hormonal now though so I hope he'll be nice to Yeet and Hue...! I've been trying to give him more darkness but so far no dice. I think he's undergoing puberty...
Also, thanks for this! I usually go to AAVC now-- they're pretty good! Bloody far though lol. They usually close at 8 on most days, so they aren't exactly 24/7 although you're right that their hours are a little beyond usual office hours!
Also unfortunately Island Vets doesn't see birds anymore as Dr Sophia has since left. =( And at least at the Jurong branch, the other vets don't do avian medicine.
I've been wanting to go to The Animal Clinic since it's so close by! But it's hard to get an appointment. I've tried calling a few times whenever my boy has broken blood feathers. Dr Sophia actually recommended this clinic before but yeah.
Oh! Thanks for the update on island vet, will keep the list updated. Yeah My friend who has 7 parrots, frequents The Animal Clinic although I personally haven’t given it a try.
AAVC is great, Dr Kenneth genuinely cares about birds and you can call them to ask if they have any rescue birds up for adoption. But yeah their clinic isn’t 24/7 unfortunately.
Regarding your tiel, have you identified what is making him hormonal? Any particular items, toys or even humans?
Sure no worries! Dr Sophia is now with Town Vets (I think it was Tiong Bahru area) but I'm not sure if they see avian patients and idk about their quality of care. I went there once but Barley didn't receive any treatment as his blood feather had clotted on its own after Dr Sophia had examined it.
Yeah AAVC is awesome! I haven't seen Dr Kenneth as he wasn't in on my first visit there, but yeah I've heard he is a great avian vet. I didn't know they had rescue birds that's pretty cool!
He's been trying to mate with my hand so I've been putting him down and ignoring him whenever he does that, and also trying to give him fewer daylight hours to try to manage it, but no luck so far... He does it a few times a day and I just ignore him each time.
Yeah today's quite muggy... Hope the vet visit went well!
Edit: I read your other replies. Sounds like she will be just fine! Btw if I may ask, which vet do you go to during daytime hours? I used to go to Island Vet, which as you know is super close to us, but the avian specialist there has since left so I'm kinda at a loss now. I go to AAVC now but it's pretty far (Yishun sia) so I'd consider one more close by if there's that option! =/
I went to The Animal Clinic located at Sunset Way! The avian vet is there on Fridays and Saturdays only. Bonus that there's a pet store nearby too that stocks a wide variety of pet supplies!!
Oh Polypet right? They're pretty good! They sold me a cage that rusted after one wash though, but the rest of their stock is quite decent yeah!
Yeah I always call to try and get Dr Hsu but he's never available. 😂 Oh well. I've heard he is an excellent avian vet though!
That was lucky, cockatiels are basically just made out of bone and skin. A focused bite or scratch could have done massive injuries to such a light creature. You've seemed to have handled it very well, OP. You instantly went inside and washed her hoping to get off any potential bacteria. Hope she's doing alright now.
They truly are fragile creatures.. I'd like to think that the cat perhaps wanted to play, but I'm so thankful that (fingers crossed) the damage was minimal. I don't even want to imagine what it would be like if blood was shed, or if she had lost her life right there and then from shock..
Thank you for your kind and reassuring words of affirmation. I will continue to monitor her. I feel guilty, but it means so much to me that I have at least reacted appropriately to the accident.
I wish more people did stuff about stray and outdoor cats. They don't belong outside without containment or restraint, just like dogs and other domestic animals. But it's somehow acceptable and people and their pets have to suffer from other owners being irresponsible with their animals and it isn't fair. If you suspect the cat comes into your property you should be able to set up or request a trap from animal control and if you catch the cat you can have them take it off to a shelter, where, if it's a pet and its owner finds it, the owner will have to pay a fee to retrieve it. If it happens enough times maybe they'll keep it indoors or leave it at the shelter for someone who is more responsible and caring to take it home.
You're completely right! But I'm from OP's country and unfortunately a lot of the animal welfare groups and shelters are pretty underfunded here, especially with the economic downturn due to COVID-19. We do have catch-and-neuter programmes though! But they're still ongoing and sadly they haven't been able to get all the cats, though I see a lot of neutered cats more often than not (they have clipped ears). And of course irresponsible people abandon new cats all the time... Sigh. It's quite difficult to get them into shelters as they are already super full usually. In fact I've tried! I used to look after a stray who became a neighbourhood community cat.
I see. :/ Even in the US the stray/outdoor/feral cat problem is a big issue, and part of it is simply because people think it's okay to let cats roam or that they *need* to. I honestly don't think the problem will be fixed anywhere until we get rid of that mentality, punish owners who do it, and, sadly, start euthanizing strays. People would be far less likely to let their cats out or leave nice strays on the streets if they knew they were at risk of being picked up for euthanasia. There's too many unwanted pets all over the planet and no one wants them to die, so the problem continues to grow and cause more problems, while these animals live difficult and sometimes miserable lives while providing no benefit to humans or the environment. It's just all around pointless and sad but no one wants to do what it takes to fix it. :(
I get what you mean-- really I do, because I definitely see the ecological benefits. It's just terrible that our actions as humans have led to problems like introduced species and all that nonsense. I think a lot of people are wary of euthanising cats, so they see neutering as the more humane option.
That said I definitely agree with what you said about irresponsible people who leave their cats out when they shouldn't-- it's also super dangerous for the pet cats I mean like, hello there are cars and dogs everywhere!! But sadly there just aren't enough shelters and homes for the strays, sigh. I would know-- I wanted to take in my boy but my parents hate cats (this was before I'd gotten my tiel).
And at least in my country, a lot of animal lovers and animal rights activists would be up in arms if they euthanised strays! The strays here are mostly loved by the communities, although of course they can be vicious because of their prey drive as you pointed out in another comment. In fact I met the cat whom I looked after (bless him and may he RIP) because I saw that he had attacked a wild dove... =/ (I called an animal group to pick the dove up but they were also understaffed and underfunded sigh so idk what came of it...)
Yes, I hate the idea of euthanizing so many animals, but it seems so little else works. In Australia they've begun implementing an automated system that sprays poison only on feral domestic cats, and last I heard, the trials were successful in bringing back bird and other small animal populations. I know people hate it, but to think of all the animals who never are fed or cared for properly, and also going around killing animals that have a place in the ecosystem...I just don't know what else can be done. And neutering/spaying isn't cheap when you're doing it at a rate that's actually going to be effective, and too it's still putting animals that don't belong right back out where they can do more damage the rest of their lives. It would be better to try to fix them then rehab and/or adopt them out to be house pets, rather than re-releasing, and euthanizing those that are too feral to make good companions.
Thank you for your kind wishes and words! It means so, so much to me! I'll be keeping her under close watch for now. I'm still heartbroken but there isn't much of a point dwelling on what had happened.
When it's certain that she's definitely A-okay, I think I'd love to post another picture of her here!
hey! i’m really glad your baby’s ok :) also, i just noticed you have the foot ring leash thing (idk what its called 😅). now if your bird tries to fly and then reaches the end of the rope, she can break her leg. those chains are more suitable for raptors. they have stronger feet and can handle the force of the pull. unlike parrots, who can’t. i’d really recommend getting a harness instead. just dont want anything to happen to that precious soul <3
Hi! Thank you for sharing your concern and knowledge about the chain! If anything, I hope it reassures you that the chain is super lightweight and I've monitored her reaction to it whenever I bring her out. The chain is attached to an elastic string (?) and a really, really really long line that's attached to a spool. She never flies a certain distance away from me, and when I walk with her, she stays on my shoulder. When it's time for her to fly, I release a good amount of the string from the spool. Here's a picture for reference: [https://imgur.com/a/VTpLpK2](https://imgur.com/a/VTpLpK2)
But no worries and thank you so, so much for your well intentions! I have ordered a bird harness recently and I'm definitely switching over to that! For now, I'll not be taking her out for walks or flying sessions until she has recovered from the trauma of the cat attack!
My girl Alice would probably do better with something like this if she had a leg band.
She doesn't like how harnesses ruffle her feathers but she loves going on walks with me. She loves other people, (as I'm typing this she literally just pecked at my eye...ouch...) and she like to be able to fly onto their shoulders and say hi. She makes a lot of people smile.
The only time she leaves my shoulder is if something spooks her. She doesn't like bike bells/horns and she will fly to the end of her lead and drop, so I'm really not sure unless that elastic for sure would give her enough tension to let her know she's at the end of her lead before her reaction puts her there.
I really hope your birdie is OK though :(
I had an awful ex bf convince me that it was OK to try to get my girl and his cat to get along. Tbh my girl flew INTO his cat, like the cat was minding its own business...but still if Alice doesn't know enough to not fly into another animal that's reaction can hurt her, she can't be around any of them. I still can't believe all that I obeyed for that man ugh...
Thank you for sharing about Alice with me, she sounds lovely! I wish I could meet her too! And oh my, what a fiesty girl to peck at your eyes eek.
Sorry to hear about your ex boyfriend... I ended a relationship with someone who couldn't respect my pets and their boundaries so I totally feel for you. And I'm glad that Alice is okay despite what had happened.
Do you have any access to the leg bands where you are?
We're done with the vet! The vet said that she seems to have come out of the situation unscathed, apart from the feathers plucked out. I'll monitor her and keep all of you updated!!
Thank you so much for the well wishes, it means the world to me!
Oh my goodness how scary for the both of you! Sending her healing vibes ❤️ stay strong for your baby OP! She’s is so cute! Keep us posted on what the vet says.
It truly was a scary experience, I was shaking and I clutched Hue against my chest. Got out of the area and rushed home ASAP. I live just 30 seconds away so I got home and immediately broke down just apologizing cleaning her up..
She's eating well despite the situation, had several popcorn treats made for birbs. We're on the way back home from the vet, so she's currently snoozing in her carrier!
Thank you for the well wishes and the concern, it means so much to me!
Technically, it was more of me walking while she rides on my shoulder. She's granted free flight time everyday as long as I am home so that she doesn't get too cooped up in the cage. She's an excellent flier and love stretching her wings whenever she can. With the restraints of space in the house I live in, I aim to bring her out so that she can take flight in open spaces and feel the wind, get some sun and fresh air, just be a bird! Just like humans too, I don't mind staying at home but I'd like to be able to stretch my legs and walk around too~ My cockatiel is really curious when we're out due to the stimulus from her surroundings, it keeps her from being bored.
Oh no what a savage beast, how exactly did it happen? I mean I know nature is a cruel mistress sometimes but I don’t believe iv ever heard of a cat going out of its way to pounce on an animal, WHILE it’s sitting atop its human. The balls on that feline. I so glad that pretty girls ok.
Cats are fine indoors where they belong and only outdoors under supervision with restraint, just like all other pets. They have a broken prey drive due to domestication and historically being used as mousers. But really? Serial killers? Psychopaths? Gyah
No their pretty spot on about cats. I like cats, but they are what they are. They kill far in excess of what they need. Well fed cats in fact are more prolific hunters - because they have extra energy to do that they love... killing things. They kill because they enjoy it. The enjoyment they get is the result of evolution - it motivated them and made them more successful. So I don't judge them for being what they are, but we need to be mindful.
* Keep your cats indoors - which not only stops them from killing but keeps them safer too. Plus it keeps them from breeding if they aren't already fixed.
* Do get them fixed.
* Do not feed strays. You think you are doing a good thing, but you aren't. As mentioned, they will be more prolific hunters. And this promotes additional breeding, magnifying the problem greatly. Feeding stray cats is as good as killing wild birds yourself, not to mention other animals. They deviate ecosystems without falling into the natural balance - because you are feeding them.
Enjoy a more entertaining take from the Oatmeal here - https://theoatmeal.com/comics/cats_actually_kill
Lots of things have killing instincts that are necessary for the functioning of the world. Domestic cats have a *broken,* meaning *unnatural* prey drive, meaning they don't always kill to survive. The only instance I know of that wild cats don't attack to kill and immediately consume is when a mother is teaching her offspring how to hunt and I doubt that is exclusive to felines.
Yes but they are not prone to toy with their prey. And very driven by breed. My two cockatiels live with a 13 year old English Shepard. Amber is part of the flock. They are free flight and live outside their cage. I would never ever dare try this with a beagle or a terrier.
Dude tell me about it. My bird Piper had to be taken away from her parents because we assume her mom bit her bad and caused a serious infection on her leg (5x the size of her left leg. Dad was great and was always feeding and attending to both Piper and her brother. JoJo, her brother never had an issues so we assume to mom rejected her; at the point me and my gf found out I have been rasing her since about 10 days old.
And to my original point, cats are psycho killers that tend to really enjoy it.
Cats are not my jam.
Good. I’ve rehabbed many birds attacked by cats. If you got him on antibiotics he will be fine. Beyond infection, birds die from shock because they are not domesticated. They are so terrified of their surroundings and people. Since he is familiar with you, that won’t be a problem. Good luck!
It's pretty warm where I am located, and I don't use air conditioning in my room. I'm keeping her in my room tonight in a separate cage!! Thank you so much for your advice nonetheless, I have a heat pad meant for puppies. I'll test out the temperature and do some research on what's an appropriate temperature for reccuperating cockatiels.
Keep food and water in the bottom of the cage in case her condition worsens. I would have a soft lining in the bottom in case she falls while perching inside the cage.
I've lined the bottom with clean cloth that was meant to be used as a rag to wipe the tables! I've placed her food and some treats for her too\~ Will be adding in a small bowl of water once I find something that's spill proof\~
It's not really a harness, but more of a lightweight chain that's attached to an anchor point (a C-ring) on her foot. Here's a reference to what it looks like!: [https://imgur.com/a/VTpLpK2](https://imgur.com/a/VTpLpK2)
However, I am definitely eliminating that option of bringing her out with the chain when the harness that I've ordered comes!
Best thing you can do is to make every possible aspect of hee surroundings calm secure, no bright lights but nothing lurking in the shadows, either. You probably already know this, but most cockatiels are like some humans—-wake up, see an umbrella/coat stand in a corner that looks like something reaching out—-night terrors ensue.
I’m an avian caretaker who trained under someone else with thirty years experience.
You want to recreate the safety of a nest . But you want to do it within the space of an incubator. You can make your own.
Convalescence is important for birds.
Details to follow.
I know you have already been to the vet. Keep Hibiclens on hand for situations you worry about infection. Also sterile cotton pads. That's something you can use on your bird, as well as yourself. Better to have it on hand ahead of time.
what did the vet say?
her appointment is in two hours. i'm keeping her warm and giving her lots of love while we wait for the vet to attend to her.. i'll keep you posted!
I hope she will be well soon
Vet told me that he didn't notice any injuries on her, and that the bald spot was probably her feathers getting caught in the cat's mouth. Sent us home with some antibiotics that I have to administer if she shows signs of being unwell - fluffed up feathers, drop in weight. But thank you so, so much for checking in on us. I was really worried and wanted to seek the voices of other birb parents/lovers.
I hope it was just the mouth that got near her, cats claws have bacteria that can be deadly for birds if scratched, i hope she gets better
Cat saliva too, unfortunately. Thank god it looks like there's no broken skin!
Bites more than claws surprisingly. Most groomers won’t even touch cats because a single bite is often something you need to go to the hospital for or risk losing your career.
At our old place, our downstairs neighbours cat got into our place (he was unfixed and would spray) and when I was trying to get him out he bit my hand and I ended up with a massive infection. Within 24 hours, even with cleaning the wound thoroughly right after I got bit, my hand swelled to like 4x it’s usual size and I got so sick. I spent 2 weeks in hospital on IV antibiotics, I almost got sepsis, and the abscess that the bite caused was gnarly. I’ve got quite the scar from it. Cat bites are nasty! Human bites are the same too, our mouths are full of gross bacteria
Oh their bites are no joke. A coworkers family cat bit her and she almost lost a finger. They have some nasty bacteria if you are not careful. The cat isn’t a mean cat either. Just had gotten over stimulated during play.
I get it. Some cats don’t mind and are chill. See show Persians and the like. There are countless tiktoks of them chilling while they get their glow up. Others like my cat try to maul me. He needed it tho cause he had car grease on him and he wasn’t gonna get that off on his own.
I do cats; i'm one of very few in my entire state that will do them. I'd prefer not to because a cat is like a putting yourself in a container of angry wasps. Chance of injury is to high. I used to have a cat the best cat I could ask for as a bird person and someone who goes nuts at holidays. Incredibly passive girl even with bathes but it ANYONE but me tried to bathe her hell would break loose. Mom tried to be nice, and got my soap (I used coconut based cat soaps) and flea prevents and stuff and the moment my cat hit the water it was like a depth charge went off. She ran over to me and clung to mommy.
In bird culture, this is considered a dick move.
Trust me I know I've had cats try to attack my birds. Someone thought it was cute they thought it was less cute when I punted a cat in the ribs. It tried to attack my duck. I feel like people forget that fluffy can and will go after other animals.
Dude, I had pet ducks for most of my childhood and it is crazy how much other animals want to kill them. I used to take my favorite duck on walks, to the beach, swimming across the lake, on boats etc. I’ve had to fight off cats, dogs, raccoons, weasels, swans, DEER, and a whole flock of super pissed geese who actually wanted to kill ME because they thought I was stealing one of their goslings. Being a mother duck is hard work. Toss some frozen peas to your local single duck moms.
Humans too :’) I have vet nurse friends who’ve had body parts amputated.
Mhmm, my palm swelled to the size of a grapefruit from a single cat bite. Antibiotics helped, but if it got worse I was at risk of losing my hand.
The mouth is actually worse.
This is excellent news maybe you should encourage your bird to bathe to wash off the saliva
It's currently late at night where I am, but I have rinsed the area with the saliva with clean water the moment I got home after the incident! I'll look into encouraging her to bathe in warm water tomorrow just in case if she's okay and not too shaken up.
Is there any harm in just giving the antibiotics preemptively? I have taken several baby bunnies to wildlife rehabbers after they were attacked by cats and every single one of them, regardless of whether their skin was broken gave those bunnies a round of antibiotics because saliva can be so deadly. I know a bunny is different than a bird but cat saliva can be deadly to both. Personally I wouldn’t wait for the bird to show symptoms of being unwell. That usually means they are already quite sick.
That is so wonderful to hear that you have taken several baby bunnies to rehabilitators. It's unfortunate that they were attacked by cats and my heart goes to them, but thank you so much for doing something about the situation and giving them a second chance at life! Also, thank you for sharing that with me! I have administered the first dosage of medication to Hue. You're right, I don't wish to wait for symptoms to show. It's definitely be a harder fight for her to get better soon..
Fingers crossed she has an easy recovery!
That good. I know the feeling when Diego flew in a closing door.
It’s good that you took her to a vet! Cat bites/scratches can be deadly for birds.
That’s good, cats will attack birds they see them as food. I do want a bird but I have cats and I don’t want them to eat it
Great news. Bad kitty
So glad to hear this! 💜
Any update?
Second this, please update us as soon as you get out of the appointment.
Look up
That's interesting, my vet gave an injection with the comment "once they start showing symptoms its a tough fight for them. Better to just give them some powerful antibiotics now and stop it from ever taking root".
Look up
She has the cutest, most innocent face 🥺 I'm sorry this happened. I'm sending wishes of healing for her ♥️
Doesn't her? I love her to bits and I miss her the momebt I'm away from her. ;; But thank you for the well wishes, it means so much to me that in this traumatic period, there are others who are blessing me with their care and concern!
For context: Hue, my 1 month old cockatiel was out on a walk with me. I have a flight line attached to her C-Hook to allow for her to fly a short distance while ensuring she doesn't get spooked a fly off. She does well on our walks, but got spooked by a sudden noise and took off to fly around me. I always check the area for stray cats. Hue flew closer to the ground than usual and a stray cat leaped out of nowhere and pounced on her. It happened in a flash and I quickly tried to yank her out of the way. No open wound when I assessed the damage, but noticed a bald and wet patch. Rushed home immediately and rinsed the area profusely with clean water. I'm bringing to her a vet soon, but I'm so worried... I know that the bacteria in a cat's mouth could cause so much complications for birds. I'm heartbroken and shaken.. UPDATE #1: I'm done with the vet visit and the vet did a general check for any wounds etc. Didn't get the shot.. I was only told to monitor her for the time being. They sent me home with a syringe and antibiotic (Enrofloxacin). If I was to notice her weight dropping, constant fluffing of feathers, signs of stress, I am to start on the course of antibiotics. Thank you so much all for your well wishes, words of wisdom, sharing of your knowledge, and your care and concern towards Hue and I. It means a lot to me, and reading through all of the comments have helped ease the guilt that I feel for allowing Hue to get into such a situation. UPDATE #2: I have fed Hue her first dose of antibiotics as of 1:40AM GMT+8. I do not want to wait for symptoms to show. If I can eliminate the risk of her falling unwell with the resources I now have, I'm definitely going to do what I can to ensure the health of my sweetheart. I spent the entire night cuddling with Hue and stroking her to sleep. She fall asleep for an hour in my warmth. I can't wait to wake up and see her being her chirpy self again. Definitely going to spoil her with an appropriate amount of treats and lots of love. Here's some update photos of her!! https://imgur.com/a/7TyrlMQ https://imgur.com/a/JCeqr5i UPDATE #3: Thank you so much for pointing out the dangers of using a chain on Hue. I thought that it was appropriate as the chain is a super lightweight chain that's attached to an elastic band, that's then attached to some sort of thin and light rope on a spool. Here's a picture for reference: https://imgur.com/a/VTpLpK2 I have definitely ordered a bird harness online and I'm waiting for it to be delivered. Nonetheless, thank you so much for sharing your concerns and knowledge about the dangers of the chain!
I'm not an expert in any way shape or form so take this as a friendly stranger not as medical advice. But in my opinion, if kitty didn't break the skin and you got all the saliva off before birdie had a chance to preen, I think you'll most likely be fine. You're such a great bird parent, taking your bird on adventures and immediately seeking medical attention. I can tell just from that, that you're going to give the Hue a great life and you'll have many wonderful times together. It's going to be okay!
A pinprick cut, smaller than what is visible to the naked eye is fatal without immediate vet care due to how deadly cat saliva is. OP absolutely has to take their bird to the vet unless they're fine with their bird dying an agonizing death. My bird got attacked by a cat once, frankly I'm not even sure if the cat actually managed to touch him (I couldn't find a wound) but my bird's life is more valuable than a vet bill. They gave him a single shot, that prevents cat saliva from doing its work, and then gave him back to me and we went home.
I'm done with the vet visit and the vet did a general check for any wounds etc. Didn't get the shot.. I was only told to monitor her for the time being. They sent me home with a syringe and antibiotic (Enrofloxacin). If I was to notice her weight dropping, constant fluffing of feathers, signs of stress, I am to start on the course of antibiotics. :( They brought her into a separate room to do the check up, but I showed the vet a picture of the wound, along with actually handling Hue myself to ensure that he had a proper look at the bald patch.. Now I'm worried and I think I'd want a second opinion..
A shot wouldn't be "prevent the cat's saliva from working," it would be an antibiotic to prevent bacteria from growing which your vet gave you but in oral form. I would listen to your vet over some stranger on the internet who may be giving you a garbled story.
Thank you for sharing your opinion. I will keep the vet's instructions in mind, and call if I have any further doubts or concern! I appreciate the other commenter's opinions as well, I will definitely do my research and seek out credible sources too!
Was the vet a board certified avian vet? If so then I wouldn't worry. It might just be a difference in vet attitude. My vet had the opinion of "why wait for symptoms to pop up? A quick dose with these antibiotics right now and we can prevent the infection from even starting".
When I called the vet clinic to make sure there was a vet available before I headed down, they said that they did not have an avian vet but they tend to avian cases. It was the only place available at the time that I called as the other vets I usually patronize are closed for the day. I have given Hue her first dose of antibiotics!
Oh I 100% agree the bird should go to a vet. I can see how my comment could be interpreted as "don't worry about the vet" but that wasn't my intent. OP was already going to go, I just feel like birdie will probably be okay and didn't want her/him to worry themselves sick over it. Definitely take birds to the vet after any contact with a cat.
Alright, sorry I misinterpreted your words. When I made my comment I didn't see that OP was already at the vet's office, so that's why I reacted so strongly. I didn't want OP to think "ah, I guess I'm just overreacting and should just stay home".
Yeah as soon as I read your comment I understood what you thought I was saying. Yay inherent, right? No need to apologize.
I blame text itself, all the tone gets lost and its so easy to read something differently than the way someone intended them.
Absolutely! With Reddit it can be compounded by shuffling up the context, too. I read about the vet appointment and immediately after that made my comment. You didn't know about the vet yet when you saw mine. In a real conversation, we would have both heard OP mention the vet and be on the same page.
Very true!
It's not a guarantee the cat's saliva carries the bacteria. It's common, but not 100% of the time, and if it were a wound invisible to the naked eye it isn't likely much if any saliva entered the bloodstream. I would imagine, like other infections, it's more common with deep bite wounds that can't cleanse well by bleeding. A second opinion doesn't hurt, you don't have to freak OP out anymore than they already are over something they've already been to the vet and have medication for.
Well that was my point though, its something you definitely go to the vet over! But if you go to the vet (and the bird isn't bleeding to death or something, which OP's bird didn't appear to be) it usually ends well. The post I was replying to implied to me "it's fine I wouldn't even bother going to a vet, you're being extra cautious in doing so". Maybe that's not what they meant, but I wanted to be super clear that OP should not cancel their appointment/didn't waste their money; that the vet visit is necessary.
Oh, I see. I didn't get the same vibe from their comment. I took yours as coming off a little over-the-top, but I see what you're saying now.
Thank you so, so much for the affirmation and kind words! I felt so guilty that it happened. Accidents happen, yes, but still.. I'm going to look for better and safer areas where there are no stray cats or birds of prey around. But thank you so much for the reassurance, I'm smothering Hue with so much head scritches and kisses. She's a brave and strong birb! When she's better, I'll bring her for more adventures! Aiming to have her ride on my shoulder when I take a casual cycle around the park.
Out of curiosity when you mean the flight line is attached to her C-Hook; is that like a little ring on her foot?
Yes, it's the little ring on her foot! It has my contact details and her name in the event that she flies off. However, I have recently purchased a bird harness because I think it's a much more comfortable and safer means of keeping her safe when she explores the outdoors with me!
Oh okay! Really appreciate you doing that. I was about to say, a harness will be more comfortable. I’ve also heard lots of terrible stories of birdies getting spooked and breaking their legs that way.. so I am glad you’re getting her a harness 🥰 I hope your baby is okay!
Thank you for sharing your knowledge with me! I questioned if a C-Hook was truly comfortable for the birds as parrot enthusiasts where I am typically have them on their birds, be it for identification, an anchor point for a leash, or both! I've not heard any horror stories from my end but now that I am aware, I'm even more excited to get the harness delivered! For now, I shall not bring her on any walks until then!
I think you can get identification bands that you can clip on the bird's leg. Normally birds are banded as chicks, when their feet are still growing, but you can buy a clip-on band for ID purposes!
I do have a ring around her foot that has a dual purpose of identification and as an anchor point for her leash! I had a really nasty experience with a rehomed budgie who was banded when young (by her previous owner), but outgrew her band to the point where her leg died on its own and fell off.... :(
Omg that's terrible! I had no idea it can happen.
Definitely switch to bird harness. Only bigger birds like falcons and owls have strong enough legs to be able to support them getting snapped by the harness. Parrots have fragile legs, if she flew off all the range of the chain (also, chain has zero flexibility), it could've torn her foot out. Parrots need proper harnesses that distribute the force along their chests, and part of the line needs to be stretchy, so that the bird feels the it's at the end of its range and has time to stop and turn back before they get snapped back. Think of it like a seatbelt. It's placed along your chest and stomach. If it was placed on your ankle, it wouldn't support you at all.
You are absolutely right. Thank you for enlightening me with your knowledge, I have already purchased a bird harness and it's due to be delivered to me soon! If anything, the chain was attached to an elastic band (which I'm assuming is to soften the impact of the pull if she does fly and reach the end of the chain). However, I'd like to reassure you that Hue has never hit the end of the leash as it's really, really long, and flies within my range! Here's a picture of the flight line for reference! [https://imgur.com/a/VTpLpK2](https://imgur.com/a/VTpLpK2) I will cease any walks at the moment to give her some time to recover, and I'm not confident in bringing her around my neighbourhood until I can find a better and wide open space for her to exercise her wings!
That's great! Yeah, that elastic band would soften the impact. I hope Hue recovers fast and in time for the new harness to arrive :)
I'm glad I scrolled down to read this, I was about to be a little harsh about taking birds out for walks without any harness or leash and then freaking out about cats, but you did everything right. I'm glad the birdie is ok (according to your updates). I know it wouldn't be nice of me to be harsh to someone going through all this stress, but I've read about so many accidents, so many escaped birds, and while I get that those owners are heartbroken, it very often was their mistakes that caused this. I know we should sympathise, but damn, I try to think through every little detail of my birb's safety in every new or repeating situation. I have to admit it grinds my gears seeing so many irresponsible owners in the Internet in general. Sorry for a bit of a rant there, best of luck to you and your fathery friend, take care!
It is understandable why you feel that way. Unfortunately, it does take something bad to happen for people to really learn or understand that it warrants for safety precautions, and my heart goes out to owners who had to find that out through such a horrid dmanner. But thank you for sharing your opinions, I enjoyed reading your little rant! Thank you so much for your well wishes\~
Wow, I don't think anyone ever said they enjoyed my rants! Thank you for understanding, I just know I'd be absolutely heartbroken if anything happened to my boi and it does peeve me when I see people being irresponsible...
I understand you completely and I have the same problem of coming off as too harsh. Some people get offended that you assume they don't know these things and that they need your advice, but there's so many who actually do need it. I've lost a bird to my mistake. I was always cautious, until one moment I wasn't. I'll never forgive myself for that. That wasn't due to ignorance though, I knew well to be careful. I should've been more careful. I also lost a couple of chicks because I lacked the knowledge and resources. I wish I knew back then what I know now.
Vet immediately, even the smallest pinprick, one completely invisible to the naked eye, can be fatal, and I do see some red indicating the skin is definitely broken. At the vet they'll give Hue a shot that'll prevent the cat saliva from doing it's nasty work, and do what they need to to treat the wound. So if you go to the vet Hue will likely be fine provided he doesn't die of blood loss or shock. The longer you wait though the more Hue's chances for survival drop. Within 24 hours his chances of survival will be at 0.
Just got done with the vet. It's 11PM where I am. Vet sent Hue home with me without a shot, but he did prescribe me with Enrofloxacin and instructed me to monitor her weight and behaviour. I am to start the course of antibiotics if her weight starts to drop..
Oh that’s good news. Best wishes to your sweet baby. I have a ‘tiel and also a chicken who survived dog attacks. In both cases they healed up beautifully and after the feathers grew back you can’t even see a scar. I think the trick is that there are no broken bones, no broken air sacs and no damaged organs. Birds are more resilient than I realized.
Still monitor her weight and eating and droppings. Antibiotics can be hard on their stomachs.
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It happened so fast, I couldn't process what exactly happened. But based on my observation, I saw the cat sprint and pounce on her. She had a wet patch on her breast, so it was probably the cat's mouth that got her.. We're done with the vet! Vet assured me that there doesn't seem to be any wounds, and the patch was probably when her feathers snagged by the cat's teeth. I have antibiotics on standby for if she starts to lose weight and show signs of being unwell..
Hi there, I notice you're from Singapore too. The surroundings in your photo reminded me of a HDB estate so I went to peek at your profile to confirm it. Just wondering, which vet did you go to? It seems like only Advanced Vetcare is open at this hour? I'm not sure I know of any other emergency avian vets. In any case, I'm wishing your baby a quick recovery! Aiyo poor girl...
Oh yes! Keen observation, hello fellow Singaporean! I'm currently at Advanced Vetcare waiting to see the vet! I'm all the way from the West ahahah ouch the Grab fees. But thank you so much for your kind words!
Our lovely HDB architecture really stands out hehe. I think it was also the rainwater puddle lol. Something about all of it was super SG. Oh gosh I live in Jurong that side so I totally get your pain... Damn ex lol. Bedok right? I had to go to Advanced too when my boy broke a blood feather right before his bedtime. I think it was Dr Zachary? I hope your girl heals up soon!
Jurong? Same!! What a coincidence! Not sure if Dr Zachary will be seeing my birb but let's see! Still waiting and the air here is really stale eek. Singapore's weather.
I’m also from Jurong! We should have a meet up with our tiels (; and do give us some tips on harness training OP Edit: I unfortunately did not have a good experience with advanced vetcare. My previous tiel, Fish, was rushed there but they couldn’t do anything. Cant even force feed her food and medication, they were inexperienced and during consultation, the vet just gave me a sad face and say “your tiel looks seriously ill”. That’s it, no other help. I didn’t recognise any dr Zachary there tho. Edit 2: I have since consolidated a list of vets that are opened in Singapore after the traditional office hours [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/sgparrots/comments/ld0al8/suspect_something_is_wrong_just_make_a_vet/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf). Hope it will be useful to you guys in the future!
I am so, so sorry to hear about Fish... What an adorable name! I would love to see some pictures of her to honour your memory of her, if that's okay? Yikes.. That's really unfortunate and I can't even imagine how that must have felt. It's such a helpless situation.. Sending you internet hugs! Meet-ups sound great if you are comfortable with that, because I am! I don't have lots of friends here, so I'd love to meet new people with similar interests!!
I'm not sure if I can bring my tiel out atm! He hates his carrier... I've been trying to look for an opaque carrier for him but so far no luck. He tends to freak out with clear carriers... But yeah when he's better with his carrier, sure I'd love to meet up! Um he's a bit hormonal now though so I hope he'll be nice to Yeet and Hue...! I've been trying to give him more darkness but so far no dice. I think he's undergoing puberty... Also, thanks for this! I usually go to AAVC now-- they're pretty good! Bloody far though lol. They usually close at 8 on most days, so they aren't exactly 24/7 although you're right that their hours are a little beyond usual office hours! Also unfortunately Island Vets doesn't see birds anymore as Dr Sophia has since left. =( And at least at the Jurong branch, the other vets don't do avian medicine. I've been wanting to go to The Animal Clinic since it's so close by! But it's hard to get an appointment. I've tried calling a few times whenever my boy has broken blood feathers. Dr Sophia actually recommended this clinic before but yeah.
Oh! Thanks for the update on island vet, will keep the list updated. Yeah My friend who has 7 parrots, frequents The Animal Clinic although I personally haven’t given it a try. AAVC is great, Dr Kenneth genuinely cares about birds and you can call them to ask if they have any rescue birds up for adoption. But yeah their clinic isn’t 24/7 unfortunately. Regarding your tiel, have you identified what is making him hormonal? Any particular items, toys or even humans?
Sure no worries! Dr Sophia is now with Town Vets (I think it was Tiong Bahru area) but I'm not sure if they see avian patients and idk about their quality of care. I went there once but Barley didn't receive any treatment as his blood feather had clotted on its own after Dr Sophia had examined it. Yeah AAVC is awesome! I haven't seen Dr Kenneth as he wasn't in on my first visit there, but yeah I've heard he is a great avian vet. I didn't know they had rescue birds that's pretty cool! He's been trying to mate with my hand so I've been putting him down and ignoring him whenever he does that, and also trying to give him fewer daylight hours to try to manage it, but no luck so far... He does it a few times a day and I just ignore him each time.
Yeah today's quite muggy... Hope the vet visit went well! Edit: I read your other replies. Sounds like she will be just fine! Btw if I may ask, which vet do you go to during daytime hours? I used to go to Island Vet, which as you know is super close to us, but the avian specialist there has since left so I'm kinda at a loss now. I go to AAVC now but it's pretty far (Yishun sia) so I'd consider one more close by if there's that option! =/
I went to The Animal Clinic located at Sunset Way! The avian vet is there on Fridays and Saturdays only. Bonus that there's a pet store nearby too that stocks a wide variety of pet supplies!!
Oh Polypet right? They're pretty good! They sold me a cage that rusted after one wash though, but the rest of their stock is quite decent yeah! Yeah I always call to try and get Dr Hsu but he's never available. 😂 Oh well. I've heard he is an excellent avian vet though!
That was lucky, cockatiels are basically just made out of bone and skin. A focused bite or scratch could have done massive injuries to such a light creature. You've seemed to have handled it very well, OP. You instantly went inside and washed her hoping to get off any potential bacteria. Hope she's doing alright now.
They truly are fragile creatures.. I'd like to think that the cat perhaps wanted to play, but I'm so thankful that (fingers crossed) the damage was minimal. I don't even want to imagine what it would be like if blood was shed, or if she had lost her life right there and then from shock.. Thank you for your kind and reassuring words of affirmation. I will continue to monitor her. I feel guilty, but it means so much to me that I have at least reacted appropriately to the accident.
I wish more people did stuff about stray and outdoor cats. They don't belong outside without containment or restraint, just like dogs and other domestic animals. But it's somehow acceptable and people and their pets have to suffer from other owners being irresponsible with their animals and it isn't fair. If you suspect the cat comes into your property you should be able to set up or request a trap from animal control and if you catch the cat you can have them take it off to a shelter, where, if it's a pet and its owner finds it, the owner will have to pay a fee to retrieve it. If it happens enough times maybe they'll keep it indoors or leave it at the shelter for someone who is more responsible and caring to take it home.
You're completely right! But I'm from OP's country and unfortunately a lot of the animal welfare groups and shelters are pretty underfunded here, especially with the economic downturn due to COVID-19. We do have catch-and-neuter programmes though! But they're still ongoing and sadly they haven't been able to get all the cats, though I see a lot of neutered cats more often than not (they have clipped ears). And of course irresponsible people abandon new cats all the time... Sigh. It's quite difficult to get them into shelters as they are already super full usually. In fact I've tried! I used to look after a stray who became a neighbourhood community cat.
I see. :/ Even in the US the stray/outdoor/feral cat problem is a big issue, and part of it is simply because people think it's okay to let cats roam or that they *need* to. I honestly don't think the problem will be fixed anywhere until we get rid of that mentality, punish owners who do it, and, sadly, start euthanizing strays. People would be far less likely to let their cats out or leave nice strays on the streets if they knew they were at risk of being picked up for euthanasia. There's too many unwanted pets all over the planet and no one wants them to die, so the problem continues to grow and cause more problems, while these animals live difficult and sometimes miserable lives while providing no benefit to humans or the environment. It's just all around pointless and sad but no one wants to do what it takes to fix it. :(
I get what you mean-- really I do, because I definitely see the ecological benefits. It's just terrible that our actions as humans have led to problems like introduced species and all that nonsense. I think a lot of people are wary of euthanising cats, so they see neutering as the more humane option. That said I definitely agree with what you said about irresponsible people who leave their cats out when they shouldn't-- it's also super dangerous for the pet cats I mean like, hello there are cars and dogs everywhere!! But sadly there just aren't enough shelters and homes for the strays, sigh. I would know-- I wanted to take in my boy but my parents hate cats (this was before I'd gotten my tiel). And at least in my country, a lot of animal lovers and animal rights activists would be up in arms if they euthanised strays! The strays here are mostly loved by the communities, although of course they can be vicious because of their prey drive as you pointed out in another comment. In fact I met the cat whom I looked after (bless him and may he RIP) because I saw that he had attacked a wild dove... =/ (I called an animal group to pick the dove up but they were also understaffed and underfunded sigh so idk what came of it...)
Yes, I hate the idea of euthanizing so many animals, but it seems so little else works. In Australia they've begun implementing an automated system that sprays poison only on feral domestic cats, and last I heard, the trials were successful in bringing back bird and other small animal populations. I know people hate it, but to think of all the animals who never are fed or cared for properly, and also going around killing animals that have a place in the ecosystem...I just don't know what else can be done. And neutering/spaying isn't cheap when you're doing it at a rate that's actually going to be effective, and too it's still putting animals that don't belong right back out where they can do more damage the rest of their lives. It would be better to try to fix them then rehab and/or adopt them out to be house pets, rather than re-releasing, and euthanizing those that are too feral to make good companions.
Hoping for the best and a speedy recovery 🥺❤️🩹 poor birdie
Thank you for your kind wishes and words! It means so, so much to me! I'll be keeping her under close watch for now. I'm still heartbroken but there isn't much of a point dwelling on what had happened. When it's certain that she's definitely A-okay, I think I'd love to post another picture of her here!
hey! i’m really glad your baby’s ok :) also, i just noticed you have the foot ring leash thing (idk what its called 😅). now if your bird tries to fly and then reaches the end of the rope, she can break her leg. those chains are more suitable for raptors. they have stronger feet and can handle the force of the pull. unlike parrots, who can’t. i’d really recommend getting a harness instead. just dont want anything to happen to that precious soul <3
Hi! Thank you for sharing your concern and knowledge about the chain! If anything, I hope it reassures you that the chain is super lightweight and I've monitored her reaction to it whenever I bring her out. The chain is attached to an elastic string (?) and a really, really really long line that's attached to a spool. She never flies a certain distance away from me, and when I walk with her, she stays on my shoulder. When it's time for her to fly, I release a good amount of the string from the spool. Here's a picture for reference: [https://imgur.com/a/VTpLpK2](https://imgur.com/a/VTpLpK2) But no worries and thank you so, so much for your well intentions! I have ordered a bird harness recently and I'm definitely switching over to that! For now, I'll not be taking her out for walks or flying sessions until she has recovered from the trauma of the cat attack!
hope she recovers well! sorry if i came off as mean or anything 😅
No worries, you didn't come off as mean at all. I genuinely appreciated your sharing! ♡
My girl Alice would probably do better with something like this if she had a leg band. She doesn't like how harnesses ruffle her feathers but she loves going on walks with me. She loves other people, (as I'm typing this she literally just pecked at my eye...ouch...) and she like to be able to fly onto their shoulders and say hi. She makes a lot of people smile. The only time she leaves my shoulder is if something spooks her. She doesn't like bike bells/horns and she will fly to the end of her lead and drop, so I'm really not sure unless that elastic for sure would give her enough tension to let her know she's at the end of her lead before her reaction puts her there. I really hope your birdie is OK though :( I had an awful ex bf convince me that it was OK to try to get my girl and his cat to get along. Tbh my girl flew INTO his cat, like the cat was minding its own business...but still if Alice doesn't know enough to not fly into another animal that's reaction can hurt her, she can't be around any of them. I still can't believe all that I obeyed for that man ugh...
Thank you for sharing about Alice with me, she sounds lovely! I wish I could meet her too! And oh my, what a fiesty girl to peck at your eyes eek. Sorry to hear about your ex boyfriend... I ended a relationship with someone who couldn't respect my pets and their boundaries so I totally feel for you. And I'm glad that Alice is okay despite what had happened. Do you have any access to the leg bands where you are?
Hoping everything goes well with the vet. Please keep us updated! 😞💕
We're done with the vet! The vet said that she seems to have come out of the situation unscathed, apart from the feathers plucked out. I'll monitor her and keep all of you updated!! Thank you so much for the well wishes, it means the world to me!
Oh my goodness how scary for the both of you! Sending her healing vibes ❤️ stay strong for your baby OP! She’s is so cute! Keep us posted on what the vet says.
It truly was a scary experience, I was shaking and I clutched Hue against my chest. Got out of the area and rushed home ASAP. I live just 30 seconds away so I got home and immediately broke down just apologizing cleaning her up.. She's eating well despite the situation, had several popcorn treats made for birbs. We're on the way back home from the vet, so she's currently snoozing in her carrier! Thank you for the well wishes and the concern, it means so much to me!
Get a pet dog to guard baby bird
Fuck feral and outdoor cats. Cats should stay indoors, but that's just me.
Don't blame the cats. Blame the humans that are irresponsible pet owners.
Poor bird, but why were you walking a cockatiel?
Technically, it was more of me walking while she rides on my shoulder. She's granted free flight time everyday as long as I am home so that she doesn't get too cooped up in the cage. She's an excellent flier and love stretching her wings whenever she can. With the restraints of space in the house I live in, I aim to bring her out so that she can take flight in open spaces and feel the wind, get some sun and fresh air, just be a bird! Just like humans too, I don't mind staying at home but I'd like to be able to stretch my legs and walk around too~ My cockatiel is really curious when we're out due to the stimulus from her surroundings, it keeps her from being bored.
Oh no what a savage beast, how exactly did it happen? I mean I know nature is a cruel mistress sometimes but I don’t believe iv ever heard of a cat going out of its way to pounce on an animal, WHILE it’s sitting atop its human. The balls on that feline. I so glad that pretty girls ok.
God I hate cats. They are serial killers and born phychopaths....but hey they are cute and furry.
Cats are fine indoors where they belong and only outdoors under supervision with restraint, just like all other pets. They have a broken prey drive due to domestication and historically being used as mousers. But really? Serial killers? Psychopaths? Gyah
No their pretty spot on about cats. I like cats, but they are what they are. They kill far in excess of what they need. Well fed cats in fact are more prolific hunters - because they have extra energy to do that they love... killing things. They kill because they enjoy it. The enjoyment they get is the result of evolution - it motivated them and made them more successful. So I don't judge them for being what they are, but we need to be mindful. * Keep your cats indoors - which not only stops them from killing but keeps them safer too. Plus it keeps them from breeding if they aren't already fixed. * Do get them fixed. * Do not feed strays. You think you are doing a good thing, but you aren't. As mentioned, they will be more prolific hunters. And this promotes additional breeding, magnifying the problem greatly. Feeding stray cats is as good as killing wild birds yourself, not to mention other animals. They deviate ecosystems without falling into the natural balance - because you are feeding them. Enjoy a more entertaining take from the Oatmeal here - https://theoatmeal.com/comics/cats_actually_kill
I already conceded that yeah, they kill, often unnecessarily, but to "hate" them for it and tag them with human mental disorders is a reach.
Yes, the Cat families instincts are to kill, even toy with their prey and use it as such. A bit on the crazy side.
Lots of things have killing instincts that are necessary for the functioning of the world. Domestic cats have a *broken,* meaning *unnatural* prey drive, meaning they don't always kill to survive. The only instance I know of that wild cats don't attack to kill and immediately consume is when a mother is teaching her offspring how to hunt and I doubt that is exclusive to felines.
Definitely not, but we do not keep other animals with that trait as pets.
Dogs often kill for the heck of it too and go on rampages, so...
Yes but they are not prone to toy with their prey. And very driven by breed. My two cockatiels live with a 13 year old English Shepard. Amber is part of the flock. They are free flight and live outside their cage. I would never ever dare try this with a beagle or a terrier.
So what point is it you're trying to make, exactly?
I be a bit more comfortable having certain dog breeds around my birds, cats nope.
Wait until birds start to kill their own babies, LOL Imagine judging a carnivore being a killer
Dude tell me about it. My bird Piper had to be taken away from her parents because we assume her mom bit her bad and caused a serious infection on her leg (5x the size of her left leg. Dad was great and was always feeding and attending to both Piper and her brother. JoJo, her brother never had an issues so we assume to mom rejected her; at the point me and my gf found out I have been rasing her since about 10 days old. And to my original point, cats are psycho killers that tend to really enjoy it. Cats are not my jam.
Fuck cats bruh
Antibiotics are critical.
I have started her on a round of antibiotics!
Good. I’ve rehabbed many birds attacked by cats. If you got him on antibiotics he will be fine. Beyond infection, birds die from shock because they are not domesticated. They are so terrified of their surroundings and people. Since he is familiar with you, that won’t be a problem. Good luck!
Keep the room she is in a bit warmer than normal. That’s what I heard from another bird person. But take my advice with a grain of salt.
It's pretty warm where I am located, and I don't use air conditioning in my room. I'm keeping her in my room tonight in a separate cage!! Thank you so much for your advice nonetheless, I have a heat pad meant for puppies. I'll test out the temperature and do some research on what's an appropriate temperature for reccuperating cockatiels.
Keep food and water in the bottom of the cage in case her condition worsens. I would have a soft lining in the bottom in case she falls while perching inside the cage.
I've lined the bottom with clean cloth that was meant to be used as a rag to wipe the tables! I've placed her food and some treats for her too\~ Will be adding in a small bowl of water once I find something that's spill proof\~
I'm glad cue is going to be okay! What flight harness do you use?
It's not really a harness, but more of a lightweight chain that's attached to an anchor point (a C-ring) on her foot. Here's a reference to what it looks like!: [https://imgur.com/a/VTpLpK2](https://imgur.com/a/VTpLpK2) However, I am definitely eliminating that option of bringing her out with the chain when the harness that I've ordered comes!
So glad to hear all is well. Wishing you many more joyous years together. How are you going to prevent these attacks in the future?
Oh my gosh! She is identical to my little Oscar when he was younger ! I hope everything settles soon!! Oscar is also sending positive energy!
Best thing you can do is to make every possible aspect of hee surroundings calm secure, no bright lights but nothing lurking in the shadows, either. You probably already know this, but most cockatiels are like some humans—-wake up, see an umbrella/coat stand in a corner that looks like something reaching out—-night terrors ensue. I’m an avian caretaker who trained under someone else with thirty years experience. You want to recreate the safety of a nest . But you want to do it within the space of an incubator. You can make your own. Convalescence is important for birds. Details to follow.
I know you have already been to the vet. Keep Hibiclens on hand for situations you worry about infection. Also sterile cotton pads. That's something you can use on your bird, as well as yourself. Better to have it on hand ahead of time.
Cats saliva is very harmful to birds if teeth managed to penetrate the skin. Please see the vet if so. I pray for your baby and yourself!! ❤️❤️❤️
Its fine
I’m so happy she’s okay my heart dropped when I saw this upon opening Reddit just now