Popcornbird........here's the story

Yesterday, I went out very early to pick up some canned dog food for Murphy, who had dental surgery on Tuesday (yet another story). I came back, fed the dogs and settled down in the office to work. Roger and Milly's "room" is next door to my office and they are usually very talkative in the mornings, but they were screaming loudly and very upset. So I got up to go see what was wrong (they were out of their cages as they have free flight of that bedroom). The bedroom door was open! :eek: And there was Butter Cat on the armoire ready to pounce on Milly, who was perched on the top of the window, screaming her lungs out.

I reached up, grabbed Butter by the scruff of his neck and was in a panic because I didn't see Roger and did see several feathers on the floor. But when I started talking (probably screaming) at Butter, both birds started flying around the room. I could only hope that they wouldn't fly out of the open door and thankfully, they didn't.

I threw Butter out into the hall, closed the door and was able to get both birds to come to me and put them safely in their cages. I am so lucky that neither of them had a heart attack on the spot. I am lucky that I didn't have one too! Oh my goodness, it was the most frightening thing!

Turns out that the door to the room doesn't catch (:o she figures this out 9 months after moving into this house). And apparently, Butter finally figured it out and opened the door by pushing on it. He can do the same thing to our bedroom door.

All of this taught me some valuable lessons. I cannot trust my cats or dogs to be near the birds. I never have actually. Their instincts tell them that birds are to be caught. I need to keep a good eye on the birds and make sure that they are secure. And isn't it a blessing that I came back when I did? And that Roger and Milly had the good sense to scream like they did? 15 seconds later, it could have been a very different situation. :( I felt horror and guilt that something like this could have happened, and the outcome could have been much worse. I am so glad that I had not had their wings clipped, even after I swore I would do it this week. Their ability to fly probably saved their lives.

This morning, I was out in front of the house, and Butter was out there with me. Helen was in the room with the birds, cleaning their cages and she said that both of them saw Butter out the window and started screaming. They know that they need to be cautious of him.

The door has a latch on the outside now. If we're not in there, it is latched so that he cannot open it.

So, that's the story. For those of you with multiple types of animals, use this as a good lesson. Do not assume that your small animals are safe. They simply aren't. We already lost a hamster a couple of years ago when we thought they were safe and our dogs taught us otherwise. I would hate for this to happen to anyone else. Thankfully, the outcome was ok and my birds are singing and happy today, but I'm watching them closely!

Logan

Gosh Logan, I'm on the verge of tears here. What a SCARY experience for you and the birds. I'm so glad everything ended up okay!

That is the one thing that is keeping me from getting birds. I'm scared to death that my cats will somehow get ahold of them. I know my dogs would ignore them, but the cats are a different story, especially Shiloh. She loves to sit in the window sill and make those cat hunting noises when she sees the birds outside.

I hope you're not blaming yourself for the loss of your hamster. I remember when that happened. It was a great tragedy, but an accident that could have happened to anyone :(

Give Roger and Milly kisses from me!

I had a heartattack just reading this!!! I'm so glad that everything turned out ok!!! Through your experience, maybe others will learn to be cautious (Maybe that bunny outside in our yard is not so safe :eek: ).

Quote:

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Originally posted by aly
Gosh Logan, I'm on the verge of tears here.

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Don't you cry, Aly! I did enough crying and shaking for everyone, yesterday! The best part is that it was ok and we will be even more careful in the future. Many kisses for Roger and Milly, especially from you!

Logan :)

The 2 birds I had my cat was afraid of them. I would let them out and of course keep a close eye on Cubby he just liked to sit and watch them as soon as they flew around the house he ran to the bedroom to hide. He was so afraid of them which was very funny. A cat afraid of 2 small birds? So I was never worried about Cubby hurting them. He loved to sit and watch them sing and dance.

O I know just how you feel!

I didn't tell anyone on PT this story well because I was afreid of what they might say. But, the first week we got Nova I was going in to give J some water and Nova pushed me to the floor and barged into J's room, luckily I scremaed "No" realy loudly and J ran into the closet away from Nova and ended up being Ok, just shookin up. When I got up and walked over to Nova she practiaclly peed herself cause she was so worried about what I might do, she has never done it since, thankfully. (O, I took her outside and tied her to a tree, she hated it)

One thing I have learned. Always, Always, always give your animal some place to run in case of an emergancy. Julian's safe spot is the closet, i leave it cracked enoguh that only he can slip into, not nova or her head. Tyah has a box I built for J that is always with her in the pen and the rats have a secure home in there cage.


I'm so glad yoru babies are ok! We all know how much you love eeach one of your spoiled pets! How lucky and smart they are to of had screamed and got you to come to there rescue

Hey your a hero!

Ash :D

:eek::eek::eek: Oh my goodness! Poor babies! :eek::eek::eek:

Somehow, when you posted that you had a *scare* with the birds, I had the gut feeling it was Butter. I guess its because of how many mouse *presents* he brought for you in the past. Gosh, that is SCARY! I too am on the verge of tears, and my heart skipped a beat as I read this. I can't imagine something happening like that to 2 little birdies. :( Poor things. It is however, a blessing that they were saved. Isn't it amazing how God has given them the instincts to call for their *flock* when in danger? That's what they were doing. Calling their mommy for help, and its also a blessing that their mommy understood them and ran to their help. What a scary happening! Whenever we have a neighborhood cat show up in the backyard every now and then, Popcorn and Muffin go in a state of panic. They SCREAM and fly, trying to hide from the cat, even though the cat is outside and cannot even see them due to the reflection on the window. They just have that *sense* that cat's aren't their friends, and Popcorn and Muffin know that, even though they have never met a cat in their lives.

They always recommend clipping wings for a pet bird's safety, however there is one situation where wing clipping is NOT encourage, and that's in a household where cats and dogs reside also. In case of an emergency, the birds should be able to fly well enough to get away from other pets, and I'm grateful your birds were fully flighted when this happened and were able to get away. How scary. :eek: I'll have to tell this to our next door neighbors who have 3 dogs and 2 parakeets, and always trust the dogs around the birds. Even though the dogs might be sweet and obedient, you never know when their hunting instincts could kick in. I'm just so glad they're alright, and I hope something like this will never ever happen again. This is the reason I don't want a cat or ask for a cat, even though I love them. I don't want a cat when I have birds, and I wouldn't have a cat and no birds because I honestly love birds more. I'm sure this experience really scared you. It would've given me a heart attack. I sure hope the birds feel better after the scare, because my birds lose their voice for hours after just *seeing* a cat from the window. Its an animal birds fear and KNOW, that if given the chance, a cat can and will cause them harm. Hugs and kisses to Roger and Milly from me and the tiels. Poor things. That must have been so very scary for them.

I'm sure Roger and Milly are grateful to you for saving them, and they probably consider their mommy a true hero. You are a true hero for them. :) I'm so glad you were able to get there in time and rescue them from Butter's bad bad plots. :p

Oh, Logan my heart was pounding as I read your story.

Butter, Butter.........what to do with you?

Thank goodness everything is alright.

Please give Roger and Milly kisses from me too.

I've never owned birds before but that sure was a scary story. I'm so glad that everything worked out in the end. When I was much younger one of our cats got into our mouses cage and killed it.:( We had to learn how to secure the lid on much better after that.Logan, you're right when you said that you can't trust your other animals to be around the smaller ones. I guess you have to learn from experience.

What a shock - I am convinced there are stupid cats who would not even have the idea -but there are others too. So glad the birdies are ok:)

I agree with Popcornbird...how fortunate that Roger and Milley knew to call for their mommy...and that the mommy instincts kicked in for her to respond so quickly.

Even though this ended okay, those close calls leave their mark, don't they?

Oh, Logan,I was ssoo scared reading the story. I had tears in my eyes for the little poor birdies! I know Butter couldn't help his actions, but, the poor scared birdies. I hope they are settling down...I know my sisters 'tiels take so long to get comfy again.


I am glad they reacted how they did, by screaming, and that you reacted so quickly.

Tiny kisses for the birds from me ( and NOT my kitties).

OMG Logan! Now I have a story to tell you! Not nearly as scary though....

Yesterday evening, we had some friends coming to visit. My dad opened the door and welcomed them in. The dad and daughter came in, while the mother and son were still parking the car, so we left the door open as we waited for them. All of a sudden, we heard barking. I thought nothing of it, thinking it was one of our next door neighbor's pups barking outside. 2 second later, the mom and son come inside, and start saying "OMG! There's a dog in your house!" :eek::eek::eek: I rushed to the door, and our neighbor's new puppy, just 3 months old, was INSIDE our house, lying on the entry, begging their little boy for belly rubs. :eek: The little boy is afraid of dogs so he started screaming and ran away. I was like this. :eek::eek: More than the dog coming in, I was worried about Popcorn and Muffin, because they were playing somewhere in the living room, WHERE THE DOG WAS, and I couldn't find them! :eek: I was worried sick. Luckily, the neighbors came and yelled at the puppy, and he went howling, out the door. I looked around for Popcorn and Muffin, and found them peaking from behind the sofa. They saw the dog and went there, and were looking to see if he left. Once he left, they marched out. For some reason they aren't afraid of dogs, but go insane when they see a cat. Thank God it wasn't a cat! :eek:

Another lesson. You must be careful, even if the larger animals reside in the neighborhood. Who knows when they might show up. :eek: I don't think the dog would've done anything to the birds though, because our neighbors have 2 birds of their own and they are used to them!

:eek: I know, first hand, how frightening that was, Popcornbird!!! Poor puppy was probably scared too!!! :(

Sorry I didn't see this earlier, but I haven't been around much this weekend. It was a "dogs" and "Kids" weekend and not much time for the computer!!! :)

Logan

I just saw this thread this morning. My what an awful adventure you all had. I'm glad everyone is safe. I've always said it sometimes pays to have a loud mouth (I should know, I have one). I'm glad Millie's saved her and Roger.

Butter, I know you were just being a cat but you must try to resist your, er, animal instints around the birds, ok?

Logan, I'm so glad everyone is ok!