Cat and parrot pals make for one odd couple
Most cats would love to catch a bird, but when Ponzu the cat met a mango-colored parrot named Mango, he caught a case of friendship instead. Within hours after their first meeting, pair became buddies for life — cuddling, playing, and going on adventures with their super-cool human, a New York restaurateur. (via Gigi the cat lady)
Years ago when one of my cats saw the parakeet it was love at first sight for them both. Stress had caused the cat to stop eating but as long as the bird was beside him twittering and pulling his fur, whiskers, whatever she should reach he ate happily and recovered from his illness.
AND they’re both gorgeous!
I love Mango’s bright colors against Ponzu’s lovely gray (and Ponzu’s Hawaiian shirts!). Ponzu has such a sweet face.
On a side note, Facebook has just informed me that I am a Top Fan on Cutetropolis’s page. I don’t really know what that means, but I’ll take it.
Who’s chopping onions in here?!?
Just wow on all this – cat and bird getting along, cat wearing shirts, cat and bird enjoying the outdoors with no harnesses. Amazing how well behaved they both are. And I love how Ponzu’s eyes are such a bright yellow/orange, they almost match Mango’s coloring.
(1) I’d never seen a bird like that so I Googled; looks like Mango is a sun conure aka a sun parakeet. (I didn’t think parrots could be that small but TIL parrots include parakeets, so yes they can.) (2) Is Mango restrained when they are outside or simply trusted not to fly away? Ponzu has a collar or harness (maybe not a leash) but I see nothing on Mango. (3) Cats are goofy and cute, but they also kill for their own amusement, so I have this sinking feeling of dread that someday Ponzu will get irritated or bored and decide today’s the day to finally eat Mango and afterward will look at their owner with that “You knew it was in my nature” expression of innocence.
I met a sun conure at the park once. I was walking and ahead of me was a kid (maybe 10 years old or so) and his dad. The kid was moving his arm up and down and as I got closer I realized he had a white bird on his hand. And as I caught up to them I heard a whistling noise…then realized dad was holding a stick on which were riding two birds, a green Amazon parrot and a sun conure (as dad informed me). I think he said the white one was a cockatoo (but it was pretty small so I think it must have been young, or I heard wrong and it was a cockatiel). The green parrot said hello (well, he wolf-whistled at me twice first…hey, I’ll take what I can get) and the conure wanted nothing to do with me. They let me hold the white bird; the kid placed him on my hand and he ran up my arm (he was going for my earbuds, probably). Dad took him off my shoulder and put him back on my hand and he ran up again. I never held a bird before; I was amazed at how light he was. Also his feet felt like soft leather.
That sounds like a wonderful encounter; I’m glad the father and son let you visit with their flock. Birds that can fly have all kinds of adaptations to be light, so that doesn’t surprise me (though, like some cats, they are “fluffy” [does it still count as fluffiness if it’s feathers, not fur?], so our eyes make us expect them to weigh more than they do), but soft leather? I thought their feet were all scales and talons. Hmm, snakes are covered in scales, yet there are snakeskin boots, aren’t there? So I guess scales can be leathery.
I dunno…I just remember they didn’t feel like I expected them to.
Here’s wikipedia on bird scales; they’re not quite the same as reptile scales, so maybe that’s why..?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bird_anatomy#Scales
And I say yes, feathery counts as fluffy.
No need to worry, cats do not eat friends.
Ponzu clearly loves Mango and Mango loves him back. Michael, I understand your fear but these two seem devoted. What a sweet family.
Everyone here probably has more real-life experience with cats than I do, so I will hope you and Elaine are right.
Hi Gigi the cat lady!! Kermit style waves