My green cheek conure had a seizure and died. Could I have done anything?

Question

I am totally stressed out.  My conure is usually in a room with the door shut off from my cats, but I guess it did not close tightly enough this morning.  From the other room I heard him screaching, so i ran in to see what was wrong. My cat had opened the cage (this is why he was in a seperate room.  It is a big A&E cage with the little circle that just flips around, and gomer (the cat) had figured it out almost immediately after I bought it.  )  and gotten Boyd (the GCC) by the tail and was swinging him around trying to get him while boyd was flapping and running his head into stuff.  I got Boyd back after about 1.5 minutes of fighting with Gomer.  He looked unscathed other than a few missing tail feathers, exhaustion, and heavy breathing. I decided to let him relax in his cage awhile and calm down since i figured gomer had just stressed and worn him out..  About 15 minutes later i heard shreaking again, this time I opened the door to the room he is in and he was flapping on his back in the bottom of the cage screaming and having a seizure.  I picked him up while he was seizing and carried him to the kitchen with me to get the vets number and the phone, but by the time he was done, it was too late. 

Why was he okay for a few minutes first? I have never had anything have a seizure before.  I am so freaked out and upset. He was only like 6 months old. Was there anything i could have done to help him while he was seizing.  I didn't know if I should have maybe run water on him or something to shock him out of having a seizure.  If I had known Gomer had hurt him seriously in any way, I would have taken him to the vet immediately. I am so upset at myself for not doing it.  I thought he might just need to calm down.

I guess no more birds for me. Now I have to hear the "I told you so" speech from my husband about birds and cats when he gets home, I guess.

Tammy · Accepted Answer

First, I am so sorry for your loss.  Many homes have birds and cats living in them.  It just sometimes does not always work for everyone.  However, now that you know how determined Gomer is to having any bird as his snack it would be best not to try and have another pet bird.

As to why he died. When cats bite anyone they cause a puncture wound which is very deep, and for birds is deadly.  Their bites are small and hard to see.  Short of taking him directly to a bird vet for an injection of antibiotics immediately after the incident there was nothing you could have done to save your bird.  Even looking him over would use up valuable time.  

A cat's saliva has a bacteria in it that is deadly toxic and the puncture wound being so deep makes it almost impossible to save them.  It is the same as injection of poison into their little bodies.

John C · Answer

Cat saliva is very deadly to birds.  This could have contributed to your poor baby's passing.  I'm so sorry for your loss.

My 4 year old Sun Conure has had seizures in the past when under stress-  he had one at 2 when the vet took him in a back examining room and took blood from him, and he had one just yesterday when he was being boarded at bird camp for 3 days, and on the 3rd day when we were going to pick him up, the owner was to do his nails.  He was so stressed out, he had a seizure.  By the time I got to the place, the seizure had stopped. I took him out of the cage, put him gently in his carrying case and took him home. He was VERY tired, but he was ok.

I don't think the seizure killed your conure.  I was probably a combination of factors. With the stress of your cat attacking him, God only knows what happened.

? · Answer

Also keep in mind of all love, care, and attention birds require! I have bad both Sun & Green Cheek conures. Sun Conures as you know are very loud. So be sure you live in a place where neighbors wont complain! But as far as both birds go, they are absolutely the sweetest things! Conures are a unique pet, they crawl up and cuddle with you under the blankets!

Quetzel · Answer

Cats and birds CAN live together harmoniously. BOTH need to be trained properly for that to happen.

As for 'could you have done something', other than keeping the cat away from the bird, no, you couldn't have done anything that would have been of any benefit for the bird. It sounds like the seizure was what is referred to as being caused by a traumatic experience.

Sorry.

Luis Enrrique · Answer

No you couldn't, you did the right thing calling the vet and all but this type of stuff just happens sometimes, I'm very sorry about your bird

My green cheek conure had a seizure and died. Could I have done anything?

5 Answers