Cats and birds have a long history of conflict. If you’ve noticed aggressive bird species swooping in on your feline friend, you may be wondering why these animals seem to have such animosity towards each other.
If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer to your question: Birds attack cats to defend their young or territory, mistaking cats as predators. Magpies, mockingbirds, blue jays, and robins are common birds known to attack cats.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the types of birds that frequently attack cats, why they do it, how to prevent these bird attacks, and what to do if your cat is swooped by an aggressive bird.
Bird Species Most Likely To Attack Cats
Magpies
Magpies are aggressive birds that will fiercely defend their nests and young from perceived predators like cats. If a cat climbs a tree or even walks near a magpie nest, the large black and white birds will swarm to attack the feline with loud distress calls and furious pecking.
Magpies recognize individual cats too, so a single magpie can harass a cat it remembers from a previous encounter.
Mockingbirds
The fearless mockingbird aggressively defends its territory and nest. A mockingbird will launch at a cat scratching with its claws or pecking with its beak if it senses a threat. These small gray and white songbirds are so bold they may even attack humans that get too close to a nest.
A mockingbird will remember a specific cat it has tangled with and scold it loudly whenever it appears.
Blue Jays
Blue jays are clever birds in the corvid family like crows and ravens. If a blue jay spots a cat prowling near its nest, it will sound loud alarm calls to recruit other jays to mob the cat. A frenzied flock of blue jays may furiously dive bomb and peck at the cat while cawing loudly.
Jays have strong beaks that can inflict painful bites, and they will harass cats repeatedly once they identify them as predators.
Robins
Robins aggressively defend their nesting areas in springtime when raising young chicks. The red-breasted songbird is fiercely territorial and will scream dive bomb intruders, including cats, that venture too close to a nest in bushes or on the ground.
A parent robin will repeatedly attack a cat by striking with its feet or pecking its head until it drives the feline away, though this is mostly bluffing and robins rarely cause injury.
These scrappy birds stand their ground against cats to protect eggs and chicks. Their aggressive tactics like loud calls, pecking, clawing, and mobbing usually discourage prowling cats. While a coordinated bird attack is intimidating, cats should avoid eating birds which helps reduce these confrontations.
Why Birds Attack Cats
Defending Nestlings
Birds are extremely protective of their young, and they will aggressively defend their nests and nestlings from any perceived threat, including cats. Parent birds may dive-bomb, swoop, screech at, or even physically attack a cat that wanders too close to their nest.
This reaction is an instinctive behavior triggered by the parent birds’ urge to protect their vulnerable chicks from predators like cats that could eat baby birds or eggs. Some birds that are particularly fierce in defending their nests against cats include robins, blue jays, mockingbirds, crows, sparrows, wrens, and blackbirds.
Protecting Territory
In addition to defending active nests, birds can be very territorial and view roaming cats as intruders in their domain. This is especially true during breeding season when birds are staking out nesting areas, but it can occur year-round.
Birds aggressively chase cats out of their perceived territory by diving, pecking, clawing, or colliding with the unwanted feline. Some birds like mockingbirds, cardinals, robins, and blue jays are known for vigorously defending their territory against interlopers like stray cats.
They may remember specific cats and target them repeatedly each time they encroach on the bird’s area.
Mistaking Cats For Predators
Some birds may instinctively view cats as predatory threats, even when the cat poses no real danger. For example, a cat strolling through a yard may trigger a bird’s innate fear of hunters like hawks, owls, coyotes, or raccoons.
The bird splits second reaction is to mob and drive out the perceived predator by dive bombing, screeching, or harassing the cat. This kind of instinctive aggression is most common among smaller bird species like robins, juncos, nuthatches, and sparrows that are frequent targets for real animal predators in the wild.
In a 2022 study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers found that 97% of birds that attacked cats were smaller species under 2 pounds, while larger birds like crows were less aggressive.
The findings suggest anti-predator mobbing behavior is likely an defensive instinct in many small bird species when confronted with a potential threat like a wandering house cat.
Preventing Bird Attacks on Cats
Keep Cats Indoors
One of the most effective ways to prevent bird attacks is to keep cats indoors. Indoor cats live on average 10-15 years longer than outdoor cats. According to the ASPCA, cats who stay indoors avoid dangers like wildlife attacks, diseases, car accidents, poisons, and more.
An indoor cat enclosure or cat patio allows cats to experience the outdoors safely.
Use Deterrents
There are several deterrents cat owners can use to discourage birds from attacking cats:
- Cat bibs prevent birds from clawing cats’ backs.
- Ultrasonic devices emit high-frequency sounds to drive birds away.
- Sprinklers, water guns, or hoses can scare birds when motion activated.
- Reflective collars, decoys of predators, and shiny ribbons on fences may deter birds.
Remove Bird Attractors
Eliminating outdoor food sources helps prevent bird attacks. According to ABC Birds, the top bird attractors are:
| Bird Feeders | Offer alternative feeding stations away from cats’ access paths. |
| Fruit Trees & Bushes | Cover or net ripening fruits cats could hide under. |
| Accessible Trash | Secure cans and bins so contents won’t draw birds that could then spot cats. |
Following these tips can significantly reduce birds hassling pet cats. However, birds may still occasionally test boundaries, especially in spring. So remain vigilant when cats are outside.
What To Do If Your Cat Is Attacked By Birds
Bring The Cat Indoors
If your cat has been attacked by birds, the first thing you should do is bring them inside. This will get them to safety and prevent any further attacks. Cats that go outdoors face many risks, including attacks from birds defending their nests.
Bringing your cat indoors full-time is the best way to protect them.
Check For Injuries
Once your cat is safely indoors, check them over carefully for any injuries. Bird attacks can result in scratches, wounds, and eye injuries. Look for any visible signs of injury on their body, especially the face and eyes. Birds can use their talons to scratch a cat’s face and eyes.
If your cat’s eyes seem irritated, squinty, or watery, they may have been scratched. Check for any bleeding or swelling, as these require prompt veterinary attention.
It’s important to stay calm and speak softly to your cat during this process. A loud or panicked reaction can further stress them out. Give them lots of gentle praise and petting to help them relax after the incident.
Consult A Vet
Even if you don’t see any visible injuries, it’s best to have your cat seen by a veterinarian after a bird attack. Birds’ beaks and talons carry bacteria that can cause infection. A vet can check for puncture wounds, perform a thorough eye exam, test for diseases, and prescribe antibiotics or medication as needed.
Be sure to call your vet right away and explain your cat was attacked by a bird.
To help avoid future incidents, consider trimming any bushes or trees around your property that birds may be nesting in. Place bird feeders and birdbaths away from areas your cats frequent. Supervise time spent outdoors and try to bring cats in during peak bird activity times.
With proper care and prevention, you can help protect your cat from angry birds!
Conclusion
Bird attacks on cats usually happen because the birds are trying to protect their young or territory from what they perceive as a predator. By keeping your cat indoors, discouraging nesting near your home, and deterring birds, you can prevent most swooping incidents.
While bird attacks can be scary, they’re rarely fatal for cats. Pay attention to your pet’s body language to avoid encounters. Check for injuries if an attack occurs and call your vet with any concerns. With proper precautions, you can allow both cats and birds to coexist peacefully.
