why-animals-do-the-thing:

kitsunexiii:

@why-animals-do-the-thing
Sorry to bother you, but I’m seeing a lot of people call this “cute”. To me this cat’s body language looks like it’s trying to decide if it wants to hunt the bird. The bird also seems very nervous to me. Am I right to be worried?

There’s not enough video here to make a determination about the bird’s behavior or body language, but yes, you’re absolutely right to be worried. 

This is an interaction that should never be allowed to happen by responsible pet owners. Cat saliva is full of gram negative bacteria that kills small animals very quickly if introduced to their bloodstream, and even if the bird doesn’t get hurt, this has to be intensely stressful for it. 

With so little footage, I would guess (after consulting with a wildlife professional who works with birds) that what you’re seeing on the part of the bird is an avoidance behavior – basically, staying still in hope the predator goes away. This is absolutely investigative behavior on the cat’s park. However, if the cat’s pawing triggered an escape reflex in the bird, the bird taking off would likely trigger a predatory reflex in the cat, and then the bird is probably going to be dead. 

The slightest scratch from a tooth or recently-groomed claw could spell slow, painful death for that bird, in addition to the risk of the cat attacking it. You do NOT put birds (excluding adult chickens, ducks, etc), rodents, reptiles, or other prey animals near cats. No matter how friendly and calm the cat seems. Even if the cat treats the prey animal like its own kitten.