intjint:

todaysbird:

psa: cat saliva is toxic to birds.

many people don’t understand just why cat attacks are so deadly to birds. even if the bird receives what looks like a minor cut, cat saliva is extremely deadly to them and will poison them if it enters the bloodstream. even a scratch from a claw instead of a bitemark can kill them, as cats coat their claws in saliva when they clean their feet. if you find a bird that has been attacked by a cat, please bring it to a wildlife rehabber even if it seems “okay”. if your bird has been attacked by a cat, please bring it to an avian vet ASAP. it’s better to be safe than sorry!

Dog and human saliva, too, right?

That’s right! All mammalian saliva, actually. I just specified cats because the majority of attacks on birds from domestic animals come from cats. I’ve also known a lot of people who have told stories of their cat letting a bird go and it “being fine”, despite the fact that it was likely poisoned.