I’ve heard of cats and birds being pals, but never when the bird is a barn owl (Tyto alba). Here’s an amazing video of a basement cat, named Fum, playing with an owl named Gebra. You really wonder what is going through the mind of each beast when it regards the other.
h/t: Matthew Cobb, Ray and 645ive
This is awesome!
When I was a little boy, my mother and I used to sing The Owl & The Pussycat together before I went to bed. Now I read it to my kids fairly regularly. It was the first song they learned.
I think they’ll enjoy this video. Thanks!
My mom, too:-)
Oh lovely Pussy, oh Pussy my love, what a beautiful Pussy you are, you are, you are, what a beautiful Pussy you are… (hard to beat Edward Lear for rhythm).
Is that a Bong-Tree in the background;-)? Hilarious video–thanks! Love how kitteh stalks from behind…runs…. and *jumps* over owl’s head! Definitely watching this with my kids tonight, too!
I like the last bit of the video where they both turn towards the camera but it’s only the cat that does a runner…..COWARD! Lol
Harry Potter series has far reaching influences 😀
Those guys are confused.
Keep the cat well fed!
Freakin’ adorable and fun. At first I thought kitteh was annoying owl, but owl keeps coming back for more fun. At whatever level they think, these two clearly enjoy each other’s company.
I like when the owl flies in and lands on the cat’s head momentarily.
That might have been pretty painful for the kitteh. Those talons are like needles.
I suspect a criminal partnership may be surreptitiously developing.
What a gorgeous bird; I miss having owls around.
Are there any videos of the two out to sea?
:- )
Owls and cats share many interests. Maybe they regard each other with the same professional admiration as do sharks and lawyers?
Also, in regards to sailing trips, cat has nixed any more:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tomgauld/5464942934/
Frans de Waal mentioned polar bears and huskies playing in the wild in his book ‘the Age of Empathy’. Of course, I didn’t believe it. There are YouTube videos easily available showing it happen, which have me astounded … Search for ‘polar bears huskies’.
Oh, I’m so glad someone found this for you. I saw it on another site but couldn’t remember where. It’s a perfect video for WEIT. They truly seem to be playing with each other and enjoying themselves.
What minds?
Theirs, if you don’t mind.
Isn’t it obvious how such a friendship could be? Barn owls and pussy cats were friends on Noah’s Ark; it’s proof positive that the Bible is true.
This is a joy to watch (though, I can’t help noticing the kitteh could use more food)! The feline is an identical match to one of my cats, Monty, and shares his talent for the jump, as well.
Amazing and wonderful video!
What is on the owl’s feet? It is hard to tell, but it looks like they are chained together.
Peggy, they are jesses – used in falconry to hold on to a bird while it’s perched on your hand. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesses_%28falconry%29)
Yep. They show that it’s a “tame” owl.
I’ve flown a barn owl (and a few others) at a local bird-of-prey centre.
Here’s Moe the Crow and Cassie the Cat:
Aww that was awesome! It was also amusing to watch the dude’s face when the wife was saying “we’ve been married 53 years!”.
Surface to air kitteh!
My amazon parrot Gus has lived with cats for 25 years. He now believes he is a cat. He eats with them, sleeps with them, uses the box with them (very unhealthy for him) and defends them by attacking ankles when ever anyone or the dogs gets too close…
Last year, after 24 years together, Mags died. Gus refused to eat, preen, and called for the cat all day..when he started dropping feathers..it was off to the vet..
She recommended a new kitten…Jim seems to be adjusting to having a bird try to clean his ears!
How wonderful to live with those experiences!
I’m so sorry for your loss, but am heartened to hear of a new budding friendship! (erm, I’m sure you are aware – but cats claws can quickly devastate a bird due to infection when the skin gets punctured. You have a small window of opportunity, mere hours, for treatment – just a friendly FYI and I do apologize if you already knew).
Come on – a video please. We would all like to see Gus and Jim
Did anyone else think that this looks like a possible fake? Something about the clarity of the owl in the beginning almost looks too perfectly focused. Just curious as to whether I’m the only one who thought that.
Admittedly, barn owls are rather bizarre in their movements and appearance, so maybe it’s just me. And maybe I’m just nostalgic:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Z8RcMykClQ&w=640&h=390]
I used to know someone called Tony Dooglas was ran a bird sanctuary. One day and I was invited to visit and took my daughter along.
We were sat on the settee waiting for Tony and his Labrador walked into the room. Suddenly it got very dark as an Eagle Owl which has been perched on top of the open door opened its wings and glided onto the dog’s back. the Labrador just rolled it’s eyes, as if to say ‘not again’ and then set off to walk around the ground floor of the house with the Owl gazing around as if it were the most naturla thing in the world. The thing that worriede me was how on earth did I miss the owl until it left the top of the door?
That made the visit worth while on its own.
We used to have a black cat that would climb the 10′ chicken fence and hang out with the banties.
I don’t think it’s fake, mainly because it is a tame owl. They both have their human’s scent on them and know each other well.
I love falconry. Owls are particularly hard to develop a relationship with. Kudos to the owner. I wonder if she has Harris Hawks – indigneous to the SW and Mexico (landscape looks right for that area.)