Officials at an animal rights group have pleaded with R&B star Cee Lo Green to find a better pet for his appearances on TV talent show The Voice, insisting Moluccan cockatoos aren't happy as pampered feathered friends.

The Forget You singer has traded in his white cat, Purrfect, for the bird, which will sit on his shoulder during the audition rounds of the upcoming season of the show - but the idea doesn't sit well with experts.

Born Free USA spokeswoman Monica Engebretson tells the Globe tabloid that Green should have done his homework before adopting the cockatoo as his sidekick.

She says, "They're beautiful, intelligent animals but they are very challenging to care for and are prone to considerable problems. They develop self-destructive behavior, including feather plucking and self-mutilation.

"I encourage The Voice (producers) to promote a more appropriate companion animal."