Birds living with other pets

[erik]

Hey all,

My wife and I will be adopting a kitten that I helped rescue, and I was wondering if you those of you that own other pets in addition to your birds have any advice for keeping things harmonious. Obviously, I'm concerned for my conure's safety, and I'm debating on letting his flight feathers grow out just so he flies somewhere high instead of onto the carpet when something scares him.

I also hear that a squirt gun works well when trying to teach a cat to stay away from a bird. We'll also be trimming the cat's claws often, because I know the claws and teeth of a feline carry some sort of deadly enzyme that can be fatal for birds.

Any other tips or suggestions?

My wife had a cat that got along just great with my conure, but the cat was old and very mellow. I know young cats can be a different story, but I'm hoping that with lots of work and supervision, it won't be a problem.

[Berserka]

I don't have any advice in that regard as none of our cats were inside cats.
I have seen instances when they get along fine but would never trust them alone.

[erik]

Thanks, Karen. Yeah, I don't let Chicken out of the cage without supervision. So far the kitten just glances at him once in awhile, but doesn't seem very interested. We also gave him a few good squirts of water when he wandered near Chicken's cage, so he's learning that he's not supposed to go near.