Do you keep your birds and other pets together?

When nature created a diversity of organisms, it established its own rules for predators and prey. Although both elements of nature could coexist in a single type of environment, they possess some specific traits with which they could survive against each other.

For example, predators depend on prey for food and prey also have adequate opportunities for protection.

Problems arise only when the most intelligent elements of nature, human beings, pose disturbances in the functioning of natural processes.

One of the similar situations arises when you choose to have several pets together, of which, beautiful birds such as parrots are bought to live with dogs and cats.

You may have used all the pet grooming tips to make your furry four-legged companions soft in nature, but the mere sight of prey could turn them ferocious. And this is to some extent that they could end up killing and eating your sweet pet bird.

You may have seen your cats hunting birds in the trees in your garden and your dogs chasing them in the meadow to catch them. In such a situation, could you ever imagine that two pets of the exact opposite nature could coexist with each other? Let’s take a broader look at the point of view above.

Birds and other pets at home:

People can choose from various types of parrots, pigeons, mynah, owls, nightingales, and larks, etc. to keep them at home in cages. Most of these are extremely colorful and nice to look at. Everything is going perfectly fine until you decide to have just one other pet in the form of a dog or cat, or the other way around having a four-legged pet first.

Although it is absolutely not an offense to keep birds, dogs and cats together, it is always best to be safe and sound with predators and prey coexisting in one place – your home sweet home.

Predatory actions of your four-legged pets:

It is very obvious and you may have seen countless animated movies in your youth. The most famous was the Looney Tunes cartoon, where the cunning Sylvester Cat attacked the brave little Tweety. Although he was never able to achieve his intentions, the reality could be completely different.

In the first instance, all your pet (probably cats) would come up with is the juicy meat of the bird that could satisfy its stomach. But how do you notice these conditions in your pets?

Well, you could see conditions like your pet’s body absolutely still and his eyes fixed on the bird’s cage. The mouth could be tightly closed or the animal’s tongue could click with delight. It would have absolutely erect ears and the tail would also be stiff, erect. When your dog or cat becomes too focused on your bird, it is a warning sign to pay attention to.

Predatory actions could occur almost in the blink of an eye, but the steps above are immensely measured and calculated. These are the warning signs for you to prepare and hush your pet to shut down from the attack.

Even if you have tied your dog securely, it could try to get loose by pulling on the leash or barking continuously. Cats, of course, are rarely kept on a leash and therefore have a better chance of attacking your pet birds.

If you also find any such conditions in your home, offer to calm your pets with instructions and petting. Pets can also be offered treats as a reward to know that being in a friendly gesture is more rewarding than trying to attack the weak companion.

If you can’t control the fight between your furry and winged pets, you probably need the advice of an animal behavior specialist. The person could offer you the exact guidance on your conditions, on how you could turn your fight into a more friendly gesture.

Precautions while your furry and winged pets coexist:

While you want to instill such an idea, you need to be careful with some specific points which are as follows:

· Keep Pets in Touch: If you think that the best method to prevent your pet from being attacked by your cat or dog is to separate them completely, you could be completely wrong. While the birds you own love to socialize, cats and dogs can also develop a sense of liking when they see the other pet on a daily basis. However, you must practice this by keeping a certain distance effectively. The birds should be kept in a suitable and sturdy cage, which can be hung in a safe place. Make sure it is big and strong enough to withstand the attacks of the most powerful pet.

· Ensure bird safety: The cage in which your bird is kept should be kept in a place that will make it difficult for the other pet to attack. Make sure to hang it securely so it doesn’t fall off when hit.

It is not always obvious that cats and dogs would attack your domestic birds just by looking at them. However, adequate security measures must always be ensured. Most birds that are caged or opened with other friendly pets could be injured in their play due to the sharp claws and teeth of four-legged pets. Make sure to avoid any conditions as they could be unpleasant.

· Don’t leave pets together unsupervised: If you tend to forget the laws of nature and come to the conclusion that your pets of the opposite nature have developed a sufficient bond to outlaw any danger, you could drastically regret your decision. Birds that play open with dogs and cats can become annoying at any time and this is not due to a specific reason. If cats or dogs find enough reasons to do so, they can always tend to attack your birds, no matter how friendly they may have been before.

· Pet toys: If you have furry pets at home, before bringing a bird into their company, you can offer your dogs and cats some stuffed toys in the shape of birds and see how they react to them. It’s no wonder pets can get aggressive when using their nails and claws on toys. So it is the caregiver’s responsibility to calm an aggressive pet and make it friendlier to its toys. If the dog or cat tends to grab the toy bird in its mouth, you can prohibit the process by offering treats. In this way, the new entrant in your home will have less chance of being greeted with an unpleasant attack.

Upside down:

It really is very non-obvious to think, but when you have a small breed of dog or cat and the bird is comparable in size, any shy nature of your furry pet could cause your winged companion to attack it.

Birds also have sharp beaks and nails, which could cause a lot of damage. This could also be possible when you bring a new offspring, one of a furry pet, into contact with your previously existing bird in the house.

In such a case, you will be asked to keep your shy pet safely and in a safe place. Offer them a sheltered place where birds can never try to enter.

Although pets could become friendly in the future, you will be asked to make sure the presentation process goes smoothly, without any fury from either side.

When your pets are injured:

As we mentioned earlier, accidents can happen at any time and the same goes for your pets. Whether they are friends or not, they could tend to hurt each other with the natural weapons they possess.

Also in this, the chances of your birds getting hurt are always higher. If this happens, follow an immediate veterinary referral. Cat and dog tooth bites or claw attacks can be lethal to the bird and therefore require immediate medical attention.

Veterinarians would fully diagnose them for any toxic consequences and offer treatments in the form of dressings and medications. You should keep track of the vet’s schedules and offer medications in time for your pet’s speedy recovery.

In contrasting cases, birds could offer a nasty bite to furry pets with their beaks and tend to hurt their eyes with their sharp nails. This situation also requires immediate medical attention and could lead to many disorders in the pet’s body.

Also in this case, the veterinarians would offer the appropriate treatment, but with the help of the pet owner to ensure its healthy recovery with the appropriate measures.

Keeping winged pets (birds) and furry pets (dogs or cats) together could always be a matter of chance with your outcome. You may or may not expect them to behave aggressively towards each other, but paying attention to safety measures and precautions is always imperative with such a notion.