Can pet birds (parrots, canaries, etc) live in the same house with dogs and cats?

They can for a while, sometimes. But my experience, in the cases where (against my advice and attempts to refuse it) birds were introduced to homes I lived in where there were cats, was that eventually the cats killed the birds (or the birds did not thrive and were let go). In one case it seemed like it might work, but then a cat went for the bird.

I expect there are cases where it’s worked out. Probably best if the bird is older than the cat, and the cat meets the bird as a kitten, I would think.

My girlfriend had a bird already and introduced a puppy. It’s been fine. I don’t know what would happen if the dog was first.

As far as cats, my cats lived hunting birds. Yikes! It seems risky. But, probably it has been done successfully. I would say don’t let the bird loose while the cat is in the house.

As a dog trainer, I regularly hear stories about dogs getting on very well with their feathered housemates. Invariably, at some point, the owners tell me that the bird has been killed.

My dog has lived with cats, guinea pigs, and rabbits. All of these were fine. Birds, in my opinion, are too much for most predators.

I agree with you in that keeping birds in cages is cruel. Before getting a parrot, I recommend reading the excellent book, “Alex and Me” by Irene Pepperberg. It’s a fascinating story about what parrots are capable of, and it drives home the point that parrots, as non-domesticated animals, belong in living rooms about as much as a tiger or a chimpanzee does.

I really wanted a parrot before reading that book. I don’t anymore.

A relative of mine has birds and cats (can you say allergy city?) but they live on different floors. The birds have the run of the first floor. The cars live on the third floor, lovingly called “the “Cattic”. There is a door that separates the floors so there is absolutely no mixing of species.

It’s probably not a good idea in general. If you do, it requires extreme, constant vigilance and the consequences of a lapse could be a tragedy.

Here’s what a vet says about it.

Sure, as long as you watch the bird and supervise it when it is out. I have had cockateils and a Military macaw for years and my cats never bothered them. Infact the cats were afraid of them, as they are my pet geese. The worst accident I had ( no injuries ) was when my goose attacked my parrot who had climbed down off his cage in the yard one day when I was washing it.

The parrot could have crushed my ganders head like a peanut but he just lay on the ground shrieking while my goose plucked him. haha
Speaking of birds, I just had to euathanize my 20 yr. old goose last night. He was suffering from joint deterioration and his little heart was failing. :-(

My bird likes to preen the whiskers of my cats. The cats are terrified of the bird. She also likes to climb on the (large) dogs. The dogs are terrified of the bird. They all just create a slow motion parade across the floor.