Hello everyone, I registered on this forum specifically to ask this question.
Background:
My girlfriend has a cat, I have an indian ringneck parrot, Henry. I still live with my parents (with the bird), she has her own place with her cat. Short-term we've managed to go three weeks living together (with both of the animals) while I was doing an internship at a lab closer to her apartment. We've kept at least one degree of separation between the animals at all times (meaning the doors to their rooms+the birdcage). We've successfully monitored them assuring that they do not come into contact with each other while they are out. Henry hasn't come into contact with anything Fiona (the cat) eats or scratches regularly. After we close the door to the bird room, we make sure that the cat is outside by checking all the other rooms.
Now, the question is this: do you guys think that's feasible long-term? I'm deathly afraid of making a mistake and contributing to my beloved bird dying a painful death. Currently the plan is I'll be moving in with her after I finish my degree and get a job, so we still have a few months to mull over it. I don't want to make her surrender her cuddly little british shorthair to her parents but the safety of my feathered child is a priority. After all, it takes only one mistake for something to happen. That's why I wanted to know you guys' opinions, maybe someone has managed to make it work in a similar situation.
Background:
My girlfriend has a cat, I have an indian ringneck parrot, Henry. I still live with my parents (with the bird), she has her own place with her cat. Short-term we've managed to go three weeks living together (with both of the animals) while I was doing an internship at a lab closer to her apartment. We've kept at least one degree of separation between the animals at all times (meaning the doors to their rooms+the birdcage). We've successfully monitored them assuring that they do not come into contact with each other while they are out. Henry hasn't come into contact with anything Fiona (the cat) eats or scratches regularly. After we close the door to the bird room, we make sure that the cat is outside by checking all the other rooms.
Now, the question is this: do you guys think that's feasible long-term? I'm deathly afraid of making a mistake and contributing to my beloved bird dying a painful death. Currently the plan is I'll be moving in with her after I finish my degree and get a job, so we still have a few months to mull over it. I don't want to make her surrender her cuddly little british shorthair to her parents but the safety of my feathered child is a priority. After all, it takes only one mistake for something to happen. That's why I wanted to know you guys' opinions, maybe someone has managed to make it work in a similar situation.