This page is part of the Pet Bird Flu Information Center.

The greatest level of protection against bird flu is gained by isolating your pet from birds, bird feces (poop), and other pets. The biggest step toward achieving this is bringing your pet indoors (or creating a secure environment outdoors which can be more difficult).

For those who still have time to think about how they might achieve this (some in infected areas are already forced by law to bring their pets inside) its time to start thinking about how you might accomplish this. Areas that typically come up to be evaluated include porches that are or might be screened in, basements, garages, a room in the house, and nearby barns or sheds.

Barns, sheds, and garages often have mice problems (mice can carry the disease), as well as they may have birds of bird droppings in them. Detached buildings (barns, sheds, or detached garages) may give your pets a sense of being in isolation and make them unhappy campers.

Everybody needs to evaluate their situation and specific opportunities against their pet's needs (some pets have greater attention demands, some blend in fairly easy with the family in the house, and others don't.

Cat rooms are easier to create than dog rooms. You can toss some kitty toys, kitty beds, and a litter box in a room and expect the room to be slightly under control when you come back. That is not always true with dogs.

If you try the outdoor route, and cover a dog run or dog kennel with mesh wire small enough to keep birds out, you may still need to keep them from landing on it, or pooping through it by putting a tarp over it.

Typically "outdoor cats" will adopt to indoor life much easier than "outdoor dogs".

Three groups have written excellent suggestions to aid moving cats indoors.

• How to Make Your Outdoor Cat a Happy Indoor Cat by the American Bird Conservancy

• How to Have a Happy to be Indoors Cat and Keeping Cats Indoors: Cruelty or Kindness. by Amy Shapiro and Kathy Snow.

• Healthy & Happy Indoor Cat by Robert J. Holmes and Leslie Larson Cooper. (Includes several nice photos of habitats).

Two other sites present some ideas for outdoor cat enclosures.

• The Stanford Cat Network has several ideas for building outdoor, or partially outdoor cat enclosures. Several of them can be adapted to indoor use or possibly made more secure for staying outdoors.

• Do It Yourself Cat Fence from FeralCat.com presents a design for an outdoor cat enclosure. With some work it might be modified to keep the birds off of it.

Screens

If your thinking of using an existing screened in porch or screening in one, cats can and do break out of normal screens. Some suggest using hardware cloth (welded, galvanized wire) on the inside of the screen for the first two or three feet up from the floor to prevent dogs or cats from tearing the screen.

Training Small Dogs to Use a Litter Box

The link below provides some great tips on how to get small dogs to use litter boxes. This can be very helpful if you need to bring your dog inside to avoid the bird flu.

• Training Small Dogs to Use A Litter Box from MyItalianGreyhounds.com

Exercise

Once you get you pet indoors, especially dogs, they are going to need some exercise.

Indoor Pet Games from Dog Scout Troop 107 provides several ideas you might be able to build upon.

We will be exploring other exercise opportunities, including treadmills here in the future.

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