Dear Cathy,
You mentioned the dangers of using Teflon pans with a bird in the home. Another thing to keep in mind if you have a bird is that self-cleaning ovens emit fumes the same as Teflon pans, and birds should be removed from the area too.
– Cynthia, Long Island, New York
Dear Cynthia,
Thanks for the additional tip. Here’s one more: birds also are very susceptible to paint fumes, so look for no- to low-VOC (volatile organic compounds) paints when painting the home to reduce their exposure to dangerous fumes.
Cathy M. Rosenthal is a longtime animal advocate, author, columnist and pet expert who has more than 25 years in the animal welfare field. Send your pet questions, stories and tips to moc.tidnuptep@yhtac. Please include your name, city, and state. You can follow her @cathymrosenthal