Expert: Edmund Brown - 4/9/2005

Question
 Hi i recently purchased an albino burmese python i am guessing it is under a year about two feet long.My main concern is i have three cats do these snakes pick up a scent on the cats that may make them strike?

Answer
Hi Donya,
These snakes usually do not strike at a cat odor as a cat lacks the wild scent of say, mice or rats. I have had several cats and never had a problem with this. I also do not temp fate by allowing the cats near the snake when the snake is large enough to consider the cat a meal. The real problem with cats and pythons is the amonia created by the cat urine. This can ,over time, cause fatal lung disease for the snake. For that reason I don't have any more cats. In short, If a cat walks into the room while you are handling your snake, that alone will not be enough to cause a strike. Thanks. Edmund Brown [ReptileEd] http://www.ReptileSpectacular.com