Duke City Fix

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JMG

Predator house cats

Here's a dilemma. I set up bird feeders and now the neighborhood cats have all started to congregate in my yard. I feel more like I'm setting a trap than helping birds. I've even seen research that shows the decline in some US songbird species can be partly attributed to predation by house cats (along with loss of habitat, etc.).

Cats also bury turds in my garden and make my dogs start crazy barking when they sit on our backyard fence. They wake us up with their wailing, because there are too many of these artifically-introduced, non-native predators fighting each other for this turf. I never see lizards and snakes around and I blame house cats for that, too.

I love kitty cats, but they should be kept indoors so they don't wreak havoc on the natural world. It's the law, too, though few people obey it. Apparently you can rent live-traps from Animal Control to catch cats that come on your property. Haven't tried that yet. I don't want to make enemies of my neighbors, but I'm not sure how to handle this problem.

Any ideas?

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Rodrigues Permalink Reply by Rodrigues on December 11, 2007 at 3:05pm
Do you think they're feral or domestic? In Florida we have a program where veterinarians will do free spay/nueter for feral cats to keep the population down... "Operation Catnip". Some cities actually poison feral cats because they're such a problem, but Op. Catnip just snips 'em and releases them so that they can live their lives but not create more cats.

My neighbor's cats have been attacked a couple times outside by other cats, and she is actually suing the other cat's owner! Can you imagine? Many outdoor cat owners believe that it is their right for their cats to be outside and do as they may, but dog owners and other cat owners should always have their animals under control or in their house?

I think a big part of it is education. I think a lot of people would make the effort to keep their cats indoors if they knew the havoc they can wreak on wild animals. Not only attacks like your birds but the spread of disease as well. Its hard to change an outdoor cat to an indoor cat, but I think whenever you adopt a cat or bring a kitten to a vet they should really try to get it through to people that their cat should stay inside, for the cat's sake and the environment's. I don't know if these places are already doing that, I hope so; the vets I used to work for were adamant about trying to get people to bring their cats inside.

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juggler Permalink Reply by juggler on May 1, 2008 at 10:33am
Suing someone for cat attacks off the property? That's a new one.

What kills me are people who are surprised when their cat doesn't come home after a night of prowling. Hello? Cars, coyotes, scuffles, and even theft all contribute to pet disappearance. Why are cat owners so shocked when it happens to them? They let their animals out at all hours - it doesn't surprise me in the least. And how their presence effects our songbird population??? Don't get me started.

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Hazel Thornton Permalink Reply by Hazel Thornton on April 8, 2008 at 7:56am
I have indoor/outdoor cats and bird feeders. Major moral dilemma. I tried CatBibs (Google it), which looked stupid but really worked...until the cats got used to them. Then I hired Ann Shewnack, from Wild Birds Unlimited on Montgomery, to come to my house for a "birdscaping" analysis. I have a great backyard, and am no stranger to birdfeeding, but she had some great ideas for me which I implemented immediately. One idea, which I can't believe I didn't think of myself, was to put chicken wire fences around the base of feeder areas. So, the seed drops to the ground, the birds gather on the ground, and the cats can only watch. No, they don't hop the fences. No, it doesn't look ugly (to me). Yes, it really works! I'm also feeding more suet, which doesn't fall to the ground. The "birdscaping" analysis costs $45, but with that you also get a $20 credit to the store. Ann is fabulous!

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Izquierdo Permalink Reply by Izquierdo on April 17, 2008 at 12:21pm
My problem is with house cats and hummingbirds. Monarda, aka beebalm or Oswego tea, is my favorite flower and also the best hummingbird plant around and it gets about a foot high -- just right for cats to hide in and or wait in stealth until a hummer comes by and then bat it from the air. I've had to quit growing mondarda because the flowers are just too close too the ground -- just right for cats. Suggestions?

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Hazel Thornton Permalink Reply by Hazel Thornton on April 17, 2008 at 2:10pm
Plant in hanging baskets and hang out of kitty reach (or jump).

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juggler Permalink Reply by juggler on May 1, 2008 at 10:26am
if you know any of your neighbors - the ones who own the cats - and you feel comfortable conversing with them then do the following.......... tell them to buy a small bell (from hobby lobby for instance) and attach it to the collar of the cat. Birds will hear the cat coming and have a better chance of escaping their attacks. ALSO, on your end - put your baths and feeders out in the open (not as asthetically pleasing, but it is effective) and elevated enough so that birds can see a predator coming and have ample time to escape. Don't have your feeders near walls or right above shrubs where predators can lurk. And yes, house cats are actually responsible for many millions of songbird deaths every year.

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Hazel Thornton Permalink Reply by Hazel Thornton on May 1, 2008 at 10:56am
All true...except....I've never known a cat who wasn't able to adapt to a bell and stalk birds (if allowed out) without ringing it! That said, "cow bells" -- preferably something a bit larger than those that come with cat collars -- are better than "jingle bells".

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