Feeding birds with local cats around

Tamsin_Temrin

Not sure if right place.

Lots of local cats - at least two (variable) next door and a couple of wanderers around. There is a rat problem down the road (local takeaway).

Is it a good idea to feed birds? I've got a few bushes I could hang things from. Don't want to tempt them into harms way (cats) or encourage rats.

savingmummy

I place bird food on top of sheds and garages x

Lotus-eater

I would use a rat and cat proof bird table, although I am unaware if one of those exists or not.

Tamsin_Temrin

Not sure anything is rat proof.

Could try the roof of a nasty neighbours car lol,

May try fat balls, in this weather I think it is worth the risk for the birds, and hardly any cats out.

Thanks for the suggestions.

bylromarha

I have nothing helpful to suggest except that I only looked at this thread as it came up on the forum home page as "feeding birds with local cats..."

Had images of all these people going out in the dead of night to kill the noisy moggies in their area, ringing their necks with their cold hard green fingers to ensure the birds had enough protein in their diet from the cat flesh

Glad it isn't!

Tamsin_Temrin

bylromarha wrote: »

I have nothing helpful to suggest except that I only looked at this thread as it came up on the forum home page as "feeding birds with local cats..."

Had images of all these people going out in the dead of night to kill the noisy moggies in their area, ringing their necks with their cold hard green fingers to ensure the birds had enough protein in their diet from the cat flesh

Glad it isn't!

If I can't stop a local tomcat using my flower tubs as a urinal it may come to that lol.

There are some really really good hunters among the local cats, and so I don't want to give them easy targets. I don't do pink and fluffy, but there are some limits. Haven't seen rat tracks in the snow, but I'm not Hiawatha, so not sure about taking the risk. In this weather the birds will probably think its worth it.

Lotus-eater

With fat balls you get the bits falling to the ground and then birds on the ground, which is what you don't want. And then rats are drawn to the remaining food.
Rats will also be drawn to roofs with food on them.

beks

We have a cat and instead of having a table which a cat can climb, we have a pole like thing which you can hang bird seed holders and fat balls etc off. It also has dishes for water and bread. Our cat could never reach it or climb it. Think it was from wilkinsons or b&q. Or how about hanging things of a washing line if you have one? The birds definitely need some help at this time of year with so much snow on the ground.

kandyfloss

Hi Tasmin we have two cats of our own and one adopted one and we manage to feed the birds ok.Can you afford any of those bird feeder stations which normally consist of a set of metal poles that come apart when not in use and when fitted together are about six feet tall.If you can find the right ones{try your local garden centre or the RSPB}some of them have containers attached where you can place the seed and also water for drinking.

Usually the top part of the feeder pole will have a bit either side where you can hang bird feeders full of nuts,seed,Niger seed{Goldfinches love Niger seed but you have to put these in a seed holder}

I usually put mine near a tree but not too close that cats could jump from the tree to the station.If you put any food on shed or garage roofs then cats can still get up onto those buildings and the birds will stay away.

While we have this cold weather my cats have been more interested in staying in the warm and they only venture out to have a quick poo and wee then they are back indoors lol...

Please everyone,please feed the birds through the winter if you can afford it and especially in this really cold snap as they need to eat in food at least three times their body weight each day just to survive the night and they will reward you in many ways in the spring and summer eating those nastie beasties that nosh your precious flowers and veggies....Thanks

grossbeak

An economic bird feeder can be made from a twiggy branch jammed in the ground like a tree. If it's placed away from cat hiding places most birds should spot a cat coming even if they are on the ground. By the way, don't just feed them bread, it offers little nutrition to birds. Bread soaked in lard is much better, and better still if you add leftover seeds, nuts, fruit, porridge oats and peanut butter. Birds need much more fat than we do.

grossbeak

Oh and in this freezing weather birds have difficulty finding water to drink. Keep their water dish topped up and ice-free as much as possible.