Cats killing birds ... Nieghbours keep feeding birds!

ALIBOBSY

Pechow wrote: »

I was just thinking while reading this thread, how different US and UK attitudes towards cats are-how if you'd posted this on a US forum everyone would be saying to keep the cats indoors, and here for most people it isn't even an option. It's interesting.

Most houses and gardens in the us are much bigger than in this country and they have a number of large predators who would catch and kill cats so the situation over there is different.

We have 2 cats and I do think having more than 2 or 3 (unless you have a large property/land or live on a farm) should be limited. But I also think the numbers of urban foxes in some areas are out of control and need culling, which is the same argument really. Too many predators in one area is bad news for all the wildlife (and it follows the people who live there).

Our female never seems to catch anything except flies in the house yuck, although she likes chasing leaves and butterflys.

The male does catch stuff but more mice than birds. I avoid feeding birds in our garden and put the cats out the front door ( I know they can jump the fence into the back, but they get into the habit and rarely go in the back unless we are there).

Not much you can do sadly except the old collar stuff.

Ali x

Buckslad_2

krlyr wrote: »

I haven't even started on the whole indoor/outdoor cat debate on here because I've done it to death and just cannot see why cats are the only exception to the responsibility of pet ownership but my comments are based on the OP feeling that it's OK to chuck birds that their cats killed, and left in their garden, into someone else's garden simply because that neighbour likes cats and calls them over for fuss. OP has realised that it's the wrong thing to do so problem solved.

It was ONE bird, ONE time and yes it was unacceptable. You make it out like i do it on a regular basis which is unfair and totally incorrect.

Pechow wrote: »

I was just thinking while reading this thread, how different US and UK attitudes towards cats are-how if you'd posted this on a US forum everyone would be saying to keep the cats indoors, and here for most people it isn't even an option. It's interesting.

I have a friend in Australia and by law he has to keep his cats on his property which he does by having a large aviary type construction over the garden .. or part of the garden i cant remember exactly.

Could you imagine this country bringing in a law that all cats must be kept on an owners property? I cant see it being enforcable to be honest just like the issue with making dog owners accountable for their dogs and puppies they have bred by way of microchipping/ licences. It would be too expensive and a nightmare to enforce!

krlyr

Buckslad wrote: »

It was ONE bird, ONE time and yes it was unacceptable. You make it out like i do it on a regular basis which is unfair and totally incorrect.

There was this post though..

Buckslad wrote: »

Its been mentioned to them and one got chucked back over the fence in anger the other week for them to pick up for a change (petty i know but we were so fed up and upset)

I think we need to sit down with her and explain just how many birds are being killed and she can have that conversation with the husband. Failing that we will just throw all of the bodies back over the fence:( Thank you.

Buckslad wrote: »

Could you imagine this country bringing in a law that all cats must be kept on an owners property? I cant see it being enforcable to be honest just like the issue with making dog owners accountable for their dogs and puppies they have bred by way of microchipping/ licences. It would be too expensive and a nightmare to enforce!

Same way as 'latchkey' dogs? ID being a legal requirement, stray cats reported and followed up by a cat warden, caught/trapped and taken to a cat pound until reclaimed?

Person_one

krlyr wrote: »

Same way as 'latchkey' dogs? ID being a legal requirement, stray cats reported and followed up by a cat warden, caught/trapped and taken to a cat pound until reclaimed?

Its a lot easier to keep a dog on the right side of a fence.

I don't think cats do enough damage and harm to curtail the freedom of all of them, I don't think I've ever been bothered all that much by a cat. When I had rabbits as a kid I used to stand guard with a water pistol to keep them out of the garden if the rabbits were out but that's pretty much the only time they've ever encroached on my life at all.

antw23uk

krlyr wrote: »

Same way as 'latchkey' dogs? ID being a legal requirement, stray cats reported and followed up by a cat warden, caught/trapped and taken to a cat pound until reclaimed?

Sorry i dont follow, your saying 'latchkey' dogs have something to do with enforcing and/or creating a law for cat owners to keep there animals on their property at all times by way of cat proofing the garden to stop escapees? .. Sorry bit confused! Please explain.

I must confess i had never heard of 'latchkey' .. personally i just thought that method was how you should actually own a dog :cool: i didnt realise someone had renamed common sense!

dirtmother

I've just found this discussion when I was searching for bird food information. I was very surprised that no-one had mentioned the very useful guidance from the RSPB on cats and birds (see their website). Essentially there are precautions you can take to reduce predation and on balance it is better to feed the birds than not.

I have four cats who all have access to the outdoors and I also have a lot of well attended bird feeders. The only thing I don't do is have a ground feeder. My cats do catch birds, despite bells, although more commonly rodents. Overall the bird population has increased. The RSPB argue that carefully sited bird feeders mean that birds can access food without taking the same risks they might to get food otherwise (wild or provided)
So perhaps the answer for this person is to start feeding the birds themselves? And perhaps share the RSPB information on siting of feeders with the neighbours?