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If you have a cat you have to stop it scaring and eating birds

508 replies

lasagnelle · 10/11/2024 16:10

Get a bell collar or something. Give the wildlife a chance. Can you train cats to leave birds alone?

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Harmonypus · 12/11/2024 00:58

My dog presents me with dead rats. Never a mouse or bird, just rats.
I've asked him on numerous occasions, throughout his almost 11 years, to leave them by the outdoor bin and not in the middle of my kitchen floor.
He takes absolutely no notice, and to be perfectly honest, I'd rather see a dead one in the middle of the kitchen floor than a live one anywhere near our home.
So I'll be letting him continue his murdering ways.

gcsedilemma · 11/11/2024 23:18

According to this lady (2.50 minutes), you must not "scold" a cat for killing birds. Instead, her cats had their own bank account and sent "conscience money" to the RSPB

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music that you love, upload original content and share it all with friends, family and the world on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEp-bigGqYI

letthemalldoone · 11/11/2024 22:27

Nextdoor55 · 11/11/2024 22:08

which proves zero, the fact is, the glass was already there, had humans not put the glass door there the bird would still be alive, cat just was an added complication, you need to start with the human species

I was literally just sharing an anecdote of what you had described. I don't know if the finch would have survived if the cat hadn't happened to be there. My DH saw it and couldn't do anything in time. The wee thing was either stunned or had broken its neck.

K0OLA1D · 11/11/2024 22:10

Whatinthedoopla · 11/11/2024 22:07

Cats are horrendous for wildlife

18 pages in....

So are humans

GimmeCoffee · 11/11/2024 22:09

Crunchymum · 10/11/2024 16:20

Mine are indoor cats.

I now expect an absolute pasting for that!!

Mine are too!!! They’re Ragdolls so have to be indoor cats as they are not savvy enough enough to steer clear of danger and would be ran over, got by a nasty dog or stolen!
However my mam has 2 moggies and they are also house cats.
All perfectly content and happy and healthy!

Nextdoor55 · 11/11/2024 22:08

letthemalldoone · 11/11/2024 21:52

A couple of weeks ago, a little goldfinch flew into our patio doors, and a neighbour's cat was sadly right there to pounce.

which proves zero, the fact is, the glass was already there, had humans not put the glass door there the bird would still be alive, cat just was an added complication, you need to start with the human species

Whatinthedoopla · 11/11/2024 22:07

Cats are horrendous for wildlife

letthemalldoone · 11/11/2024 21:52

Nextdoor55 · 11/11/2024 21:23

Oh come on! you can't blame the eradication of wildlife on cats, us humans are far more responsible for killing wildlife, just by having windows for a start, there are thousands of birds and wildlife that get run over daily and birds that fly into windows all of the time, not to mention wildlife 'sports'. I mean seriously you have to start with the human species... cats are cats. Besides which my cat couldn't catch a bird or mouse if she tried, she's far to lazy

A couple of weeks ago, a little goldfinch flew into our patio doors, and a neighbour's cat was sadly right there to pounce.

ichundich · 11/11/2024 21:48

This is what kills wildlife: BBC News - Eighteen swans found dead under Cambridgeshire power line - BBC News
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cew2nzvdyklo

Nextdoor55 · 11/11/2024 21:28

Whyamiherenow · 11/11/2024 20:22

We have a cat. Long story. Accidental rescue.

Nothing can stop him killing when he wants. One collar with a bell / two bells / three bells. Rabbits, rats, pigeons, moles even. It’s just their way. He’s old now so slower and the gifts are less frequent. Other than keeping cats indoors all the time. There’s no way to stop them.

nope and no way to stop birds and wildlife fly into cars and windows either, both of which we humans are responsible for. We have to start with us people

Nextdoor55 · 11/11/2024 21:25

Talkinrubbishagain · 11/11/2024 20:50

We spent 20 years creating a wildlife garden. ( it’s very large).
A new neighbour next door moved in with five cats.
We found quite a number of mutilated birds, /slow worms/ rabbits / voles / frogs etc. What was a thriving area is now very low in wildlife. Rarely seen unless they are dead! it breaks my heart.I used to get super film on my wildlife camera,now, it hardly gets anything apart from cats!
I did ask the owners to keep them in at night…they couldn’t do that apparently.

you need to get a few cats yourself, they are much more interesting than birds and will kill the rodents bird feed inevitably bring

Nextdoor55 · 11/11/2024 21:23

lasagnelle · 10/11/2024 16:15

"whilst cats are not threatening any species with extinction, they do kill in excess of 50 million birds each year as well as frogs, slow worms and various small mammals."

https://community.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/f/ask-an-expert/96132/ask-an-expert-cats-and-wild-birds#:~:text=In%20gardens%20here%20in%20the,worms%20and%20various%20small%20mammals.

Oh come on! you can't blame the eradication of wildlife on cats, us humans are far more responsible for killing wildlife, just by having windows for a start, there are thousands of birds and wildlife that get run over daily and birds that fly into windows all of the time, not to mention wildlife 'sports'. I mean seriously you have to start with the human species... cats are cats. Besides which my cat couldn't catch a bird or mouse if she tried, she's far to lazy

Horrace · 11/11/2024 21:04

Mine are all vegan

LlynTegid · 11/11/2024 20:55

At least try a bell collar, I agree. I am ashamed to say that growing up we did not persist with the first cat we had, who is entirely responsible for any knowledge of bird breeds I have.

TWETMIRF · 11/11/2024 20:55

Isseywith2witchycats · 11/11/2024 18:12

could you imagine how stress full it would be if someone put a collar round your neck and every time you moved or walked the bell tinkled in your ears , bell collars are very stress full to cats as their hearing is much more sensitive then ours

Only someone who doesn't suffer from tinnitus would wish it on others, I haven't heard silence since I was a child. The quieter things are around me, the louder my tinnitus. It gets so loud that I can't hear people speak when they are right next to me.

Talkinrubbishagain · 11/11/2024 20:50

We spent 20 years creating a wildlife garden. ( it’s very large).
A new neighbour next door moved in with five cats.
We found quite a number of mutilated birds, /slow worms/ rabbits / voles / frogs etc. What was a thriving area is now very low in wildlife. Rarely seen unless they are dead! it breaks my heart.I used to get super film on my wildlife camera,now, it hardly gets anything apart from cats!
I did ask the owners to keep them in at night…they couldn’t do that apparently.

K0OLA1D · 11/11/2024 20:35

PietariKontio · 11/11/2024 20:31

Although domestic cats aren't native as such, they've been part of the ecosystem for many years, as far as I'm aware, wild bird numbers aren't declining significantly, and what decline there is appears to be more due to environmental and human factors. Which seems to suggest that there is somewhat a balance between birds born and birds taken, which is a very natural situation, regardless of our interference.

When otters were 'rewilded' to bring numbers back to their turn of the century numbers, they had a terrible impact on both wild and domesticated animals. The ecosystems were just not there to support such a prolific predator. That situation is somewhat balancing out now, but there are still numerous issues, that are far greater than domestic cats' impact on bird numbers.

However we feel about nasty cats killing lovely birds, and natural versus human-made effects, the basic nature of predators and prey would be happening regardless - sometimes there's a balance, sometimes it tips too far one way - too many prey animals isn't always beneficial either - and in a country that barely has any truly natural environments left, any kind of natural balance is long gone.

Whether due to rewilding or pets, or space for crops, or animals for food, there is no perfect (eco)system; farming vegetable crops kills thousands of small mammals and birds every year.

It's not uncaring, or cruel, or entitled to have uncollared outdoor cats, our behaviours as humans keeping predators as pets over decades, has shaped the wildlife we see as natural.

Brilliantly put

SnoopysHoose · 11/11/2024 20:35

I've had a word, no catchy the wee birdies but rats and mice are ok, I got a rather bemused look.

PietariKontio · 11/11/2024 20:31

Although domestic cats aren't native as such, they've been part of the ecosystem for many years, as far as I'm aware, wild bird numbers aren't declining significantly, and what decline there is appears to be more due to environmental and human factors. Which seems to suggest that there is somewhat a balance between birds born and birds taken, which is a very natural situation, regardless of our interference.

When otters were 'rewilded' to bring numbers back to their turn of the century numbers, they had a terrible impact on both wild and domesticated animals. The ecosystems were just not there to support such a prolific predator. That situation is somewhat balancing out now, but there are still numerous issues, that are far greater than domestic cats' impact on bird numbers.

However we feel about nasty cats killing lovely birds, and natural versus human-made effects, the basic nature of predators and prey would be happening regardless - sometimes there's a balance, sometimes it tips too far one way - too many prey animals isn't always beneficial either - and in a country that barely has any truly natural environments left, any kind of natural balance is long gone.

Whether due to rewilding or pets, or space for crops, or animals for food, there is no perfect (eco)system; farming vegetable crops kills thousands of small mammals and birds every year.

It's not uncaring, or cruel, or entitled to have uncollared outdoor cats, our behaviours as humans keeping predators as pets over decades, has shaped the wildlife we see as natural.

WeWillGetThereInTheEnd · 11/11/2024 20:30

How on earth do you train a cat, not to hunt birds? Animal trainers say they can train a cat to do anything, a dog can do. The difference is the cat has to want to do it. Cats either hunt birds or they don’t. Those that do, are not going to want not to do it!

My cat is nearly nine, and while we can train her brother not to go on the table at mealtimes, we have got nowhere in 8.75 years with her! She only does what she wants!

Having said that, we keep them in a night. He hasn’t a clue how to catch a bird; and she’s lost interest. Ime, young cats can be keen hunters, but they can’t be bothered as they get older!

Whyamiherenow · 11/11/2024 20:22

We have a cat. Long story. Accidental rescue.

Nothing can stop him killing when he wants. One collar with a bell / two bells / three bells. Rabbits, rats, pigeons, moles even. It’s just their way. He’s old now so slower and the gifts are less frequent. Other than keeping cats indoors all the time. There’s no way to stop them.

laraitopbanana · 11/11/2024 20:19

Jumpers4goalposts · 11/11/2024 20:01

My cat is a black cat as well 🧙‍♀️ and as a child I always wanted to be a witch

That’s it.

You must be one!

Jifmicroliquid · 11/11/2024 20:18

Mine catches moths, not birds.
She deposits them on me when I’m asleep.

Whatthebarnacles · 11/11/2024 20:17

Screamingabdabz · 11/11/2024 20:07

So I see from this thread that some cat owners are conscious of the risk to wildlife and will keep their cats in at certain times to mitigate the risk, but what’s with all the other snarky and bitchy comments? And the laughing emojis? You think gratuitous killing of birds and other wildlife is hilariously funny? Wankers.

The very essence of WILDlife shocks some. Fine. Others? Must be wankers according to those offended by... nature.

Get a grip.

Screamingabdabz · 11/11/2024 20:07

So I see from this thread that some cat owners are conscious of the risk to wildlife and will keep their cats in at certain times to mitigate the risk, but what’s with all the other snarky and bitchy comments? And the laughing emojis? You think gratuitous killing of birds and other wildlife is hilariously funny? Wankers.

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