AIBU to deter cats from garden while encouraging crows?

[Greyblankie]

I need to keep cats out of the garden as I’ve decided to make it a haven for crows. Curious as to what measures you take to keep cats out of the garden? 6ft fence all the way around. Is there some deterrent I can put on the fences that won’t effect crows?

I don't have any answer, but fingers crossed for your attempts.
Birds deserve safe space from unfair predators. There is nothing fair or natural about animals who have all advantages of pets like food, shelter, and health care, while going out to annoy and hunt wildlife.

Yeah I must admit I’m not a fan of cats, even aside from crows I don’t want them in my garden anyway, the crow issue is just another reason. The crows have built a nest in a tree near my garden, I saw one of them sat on my garden table this morning ❤️ so I want to put a bowl of food on the table so they can help themselves - especially once the babies are born

YANBU. I love cats! I also love crows. A fence won’t keep cats out, but a tall, sturdy bird table in a part of the garden the cats can’t jump onto from the fence or trees would be very helpful. Just make sure you have a central ‘stem’ leading to the platform, and the cats wont be able to climb up to it.

Well i have crows that visit my garden on a regular daily basis. I give them monkey nuts and they love them. They are such clever birds

The local cats are frightened of them. The crows are very capable of seeing off the cats themselves and particularly frightening when they have a young one to protect. It's quite a sight to see two crows working in tandem and a terrified cat creeping almost on it's belly trying to get out of the garden. On occasion I open my back door so the cat can seek refuge until the crows are gone. But I try not to get involved because I don't want the crowsi to turn on me because it would make my life very difficult- i want them to keep seeing me as a friend.

So unless you are wanting to keep the cats out your garden for their own safety i don't think you will have an issue - they will want to stay out.

Corvids love dry cat and dog food, and peanuts. If you consistently offer these high value foods, and give them easy sightlines for where cats would enter they will defend themselves from most cats.

The cats around mine run for cover when the crows or the magpies are around.
"My" corvids also love puzzle feeders. They will actively use these rather than go to the bird table for some reason.

No advice, OP, but I’m here for any cat-deterring advice. Our garden seems to have become a major through-route for the neighbourhood cats, when I’m trying to encourage birds, plus I like to not shut the doors all the time, and as DH hates and is violently allergic to cats, it’s not pleasant to discover a cat coming down the stairs.

Unfortunately if you make your garden a bird sanctuary it will also become very attractive to rats…

Oh I’m going to get some puzzle feeders! Brilliant idea! Do you get the ones designed for dogs?

I find crows absolutely fascinating, I could watch them for hours. I made friends with a murder on a nearby field but they fell out with me when I stopped wearing my hat - they didn’t trust me after that 😂

So I’m focussing on a new group near my house ☺️

I have a cat - I can confirm he doesn't look twice at larger birds like crows etc.

Since you already have a high fence, I think the best way to keep cats out is to use something along the top of the fence to deter them/stop them getting in - I've seen people with rubber spikey things or rollers which stop the cat being able to get a hold on the surface to be able to jump on and over.

You can buy puzzle feeders for cats or dogs, or foraging toys meant for parrots.
Making them is also absolutely fine. A super simple one is get a plastic bottle, put some dry food in it then either drill a hole in the lid just big enough for a single bit of food, or wedge a rock in the neck of the bottle.
Hang the bottle upside down somewhere, against a fence or wall is good.
The corvids then have to hit the bottle to release some of the food.

Cats won't go for crows. They are too big.

Corvids can look after themselves. I have seen rooks mobbing a buzzard, and a local cat was terrorised by magpies!!

My garden is full of cats and crows. Crows like cat food. You don't need to get rid of the cats. We have up to 30 at a time. They actually sit and wait for the cat's dinner time. Just feed them and they'll come.