Killer cat

[DuchesseNemours]

Not strictly gardening and I know I am being unreasonable but I am so upset this morning.

We'd had blackbirds and robins nesting in the garden - in spaces we'd created for them. They both were raising healthy broods of chicks and we'd been watching them go about their parental business for the last few weeks - nest building, egg laying, hatching and then feeding young.

At 4.20am this morning, next door's bloody cat came through and killed the lot! All baby robins (x3) and blackbirds (x4) gone. Just corpses or bits of them remain this morning that I'd had to clear up.

I don't wish cats ill but it doesn't half upset me that I have to put up with them in the garden killing off the wildlife that was giving my so much joy to see. Particularly because it happened at night when they should be kept in for their own safety and to reduce their impact on wildlife like this.

I'm just venting, I guess. But it's so sad to lose so many baby birds in one night like this

Cats will cat. If you've no emotion in the game, their hunting ability is pretty impressive. Sadly, I do have emotion in the game and am really upset so many baby birds were wiped out in one night.

I just get frustrated owners won't keep them in overnight - for their own safety (as recommended by most animal charities, I think) and to reduce predation which mainly happens just after sunset and just before dawn.

Despite the box being empty, the cat came back again early this morning and wrecked the abandoned nest. At least it meant I could see more clearly HOW they got access to the box, because I'd widened the angle now that I was no longe rusing the camera to watch small babies grow up - and gives me a sense of where I need to put spikes to prevent future access. But I'll also look at the ivy option for the fence.

I wonder if there's a way of encasing likely nesting areas with large chicken wire? I think small birds wouldn't mind it too much?

I was very lucky, my cat rarely bought in birds, but I used to get a daily little (dead) mouse.

She was a rescue and just wouldn't be kept in a night.
I'm not sure I would get a cat again, my neighbours have them and I hear all the stories of all the birds they bring in

I was pondering a bird box today. That is extra wide so when a cats paw reaches in, they can’t get to the birds. Probably still distressing to the birds themselves, but would probably be less likely to kill them.

I have a cat. She’s an indoor only cat. She used to be an outdoor only cat but was rubbish at birds. She did used to catch mice though. Didn’t kill them herself, nooo. She would find a bucket of water and watch them drown. Sadistic bitch.

I think we are going to cover the top of the box with these - which is primarily how cat got the blackbirds. We can also attach strips below it - to prevent the cat being able to access from the bottom (not that I think he can). Over time there is a thorny rambling rose nearby we can train along the top of the fence in this area, to try to prevent access.

The robins are a different matter. They chose their location and we did what we could to then make that area cat safe - but obviously missed the route the cat used. We'll see if they choose to nest anywhere in the garden again and then think about what we can do to protect them. Spike mats on the floor all around the area etc. If we cannot keep them safe, then we'll distmantle those nests before they get too far along - to persuade them to choose another spot.

If those things don't work, we'll stop feeding the birds altogether I think - it's bringing them in and, along with the pond, is making the garden too attractive to try to raise a family.

I wish they'd try to raise young in the prickly holly bush or the huge clump of lilies...

Does anyone know if those electronic cat deterrents work?

It's illegal to interfere with birds nests though. Even for the birds' own good 😔.

Cats are a disaster for wildlife and I am angry people let them roam and don't care.

The cat proof fencing facing inwards does stop most cats getting in as well as getting out . Personally I think all cats should be kept on your own property , they are a complete menace killing wildlife and shitting all over other peoples gardens . I’m not anti cat , I’m anti free roaming cat .

I find nesting season almost unbearable because of the predation. Cats, squirrels, crows and fucking magpies. Too many magpies.

I stopped putting up nesting boxes because they were raided. I've decided birds probably choose better places (in brambles or something like that) without my intervention. Also, I feed the birds and that attracts the predators to the area where I was putting the nest boxes.

@DuchesseNemours that's heartbreaking, I'm so sorry!

We have feeding stations in our garden and numerous species of birds visiting daily. However, we have only ever had one robin nest in the garden, in ivy on the back of the house, and they successfully reared their babies. I don't know why they don't nest here as we have loads of trees, but there's also quite a few cats. One of next door's is a killing machine, so I chase him when I see him. We've a lot of pairs coming to feed atm, unfortunately including a pair of magpies, which I also chase if I see them! The feckers were pecking on my patio doors but there was a container of water near the door and I think that was encouraging them. Next door had to take down a mirror in their garden because of them.

I love cats though and wish they didn't do this! I have three cats now but they are all indoors. They love birdwatching though! The last three cats I had that had access to outdoors literally never caught either birds or mice. Our last old guy used to be in the garden and the birds weren't at all afraid of him whereas they would panic and fly away if another cat came into the garden.

I've never let any of my cats out overnight.

We don’t encourage birds in our garden for this reason. The previous owners abandoned their cat who is now cared for by a neighbour down the road but still spends a lot of time in our garden and she is a skilled hunter. Usually dropping rats and mice on the doorstep but I’ve seen dead adult birds in the garden too, though I don’t have proof it was her!
I’m a cat lover but mine is indoor only for health reasons and I get told I’m cruel (as if it isn’t in her best interest to be indoors 🙄)

We have a pair of Red Kites flying over our gardens and they literally take out anything that moves, one ripped another bird to bits on my lawn. Many birds are capable of killing other birds as well as cats. Cats do have their uses with regards to rats and mice, the UK would be absolutely infested other wise.

Good news. Or is it?

The robins look like they are going to try again in the garden. They've started a couple of nests - I think the male starts them and the female then chooses which one she wants.

In both locations I think we can keep them cat safe so will try our hardest. But then I thought that the first time!

We don't tend to get other predators - squirrels, magpies etc. so it's just the cat threat we mostly need to cover off. And, like I said earlier, at least wild predation means someone else's babies get fed (ish).

You could always get a terrier. The ultimate cat deterrent.

@Churchview

I keep threatening that the next dog will be a terrier!

This springer is next to useless. He's an ok visual deterrent but he's too laid back to bother

Its not just cats. We have bluetits nesting in our bird box most years and magpies definitely circle the box trying to attack when the birds are fledging .

The robins look like they are going to try again in the garden. They've started a couple of nests - I think the male starts them and the female then chooses which one she wants.

Just an update to say the robins have tried again and now have a small collection of young that they are feeding frantically. Caught the cat on camera again the day before last (we've been checking daily) and can see how s/he is trying to access this new nest so I have piled it up the access route with the thorniest bits of hawthorn I could find. Hopefully that does the trick.

Ironically, the robins seemed to have chosen to nest right by the huge clump of lilies that are looking to flower any day soon - so it's also in the cat's best interest to be deterred from trying again, lest it gets lily pollen and tries to clean it off.

Fingers crossed for the robins, we have a blue tit family in one of our boxes, it's amazing and nerve wracking in equal measure!