Dilemma - Cats vs feeding the birds

[Katymac]

Our cat is poorly and confined inside

Neighbours have cats - roaming around

Is it fair to feed the birds (while it is so cold) or am I tempting them in to be eating at some point in the future when our cat is let out

I generally don't feed them because of the risk of them being eaten - but they are very close to the house & seem hungry

We feed ours and we have a cat - they really depend on the food in this weather and our tabby cat is pretty visible against the white snow! I don't think he's managed to catch any birds yet, he's more of a mouser I think. And even if he did, I still reckon the benefit to the overall bird population is worth the possibility of one bird being sacrificed.

I have several cats and I feed the birds - like tadpole says, they really need it now.

What you shouldn't do is start to feed the birds and then stop suddenly.

Cats continuing to bring in far more shrews than birds anyway!

I don't think I will then

The cat catches enough of them when they fly in to eat the chickens food - I won't make it even easier for him to eat them.....he likes bird for tea