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Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Is there a way to get my boy to wear a bell?

11 replies

Pikachuwithyourmouthclosed · 05/08/2017 12:11

B is a very special boy.

He's 2.

His parents were feral. He was abandoned at 2 weeks because he had cat flu, which left him with a large ulcer on one of his eyes. We hand raised him, he eventually became big and strong enough to have an operation for the ulcer. He has severely reduced sight in that eye, and we suspect not great in the other too. His balance is often a bit off. He cant hunt - he can't see and he cant climb trees. He is easily grumpy, and I suspect the world is a slightly confusing and frightening place for him, which is why he lashes out (he has to be sedated for any and all procedures at the vet).

He's an indoor and outdoor cat. I do worry about him being out, and he sometimes does get into trouble (fighting, upsetting the neighbours) but he's just too much cat to confine indoors. He has a broad streak of wild in him and when we keep him in he is driven insane, and we all end up scarred and bloody.

Anyway, to get to the point, he killed a bird today. I think it was his first. I'm not as impressed as he assumed I would be. I'd like him to wear a bell. We've tried him with one before and it drove him demented - it felt cruel, like putting a bag on a wild animal's head or something. He was a dervish of fury in utter panic until we took it off. Does anyone have any tips or experience on how to get him used to the idea of wearing a bell?

(I will post this and then go to my phone to post a pic of B - I know the rules)

OP posts:
RubbishMantra · 05/08/2017 13:15

I don't think you should put a bell on him if it terrifies him. They don't deter cats from hunting anyway, they just learn to stalk prey without making the bell jingle.

The best way to deter cats from hunting is to keep them in at first light and dusk, just letting them out during daylight hours. Safer for cat too.

Pikachuwithyourmouthclosed · 05/08/2017 13:20

Cat tax.

Is there a way to get my boy to wear a bell?
Is there a way to get my boy to wear a bell?
OP posts:
Pikachuwithyourmouthclosed · 05/08/2017 13:26

that's a good tip about avoiding dawn and dusk Mantra. I didn't know that - although he's rarely out at those times anyway.

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YetAnotherSpartacus · 05/08/2017 14:13

He's beautiful! Do you think he relies on his sense of hearing to make up for his loss of sight? A bell may be doubly horrible for him and even compromise his safety.

I don't suppose a cat enclosure is possible?

Papergirl1968 · 05/08/2017 15:20

He's beautiful.
If it's any consolation, dcat is in the doghouse for catching a baby mouse last night and another this morning...

chemenger · 05/08/2017 15:59

I was going to say the same as Spartacus; if his sight is poor he probably relies on his hearing more so it's almost cruel to interfere with that. I don't think a bell will stop him hunting anyway, to be honest.

chemenger · 05/08/2017 16:01

He's very handsome by the way!

Orangebird69 · 05/08/2017 16:05

Please don't put a bell on him. The noise interfering with his other senses if his sight it dodgy would be very cruel. Cats kill birds. It's what they do. The RSPB don't think it causes any issues with the bird population in general.

Weedsnseeds1 · 05/08/2017 17:00

Did he definitely catch it, or has he just found an already dead one? From what you've said about his sight and balance, I don't think he's likely to be a prolific hunter, so this could be a one off.
As others have said, he must be very reliant on his hearing to compensate.
He's a lovely boy, well done on hand rearing him

BertrandRussell · 05/08/2017 17:08

Please don't put a bell on him if he didn't like it before there's no way you can get him to like it now. And, sadly, it wouldn't stop him hunting if he's a good hunter anyway.

Pikachuwithyourmouthclosed · 06/08/2017 01:08

Righto. No bell.

He IS handsome isn't he? And enormous. And not the most popular member of the family right now (my eldest isn't speaking to him).

I'll just have to hope he was lucky this once. I am sure he killed it (rather than found it) because when he first presented it to me it made a bid for freedom and he recaught it and finished it off Sad

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