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Birds vs. Cats: Evening the Odds |
By Terry Deem-Reilly, Colorado Master GardenerSM, Colorado State University Cooperative Extension, Denver
Many
gardeners design their gardens specifically as wildlife habitats, usually for birds. They
place trees and shrubs in optimal locations to attract, shelter, and feed birds; situate
birdbaths to be accessible; and spend hundreds of dollars every year for the most
nutritious birdseed they can find. All too often, though, habitat gardeners find to their
horror that these efforts have provided a virtual smorgasbord for the neighborhood cats,
and the search for solutions begins.
When approaching this
problem, forget these "facts" about cats: a bell on a cat will warn birds;
well-fed cats won't hunt; and
stopping an attack will save the
bird. Prey won't associate the sound of a bell with danger, and cats hunt from instinct as
well as necessity. Moreover, only about 20 percent of birds rescued from cats will
survive, as cats are practiced killers and carry many bacteria and viruses.
The easiest solution to
bird-killing cats is to keep the cats indoors - that is, if the offenders belong to the
gardener. Neighbors may not be eager to end Fluffy's free-ranging habits; feral cats
usually cannot be caught in the act (or caught at all, except with a good spring-action
trap!) However, if predatory cats cannot be confined, they can usually be
Remember the adage,
"the enemy of my enemy is my friend." Dogs are the cat's natural enemy and cats
will avoid a yard where a dog is in residence. Fence the yard and let Fido run free (and
bark) - but dogs also hunt, so keep them from
areas where birds will feed and perch.
A squirt gun aimed at an
invader is effective, if the cat is caught in the act of stalking. (Cats must associate
the punishment with
the crime for this
technique to work.) A device that squirts water when activated by a motion detector is
even better because it's not necessary to catch the cat yourself; many garden supply
catalogs feature these.
Citrus peels or orange oil
can be sprinkled under or adjacent to the feeders or bath. Cats dislike the smell of
lemons and oranges. Chicken wire can be laid on the ground, as cats don't like to walk
over it. Low fencing around the bath/feeder area will slow an attacking cat, although
maintaining the lawn around the fence can be difficult.
Select a feeder that is enclosed in a
cage so that birds can enter and feed in safety. Install baffles below pole-mounted
feeders, or hang feeders from tree limbs (get feeders with perches that shut under the
weight of a squirrel, or you will replace one problem with another).
Plant shrubs near enough to
the bath or feeder area for birds to escape quickly if a cat approaches, but not so near
that a cat can stalk and leap before the birds sense her presence. Ten to 15 feet is good.
(One Maine Coon of this writer's acquaintance can clear a seven-foot fence in one bound
and is an exemplary predator.)
Birds breed and raise their
nestlings in the spring and early summer, so they are more active, more distracted, and
therefore 
easier targets for cats. Limiting
kitty's times to roam during this season may help. Also, cat-owning neighbors may be more
amenable to confining their pets if they understand that
it's only for a few weeks.
If feral cats are the
problem, the gardener can trap the cats or ask local animal control to do so. Traps are
often available from humane societies or cat welfare groups. Trapped feral cats can be
surrendered to a shelter or pound, but if you trap someone's pet, please return her to her
owner, rather than sending her to a shelter to be killed.
Discouraging any animal from
following its instincts will require time and patience - keep using the above techniques
until you see results. And remember, predators too have their place in nature.
Other photos: Judy Sedbrook
