The Lincolnshire Bird Club

My definition of a cat is something that is furrry, goes miaaow and sh*ts in my rosebed. Merry Christmas Max and everyone else!!
Yours mischievously,
Stuart

My definition of a cat is a creature that isn't owned by me but s***s all over the garden to the detriment of my kids, kills the birds that i take the effort (and money) to feed and is a generally nasty pieces of work!!

PS Don't get me started on dogs, foxes, seals and badgers!!!

PPS I couldn't believe what i was told about the stupidity that is going on to protect the badgers whilst the sea defences are being protected in the Humberston / Tetney area. The world really has gone mad!!

Yours Mr Grumpy
aka James

I don't think I could eat a full one.

The electronic cat scarers just don’t work. I put one on a patch of garden near our bird feeders, thinking it would keep them away – they started to use the area as a toilet! We now put a low wire fence around the area below the hanging bird table and feeders, which keeps the cats at a distance that the birds can see and react to. Our bird bath is also well above ground level and in an exposed position where the cats, are seen in plenty of time.
Our cats rarely catch any birds, even in the breeding season when young are about. They sometimes bring in mice, that we usually catch and release somewhere safe. We have also had two grounded swifts brought in, both have been allowed to get airborne and on their way. Of course, it’s a problem, loving birds and cats, but our two keep all the neighbouring ones away.
Cats have a territory, just like many birds. They tend not to recognise man-made laws.

Geoff

There seems to be no answer to this cat problem.

On the one hand they keep rats and mice down but on the other they kill my birds, nothing made me more enraged when I saw one strutting off with a live goldfinch in its mouth, that went way past the mark as far as I was concerned.

It seems to me that we are not allowed to put poison down in our own gardens to kill 'pests' and yet people's cats are allowed to roam onto our property, leave disgustingly lose cat crap on the veg plot, (very nice when weeding) and kill the birds we have tried to attract by spending good money on bird feeders, bird food and nest boxes.

I wonder what the legal position is in removing these unwanted uninvited pests from our property?

Problem is of course the cat owner cannot control where their cats go even if they do sympathise with us.

It's a dilemma.

I know cats aren't squirrels, but we have got rid of our squirrels by putting bird feeders on black shepherd's crook shaped poles with a hemispherical baffle about 5 feet up the poles. Available from garden centres. Liberal greasing of the poles below the baffle meant the squirrels got covered in grease trying to get up, but couldn't get round the baffle. After a month or so they stopped coming.
Both cats and squirrels are good jumpers and climbers and neither like grease. I suspect cat owners might not like grease either. We rarely have cats in our garden. They don't like coffee grounds, citrus peel, string soaked in creosote and fast flying stones. I'm fairly sure that our system would keep cats away from the feeders as long as they are sited a decent distance away from any above ground leaping position. That should allow them to feed in relative safety if nothing else. Of course , it's useless against sparrow hawks, which sometimes sit on the shepherd's crooks.
Good luck.
Cheers. Rick.

Well I must admit I do like the idea of next doors cats delivering black oil/grease back into their house. Now looking for a bucket of black grease.

Thank goodness there is someone else on here (Geoff) who doesn't seem to hate cats the way others do, and those that do, not only hate cats but want them killed by any means be it fair or foul.

In regard to Colin asking what is the legal position in removing these unwanted "pests" from our property, I ask what is the legal position against certain members suggesting barbaric ways of getting rid of cats ie dogs or poisoning!

Cat owners CAN control where their cats go by keeping them indoors, not all cats are outdoor cats, my own cat who is no longer with us, was an indoor cat for six years before she died aged seventeen AND before the cat brigade get on their high horse and say that was cruel, no it wasn't! She got plenty of exercise going hell for leather up and down stairs and around the house ( cats don't need the exercise dogs do) and getting well fed in the process.

It seems okay for the local Sprawk to kill willy nilly to get a meal and nothing is said about this because it's doing what comes natural. Well the cat is doing what comes natural, it's a killing machine like it's relatives the tiger etc except they are not domesticated like most of the local moggies.

Before starting to own cats in 1991 I hated them probably more than Colin and gang, they would leave their mess all over my veg bed and the worst is it really stinks, I tried all sorts to stop them coming, got to admit I never resorted to getting a dog or putting poison down that is beyond the pail, i got a high-powered water pistol and a catapult. The one thing cats don't like much is being shot at with a water pistol especially when caught unawares, it's great fun Colin try it sometime, even if the cats keep coming you are having fun at their expense

I suggest you invest or visit the library and get a book on cats, the more you know about them the more you will be armed with knowledge you didn't know before and maybe just maybe you may find the answer you need. Again GOOD LUCK!

Kind regards

John

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GETTING OLD HAS IT'S ADVANTAGES BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THEY ARE lol

The difference between cats and sparrow hawks is that cats, like Japanese knotweed, grey squirrels and those American crayfish are introduced to this country and have a devastating effect on the natural inhabitants. One estimate is that they kill 55,000,000 birds a year. Even though they have increased from a poison and persecution induced low ebb to a comfortable population level it is doubtful that sparrow hawks, a natural species in this country, can aspire to such an impressive level of destruction and they probably only kill for food rather than pleasure.
It is clearly irresponsible to attract birds into a garden with feeders in the knowledge that next door's pests will destroy them, but it seems entirely reasonable to do one's best to deter unwanted visitors within the law. This probably does not include poisons, firearms or electrocution. However, there are many other alternatives that may have some effect and at the very least the cats will recognise a hostile environment if they are constantly exposed to unpleasantness and go where they are more comfortable. As far as we are concerned it is a battle we are not willing to lose.
Cheers. Rick

I'd be interested in knowing what Nigel Lound has to say on the matter especially on the ways some of the members have suggested getting rid of the cats?

As far as the arguments are concerned as to the Y's and wherefores I for one won't come round to your way of thinking Rick... and others.

As I've said before it's a rarity for cats to kill birds in my garden and the moggies are passing through most of the time.

Max

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GETTING OLD HAS IT'S ADVANTAGES BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THEY ARE lol

It may be a rarity in your garden but cats are devastating bird populations. See here

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/Cats+Canad ... story.html

and here

www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/de ... 873812#_=_

and here

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nati ... y/1873871/

John

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Lincolnshire Birds https://www.flickr.com/photos/120340949 ... 8078912016
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Contact: recorder_north@lincsbirdclub.co.uk

It may be a rarity for birds to be slaughtered in your garden John. I couldn't estimate how many die in mine as I don't stand on patrol during the hours of darkness when I believe many cat owners encourage their cats to wander around unsupervised. However, our small patches of land are trivial in the overall scheme of things and it is impossible to ignore an estimated 55 million deaths.
I think that rather than debating number of killings seen it would be more telling to estimate number of newly fledged birds that have survived to the point of appearing in our gardens. This year there were lots of displaying dunnocks, blackbirds, robins, chaffinches and goldfinches here, but not a single baby blackbird, robin or chaffinch was seen. Several baby blue tits and great tits appeared, but they don't nest in bushes.
Crows and magpies take some of the blame, but it is impossible to argue against 55 million deaths by cat.
Cheers. Rick

I am no hate-filled cat enemy but understand the affect they do have on bird populations in suburbia. It is always difficult to shout out from our privileged, comfy position at the top of the global food chain. An ecological position that is a real threat to the planet continuing as we know it and want it.

We sit and curse but demand the luxuries of resource exploitation. Chemical farming, deforestation, fossil fuel exploitation, disposable material lifestyles and global supply chains. I could only guess a figure with very many zeros in it that would come close to the number of wild things that are being crushed out of existence under the humankind steam roller. We love our lives.


Cats are a product of a comfy life. So is birdwatching. The steam roller will not stop as the alternative is maybe too much of a shock. Hey let the young take it on, hey they may really thanks us for that but we've had our fun.

Now we are into deforestation, world ecology……and the notion from someone who I hope never sits in a jury that somewhere in here I have said I hate cats!!
I very much admire cats when in their proper environment, Scottish pine forests and Africa etc etc but can I remind you what I originally asked and now seems no answer to…
I had a nice birdy wildlife garden till THREE cats moved in next door. Sadly they are all excellent hunters, the feathers prove that. I have had to remove all the feeders and the bird bath for obvious reasons. Now guys, I am looking for suggestions around one of those electronic sonic cat scarers, anyone got one, what model, does it work etc.
And yes, I am aware of the hand grenade, air rifle, house brick ploy, I like yer thinking but perhaps we will stay within the law eh.
So, anyone got any ideas?

SEEMS LIKE ELECTRONIC GIZMOS DO NOT WORK AND I THINK THAT EVEN THAT SNIPPET OF INFORMATION WILL BE OF USE TO THOSE AMONG US WHO WERE CONSIDERING BUY ONE (OR SIX).

Crikey Colin don't take this personally.

A jury!!!!!!!!! good grief.

I suggest you eat organic food, cycle and get rid of your gadgets. This will surely get rid of the cats.