CATS & BIRDS
Oh dear, today I witnessed one of the neighbourhood cats just having caught a bird in my garden, I know it is all part of nature’s cycle but I still get upset when I see it happening. The dilemma of mine is I like cats and I like birds, so I don’t chase the cats out of the garden and I encourage more birds into the garden. I do my best to site all my bird feeders so as not to make it too easy for the cats to pounce but they will still manage to spring upon unsuspecting birds on the ground.
I always worry when the fledgling birds are on the ground in the Spring, they are so vulnerable and they really can be sitting targets for a passing cat, but this year I was fortunate and didn’t notice any dead birds around the garden or in a moggies mouth.
Not being a cat owner, do cats actually eat their catch or do they just enjoy toying with it?
7 comments:
Well some cats do and some cats don't.
Often cats give them away as presents - really!
Many years ago one of my mother's cats brought her a present of a mouse and put it on her pillow during the night....let's just say it wasn't the alarm that woke everyone up!
Tennyson has recently spotted squirrels, I don't think he stands a chance with them and is only vaguely interested in birds, might be his age, but, since I have had him I don't want to encourage the birds in just in case. Bit of a difficult one.
Hi Louise,
My cats will eat the birds that they catch and then play with mice. I feed my cats but they will instinctively hunt and can't be stopped.I place my bird feeders high up and away from branches that my cats can walk along! sara from farmingfriends
I dislike cats quite a lot- I have owned them in the past, and loved them-but since I became more keen on wildlife, I haven't a soft spot any more. I tend to shoo them away verbally but have seen neighbours cats making off with birds and frogs and one of my exquisite 8 inch goldfish. I hope the victims were consumed and enjoyed.
It is a quandary! My mother always had cats and encouraged birds into the garden. She always tried to prevent it happening but reluctantly accepted it when it did.
I really like this blog and have added to my blogroll listing. I shall stop by regularly to read it.
Enjoy the rest of the weekend.
Cats and birds. We have cats and we have a pet parrot and we feed the birds. The garden is as busy as the M25 with birds. For years I refused to feed them thinking it unfair to encourage them into the garden and put them at risk with the cats. They still came and fed themselves on the snails, worms and bugs, the house sparrows stole from the guinea pig hutches and one winter I gave in and started feeding them. Very occasionally one of the cats gets a bird but it is quite a rare occurance. I also have to say that the cats of the neighbourhood also frequent our garden, using the ponds as watering holes and all in all everyone seems to cope quite nicely.
Oh sorry I didn't ans your question, our cats always eat their kill despite the fact that what with their regular meals and tidbits they can't possibly be hungry.
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