Attracting garden birds if you have cats....

dinners

dinners

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Phil
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A few years ago I bought a bit of land behind our house. Most of it is now laid as garden and grass for the dogs and kids to enjoy but at the foot of the garden we have a little woodland with a stream running through it.

In addition to the 3 dogs I have 4 cats and unfortunately the cats do kill a lot of stuff - garden birds, pigeons, mice, voles, rabbits and even the odd crow.

Because of this I have never encouraged birds to the garden which is a shame but I know what would happen. Anyway - this wooded bit down at the end of the garden would make a great place to do some wildlife photography. The big trees (not in these pics) have tawny owls, buzzards and we sometimes get deer down there but what I'd like to do is have a go at photographing garden birds.

What concerns me though are the cats. They wouldn't be hunting whilst I was down there but the last thing I want to do is lead the little birds to slaughter whilst I'm away.

Do any other cat owners manage to attract garden birds ?

All manner of birds obviously bob about down there without me noticing as it's a 'wild' patch but I'm wondering if attracting more birds by adding feeders would aid the cats more than it would me ??

Here's the area anyway.....
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Just one existing box
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Phil,sorry mate, but birds do not like cats,end of really bud.

Which is a shame, cause that little patch looks great for birdlife.
 
That's the view I've held for the last few years and have never used feeders in the garden.

The wooded bit is still full of birds though - just wondered if I could use something to draw them to a particular spot without harming them.

I know the cats inside out - but not the birds.
 
If you get the feeders high up and away from places where the cats could hide,I suppose you may have a chance.

Can`t help too much i`m afraid, cats are not a problem where I feed the birds.
 
Hmm - I might try and put some cat food up high and see if that gets eaten.
 
How much do you like the cats?.............:naughty:
 
fracster said:
How much do you like the cats?.............:naughty:
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:LOL:

What you really need to do is entice the birds out of those trees into the clearing part. I don't think you've any great problems in providing feeders safe from cats - you can get those high metal pole mounted feeders from any garden centre. Birds like them because they're high up and away from ground predators, and they'd be ideal in your situation there as they have cover to bolt to from arial predators. You could also consider the large cage type feeders with mesh just large enough to admit the birds and preferably also post mounted.

You'd have no trouble getting shots of the birds, but I think you'd soon tire of the unnatural setting. Normal practice is to provide natural perches close to the feeders which the birds alight on on the appoach, but that would make them vunerable to your moggies.

You could get set up among those trees and a patient wait should yield some results, but your biggest problem there would seem to be the amount of leaf cover screening the birds.
 
I assume you knew what I was getting at Cedric?....................:LOL:
 
I'd persevere - I'd sacrifice a gonad for that little patch there - real potential - I reckon.
 
CT said:
:LOL:

What you really need to do is entice the birds out of those trees into the clearing part. I don't think you've any great problems in providing feeders safe from cats - you can get those high metal pole mounted feeders from any garden centre. Birds like them because they're high up and away from ground predators, and they'd be ideal in your situation there as they have cover to bolt to from arial predators. You could also consider the large cage type feeders with mesh just large enough to admit the birds and preferably also post mounted.

You'd have no trouble getting shots of the birds, but I think you'd soon tire of the unnatural setting. Normal practice is to provide natural perches close to the feeders which the birds alight on on the appoach, but that would make them vunerable to your moggies.

You could get set up among those trees and a patient wait should yield some results, but your biggest problem there would seem to be the amount of leaf cover screening the birds.
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Some sensible views there.

I guess the birds are safer in full view where the cats can't ambush. The fake feeders sound like an idea although i like the idea of the natural woodland.

It's got me wondering if I can create some kind of feeder about 10 feet up amongst the trees but nowhere near a branch the cats can use. Either on a pole or hanging from a wire.
 
Well I've been feeding birds in the garden daily for about 5 years now and local cats do know and try their luck but I don't think they get lucky very often.
 
I think for starters I'd get a pole feeder with either nuts or fatballs out in the clearing where you can start to get some shots. It will at least give you some idea of what sort of variety of species you're likely to get. You can fine tune the arrangement as you go on.
 
Ooooo.....lovely..........(y)
 
fracster said:
Ooooo.....lovely..........(y)
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There's a few of them and they're pretty fearless. We've had one casualty sadly compared to lots of greys. You can see the chicken wire cage around the window.:thinking:

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Just wanted to add - My cats don't wear collars so bells aren't an option.
 
We have 4 cats and have several bird feeders in the garden. The cats have had a couple of birds in the past, but I would say no more than usual, as they also get their fair show of mice, rats, voles and all sorts of other stuff. I think after a while the birds become attuned to the fact that predators may be about, but it doesn't stop them coming to feed. We also have several that nest in the hedges and bushes that border our garden, so it can't be that bad for them.
 
I only have a small back yard and have feeders up on the poles that have been previously mentioned. The birds are "I think" very aware of their surroundings and any predators and will have a very good look round before having a feed.

The cats round here probably have to supplement their diet by eating out anyway :D so I don't think with all that space that you have available there would be any major impact to wildlife. I think your cats should have to compromise though and have great big bells hung round their necks anyway :LOL:
 
CT said:
I'd persevere - I'd sacrifice a gonad for that little patch there - real potential - I reckon.
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:LOL:

Do your cats wear collars? Would they let you fit a bell, or better still even 2. It gives the birds a better chance as the cats can't creep up on them. Some cats just won't have a bell on their collar period, but others adjust after a day or two.
 
I have lots of birds in the garden and also lots of neighbours cats in the garden and a very very powerful water gun:LOL: and I find that a good squirt of that will keep them of for days also I have 2 dogs which hate cats so that helps in my mission.

You can get that stuff which you sprinkle over plants etc that deters cats also grow stuff which cats hate (can't remember the name)

Shame for you as that looks a really nice little haven for birds - good luck!
 
You can get automatic water jet systems, why not set up a protected area and try to confine them to one part of the garden. Also collars and bells whether they like it or not.
 
I find the best way to attract birds is to let your cats out after dark. I get at least one present a month left at the cat flap :D


Seriously though, I think if you have plenty of food nice and high (fat balls, etc), and I mean PLENTY, you will get loads of birds very quickly. I had three cats (only 1 now), and as long as food is plentiful, you will get chancers coming back for it.

Gary.
 
Briony said:
You can get that stuff which you sprinkle over plants etc that deters cats also grow stuff which cats hate (can't remember the name)
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Lions Roar I think. Literally, Lion Crap. Terrifies the wee cats.

Gary.
 
We live on a fairly crammed in housing estate where it seems like every neighbour owes a cat. I get a bit peeved sometimes as I would love to have more wildlife in my garden but the food just goes mouldy before it's eatten :crying:

I complain to myself thinking how would my neighbour like it if I let my dog lose in their garden without their permission, but there is nothing I can do about it, can't afford a nice rural location.

Just where can you buy lions roar...??

btw - nice avatar Briony(y)
 
theres no reason why you shouldnt be able to get birds into the garden, yeah they may not come into the garden while theres a cat sat in the middle of the lawn, but once the cat is gone/out of sight they should come in.

but as said bung a bell on the cats collars, it wont stop them catching stuff all the time but it should give the prey a headstart. worth a note though that a bell is useless if you have a catflap operated by a magnet, the ringer will just get stuck to it and not make a sound.
 
btw - nice avatar Briony(y)[/QUOTE]


Thank you my best shot from last week !!!!!
 
I have exactly the same problem - My garden is very small though only 60ft ish and too many areas for ambush so I just gave up. The only place I came up with to put one is on the house about 20ft high and obviously would produce rubbish photos compositionally.

Also, in my experience bells do not always work - I actually don't like collars on cats because of the potential for them to hang theirselves in tress! However, after a spate of bird kills mainly sparrows and blue tits when he was young I did try putting a collar & bell on my cat and almost the very next morning I was delivered a beautiful Bullfinch, as if the cat was saying too me - up yours, that didn't work did it :D He did get a swift kick up the a%e!! for that, very annoyed with him, but of course it is just instinct.

He doesn't wear a collar now and I have resided to the fact that it just isn't fair to entice birds into a potential danger area as alert or tunned to their surroundings as they (Birds) can become. Cats are stealthy, crafty and very patient predators.

IMO I would say leave nature as is, what the cats already get, they get there is always a balance if you want to photograph birds in a natural environment go to a park, woodland or nature reserve.

(y)
 
I attract birds to my garden, there are a lot of cats nearby.

What I have done is remove all the hiding places cats can use to sneak up on birds. The feeders are currently on a pole in the middle of my lawn. I also have some ground feder bits too. I have a couple of small trees within a about 3 of the feeder pole but these cannot hide cats - not big enough for climbing, no foliage near the ground. The birds love to use them - and they are pretty safe.

I think the key point is I have made it difficult for the cats to get any advantage in the garden. Not impossible, just difficult.

Currently There are about 8 cast that roam the area and I have often seen the following in the garden over the couple of hours 'peak time' when the weather is really cold
20+ startlings
4-5 Blackbirds
2+ Thrush (Very occasionally)
4-8 Goldfinches
1-2 Dunnock
1 Robin
2 Chaffinch
2-4 Blue tits
2 great tits
4-8 sparrows

I genuinely believe the cats have realised they cannot catch a thing in my garden so have given up trying.
 
jcoutts said:
Cats are stealthy, crafty and very patient predators.
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:LOL:

you havent met our cats.. an elephant would be more stealthy. the more stupid (or maybe not?) of the 2 once climbed up to an unused pigeon nest and prompty fell asleep in it.

they prefer to watch stuff from the inside of the patio window and meow at stuff this time of year, its cold and theyre wimps.
 
Bells don't make a blind bit of difference to cats in my experience! They just see it as a challenge....
 
My take on this, we have quite large number of cats round our area, 14 at one time, no matter how high you put the feeders there will always be the odd kill. The groundfeeders like the blackbird, chaffinch and dunnock are most at risk. Having the feeders in an open area of garden reduces the risk as most of the cats I have seen here try to hide under cover and catch from ambush. We have a small garden with feeders no more than 6' off the ground and also feeding on the ground. The numbers at the moment are around 25 goldfinch 10 greenfinch 20 or so chaffinch 11 blackbirds 1 robin 2 dunnock 2 collar dove and a few wood pigeon and probably been maybe 3 kills that can be verified over period of 2 months. I think the postitives outweigh the negatives.
 
Briony said:
also grow stuff which cats hate (can't remember the name)
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if i remember from a few years ago, then what cats hate more than anything is lavender you can grow lavender in an attempt to keep an area cat free. if you have a bottle of lavender perfume/essence then try to get a cute little moggie to sniff it :LOL:
 
subtitled said:
if i remember from a few years ago, then what cats hate more than anything is lavender you can grow lavender in an attempt to keep an area cat free. if you have a bottle of lavender perfume/essence then try to get a cute little moggie to sniff it :LOL:
Click to expand...

or citrus or pepper (the black stuff not the red/green/yellow things).. supposedly, some cats will always try their best to prove you wrong though.
 
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