I’m so sorry you are having a cat problem. Domestic cats are an absolute menace. Cats are actually small mammal specialists and in the natural course of things fairly poor at catching birds. Unfortunately bird feeders allow them the opportunity to practice. Even without the cat catching a bird its presence will disturb them. It’s the reason I don’t feed the birds here. I’d just be fattening lunch for the team of feral cats in our neighbourhood.
However, even worse than cats are people who feed cats at holiday accommodation. Grrr. I would be furious at that, but what can you do.
Hopefully JM’s solution will work. It is a good challenge for him 🙂 You should be thankful you aren’t contending with cats and American grey squirrels, like we were in London. Cats are nothing compared to how ingenious grey squirrels are at getting to the bird food and scoffing the lot in minutes.
If JM’s solution doesn’t work I think you need to give up on the windowsill feeder. The problem is no cover for the birds. Feeders should ideally be situated where there are trees and shrubs very close for the birds to come and go by. They will feel and be safer. I suggest erecting a tall sturdy pole with some arms to hang feeders off, next to a medium sized shrub.
Bells on cats don’t work as far as I can see. Usually what happens is they lose the bell one way or another. I’m not a big fan of collars on cats. Mostly they don’t like wearing them and will work them off. If they do stay on and they are hunters they can snag and be dangerous. If the cat is not a hunter then they are a bit pointless.
One thing you could try is having a water pistol handy and squirt Java whenever you see her hunting. She’ll be offended, but unharmed and it should act as aversion therapy if you can get her a few times.
Rosemary Kneipp
December 22nd, 2015 at 9:56 pm
Java has always preferred our place. It’s obviously far more interesting than her own home. She always studiously ignores both of us and acts as if she lives here. I’m glad we don’t have squirrels as well!
Yes, I know, this is the last try. If it doesn’t work, then we’ll have to give it up but I love going to watch the birds during my work breaks. Outside, they are a little too far for me to really see them.
I’m going to buy a water pistol though. With Christmas around the corner, they should be easy to get. JM isn’t convinced though …
Cats can jump astonishingly high – one of ours actually caught a swallow in flight over the pond, and it was at least 4 ft. up. We do love cats – although we don’t have one any more – but to outwit the neighbouring felines we hang the bird feeders well away from anywhere the cats can approach unseen.
We have a bird feeder at the bedroom window – that is far too high for even the most agile cat to reach, and also scatter seeds on a garden table outside my office window, where different varieties meet to socialise and share a meal, and there is no cover for the cats to hide. I photograph them through the window with a high shutter speed.
A French friend buys cheap fat and smears it on the branches of bushes, which attracts plenty of birds and provides an opportunity to photograph them in their natural habitat. But at the moment, with this very mild weather – the sun is beating on the windows this morning – any fat would soon melt.
We haven’t started feeding yet this year, as there still seems to be plenty of natural food around. When the bluetits begin pecking on the windows, we know it’s time to put food out. 🙂
Rosemary Kneipp
December 22nd, 2015 at 10:00 pm
Four feet is very high, but I’m not sure if she has enough running distance to get to the new elevated feeder and she can’t just spring up from the window ledge. At least I hope not.
I don’t have anywhere that I can put a bird table that doesn’t have cover and that I can actually see. We have the feeders in the trees, which is great, but I have to use binoculars to see them.
I’m pretty sure we’ve found the solution now though. Let’s keep our fingers crossed.
[…] After all Jean Michel’s hard work, we now have a wonderful kitchen window that looks out onto our little wood and gives us endless pleasure, especially bird watching now that we have outwitted the neighbour’s cat. […]
I can feel your pain. Sincerely hope Jean Michel has found the perfect solution.
Can you set your camera to continuous shooting?
Thank you. I’m not sure what continuous shooting is. I only use an iPhone :). I’ll check with my iPhone savvy kids when they are arrive for Christmas.
I’m so sorry you are having a cat problem. Domestic cats are an absolute menace. Cats are actually small mammal specialists and in the natural course of things fairly poor at catching birds. Unfortunately bird feeders allow them the opportunity to practice. Even without the cat catching a bird its presence will disturb them. It’s the reason I don’t feed the birds here. I’d just be fattening lunch for the team of feral cats in our neighbourhood.
However, even worse than cats are people who feed cats at holiday accommodation. Grrr. I would be furious at that, but what can you do.
Hopefully JM’s solution will work. It is a good challenge for him 🙂 You should be thankful you aren’t contending with cats and American grey squirrels, like we were in London. Cats are nothing compared to how ingenious grey squirrels are at getting to the bird food and scoffing the lot in minutes.
If JM’s solution doesn’t work I think you need to give up on the windowsill feeder. The problem is no cover for the birds. Feeders should ideally be situated where there are trees and shrubs very close for the birds to come and go by. They will feel and be safer. I suggest erecting a tall sturdy pole with some arms to hang feeders off, next to a medium sized shrub.
Bells on cats don’t work as far as I can see. Usually what happens is they lose the bell one way or another. I’m not a big fan of collars on cats. Mostly they don’t like wearing them and will work them off. If they do stay on and they are hunters they can snag and be dangerous. If the cat is not a hunter then they are a bit pointless.
One thing you could try is having a water pistol handy and squirt Java whenever you see her hunting. She’ll be offended, but unharmed and it should act as aversion therapy if you can get her a few times.
Java has always preferred our place. It’s obviously far more interesting than her own home. She always studiously ignores both of us and acts as if she lives here. I’m glad we don’t have squirrels as well!
Yes, I know, this is the last try. If it doesn’t work, then we’ll have to give it up but I love going to watch the birds during my work breaks. Outside, they are a little too far for me to really see them.
I’m going to buy a water pistol though. With Christmas around the corner, they should be easy to get. JM isn’t convinced though …
Cats can jump astonishingly high – one of ours actually caught a swallow in flight over the pond, and it was at least 4 ft. up. We do love cats – although we don’t have one any more – but to outwit the neighbouring felines we hang the bird feeders well away from anywhere the cats can approach unseen.
We have a bird feeder at the bedroom window – that is far too high for even the most agile cat to reach, and also scatter seeds on a garden table outside my office window, where different varieties meet to socialise and share a meal, and there is no cover for the cats to hide. I photograph them through the window with a high shutter speed.
A French friend buys cheap fat and smears it on the branches of bushes, which attracts plenty of birds and provides an opportunity to photograph them in their natural habitat. But at the moment, with this very mild weather – the sun is beating on the windows this morning – any fat would soon melt.
We haven’t started feeding yet this year, as there still seems to be plenty of natural food around. When the bluetits begin pecking on the windows, we know it’s time to put food out. 🙂
Four feet is very high, but I’m not sure if she has enough running distance to get to the new elevated feeder and she can’t just spring up from the window ledge. At least I hope not.
I don’t have anywhere that I can put a bird table that doesn’t have cover and that I can actually see. We have the feeders in the trees, which is great, but I have to use binoculars to see them.
I’m pretty sure we’ve found the solution now though. Let’s keep our fingers crossed.
Hopefully it works.
[…] After all Jean Michel’s hard work, we now have a wonderful kitchen window that looks out onto our little wood and gives us endless pleasure, especially bird watching now that we have outwitted the neighbour’s cat. […]