Conference misery::feline_v1

    The only thing i can suggest is that if there's something in your yard
    that puts the birds in a vulnerable position, to rearrange it -- for
    example, a bird feeder too close to where a cat can get at them.
    

    Re .1 - to further that idea...
    
    Birdbaths, feeders, birdhouses, or neighbors with the
    same ll are a great attraction for a cat, and provide
    steady catches....
    
    

    Hi,
    	My cats are just over 18 months old and have been catching things
    every now and then for about 9 months, however recently the have been
    in top gear and we have about 3 or 4 birds a week at the moment, evan
    had 5 in one day the other weekend 3 of which I rescued alive and they
    managed to fly away apparently intact. I asked at a local pet shop when
    I way buying bells and the bloke said that because of the weather we
    have had (SUBURB is in Reading right?) the birds are spending a lot
    more time on the ground searching for insects as there are not many on
    the wing, this is borne out by the fact that we have had at least 6
    house martins which under normal circumstances spend all their time on
    the wing or on rooftops. Maybe when the weather changes you will have
    fewer presents. I am lucky in that my wife gets home first so usually
    has them cleaned up by the time I get back ;-).
    
    
    By the way the bells dont do much good
                          
    
    Martyn.

    
    
           I differ a little with the previous noter, a friend of mine
    her cat goes outdoors and she has little bells on and we always see the
    birds fly away from the ground/feeder and wonder why at first and then 
    coming across the yard you can hear her little bells..At least it works 
    for her, as the neighbors who love birds and feed theirs was starting to 
    complain...
    
    some it may not work for.  I agree one or two probably wouldn't do
    much.
    
    Diana

    I've heard of some cats that have learnt to hunt by creeping with three
  legs, while using the fourth to stop the bell swinging and making a noise
  before they pounce. :-) :-)

    
    
            Might be a little harder if the bells were attached to the
    collar....as part of the collar :')

    The only thing sure to work is to find the kitties a new home
    and get a (dare I say it) dog.
    
    If you love cats you have to learned to live with bird bits, mouse bits 
    and snake bits, and in my case, even a very decomposed mouse in the 
    heating unit (retrieved last night).  It's a cats nature to catch small 
    things that move, and it keeps the bird and rodent population healthy 
    and smart.  Although, I could live without Miss Moffet bringing them in
    live and playing mouse Badminton with them.

    Unfortunately, while you may be able to learn to live with the 
    bird bits etc, some of your neighbors may not.  I think youd best
    find an effective way to bell this cat before your bird-loving
    neighbors find a way to stop it from hunting birds.
     
    Nancy DC
    

    When I was a kid, the kids across the street had a big black and white
    ex-tom named "Meatball" (what do you want when a four-year-old kid gets
    to name the new pet...).  Meatball was a great hunter (our kitty was an
    indoor-only creature).  He liked to bring home birds through the car
    door and present them to his human slaves...  The adults of the house
    got tired of this and Meatball got a bell on his collar.  Hopwever, it
    only took him a few weeks to learn to run and climb smoothly enough
    that the bell wouldn't give him away, and he went right back to
    supplementing the larder.  He wasn't into rodents; he mostly brought
    back birds.  The parents eventually couldn't take it anymore and gave
    him away (to a farm a mile or so away, as a mouser - don't know if he
    turned to mice then or not).
    
    /Charlotte

	The only things I can think of are:

	A bell,

	removing and bird-perches that are in close cat distance,

	Putting lemon or something around anywhere they are likely to reach
	birds,

	giving them something else to play with outside,

	or you could try a scare-crow type thing, which may put the birds off 
	from coming into the garden, and cat-reach.

	I have an old scratching post, with a cat-nip mouse, My two don't do 
	much with it, they're both too lazy to stir themslves to actually
	chase anything, but two of the neighbours cat think its wonderful!

	Good luck,
	Heather