Conference misery::feline_v1

    Bet anything that these birds are migrating. They stop off to
    rest up and eat and these cold mornings make them slower and
    great targets for cats. The name of the main bird we see this
    time of year escapes me.  They are so tiny and they all fly
    to New England to eat and rest up and when the conditions are
    right take off to get the air currents that will carry them 
    across the Atlantic towards Africa and then the wind current
    there blows them towards South America where they spend the
    winter. These birs fly at 10,000 feet (can you belive that?)
    and weigh approx ONE ounce.
    
    As far as scolding him, he is doing what comes naturally. I do
    chase the cats that have the nerve to come near our bird feeders
    including my own. They have to learn that that area is off limits
    to them. The woods across the parking lot has squirrels, and
    birds galore. What ever they do there and I can't see is okay.
    
    
    Barbara (who loves the birds and her kitties too)

    Hi.  Benjamin is constantly bringing me home chipmonks (drives my
    invalid neighbor nuts).  Usually, they are dead by the time he gets
    them home.  What I do is praise him and thank him for his "wonderful"
    gift.  I then take it away, put him inside, and bury the chipmonk.
    If he brings home a live animal, I try my best to get it away and put
    him inside.  I then don't let him out usually for quite sometime -
    enough time to let the little critter get away.  
    
    Mary

    Snoopy used to be a mighty hunter, back in the days when I (and she)
    was still living with my parents; in the summer I'd have about one
    carcass a week to bury.  I never scolded her because I never thought
    she'd understand, and I'd thank her if I was present when she brought
    the thing.  Once she was indoors I'd bury the dead animal (usually a
    mouse) and apologize to it for my cat's bad manners (which would have
    mattered not at all to the mouse, but made me feel better.)
    
    Once I saw my mother's cat holding down some poor unfortunate in the
    backyard and did the same as I would have to my cat.  I thought all at
    once, "Maybe I can save it!" "What if it's hurt too badly to save?" and
    "Maybe it's already dead," and rushed out saying, "Git! Tipper, git!"
    or something to that effect.  The mouse was breathing but didn't move
    even when I touched it, but it was gone in the morning (I'd hoped under
    its own power.)  No impression was made on the cat.
    
    Snoopy is getting to be a senior-citizen kitty and has retired from
    chasing mice.  Balls, combs, and almost anything that skids are still
    fair game.
    
    Lisa Dean and Snoopy

    Yesterday I was watching my friends neighbor who is owned by a cat &
    two little dogs. They feed lots & lots of birds in their back yard, and 
    don't let the cat out when the birds are feeding. It was funny to watch
    yesterday as the cat snuck out the door on his mom & headed right
    toward the birds. She cam out the door after him, calling, "Hey! You 
    get back here! Stay away from those birds!" He crouched down on the 
    ground anticipating being picked up and carried back in side. His mom 
    was telling him he was a silly boy & that he's probably too old to be 
    able to catch them anyway! I thought it was so cute! I guess that he
    knows he's not supposed to chase them, but they try to nip it in the
    bud so that he doesn't end up killing one. Once the birds were done
    w/ their chow session, the cat went out, the few remaining birds took
    off & things were fine. 
    
    I'd feel really bad for a chipmunk, or a birdie if one of my girls
    killed it (but they're indoors only, so I don't have to worry about
    that too much) but I wouldn't scold the cat for it. This is what comes
    natural to them, and since you don't have the proper claws & teeth to
    do so, they must hunt for you. I DO praise when house micce are caught.
    
    Bonnie