In our backyard, we don’t have to worry about it because our backyard is fenced, and the dogs keep a tight perimeter. However, out front I’ve recently been spooking cats hiding in the bushes beneath our bird feeders.
I hate putting my dog on a long lead(she gets tangled), but I’m thinking that putting her on a lead out front occasionally could help train the cats to avoid the area. Otherwise, I’m considering trapping them and dropping them off at animal control. Id rather not do this because our city’s animal control is overwhelmed with stray cats and dogs, and I don’t want to add to their workload.
So if anyone has an effective way they like to deter or harass cats and it’s ethical, please let me know!
Thanks.
When you think about it, bird feeders are also cat feeders.
motion sensor sprinkler will do it
This is the best option. Especially if you set the motion sensor lower to the ground so that the birds at the feeder aren’t triggering it, just the cats when they come up.
A metronome will spook cats. The Japanese use a piece of bamboo that fills with water and then whacks against another surface to scare deers.
In my experience, I don’t believe you’ll be able to “train” the cats that way. They’ll be more cautious to keep an eye out for your dog, but if your dog is not around they’re not gonna want to miss a hunting opportunity. I could be wrong, but that’s the way my cats behave at home. Being trained not to do something is really just a “be more careful of when I should do this” to them
Perhaps try raising your feeders above their jump height? Although that may be a tall order.
Birds are messy eaters, they knock the seeds to the ground and half the time there’s more eating off the ground as off the feeder.
I see what you did there. LoL.
The lowest feeder is about 6’, and the highest is about 8’. I might be mistaken, but I don’t see these overfed felines jumping that high. I’m pretty sure they’re lazy hunters and wait for the birds to come down to their level.
Hmm, yeah that’s pretty high. I agree, hunted from the ground when they’re after the scattered feed.
Others have suggested planting things cats don’t like, and that may work. Now I’m wondering if one can plant enough catnip they would be too high to care, or perhaps just too high to hunt well. Dunno.
Either way this situation highlights an important ecological lesson: add food to a system and different niches will show up to consume it. That being said, cats are obviously a very human addition to ecosystems.
Tangential note: this reminds me of the Love, Death, Robots episode with the Scottish farmer and the rats in his barn. Was on Netflix last I saw it. 5/5, fun and quick.
PPS: When the protected birds show up to do the same as the cats, I’d advise you to leave them be. Taking one of those down is a felony, I believe.
