There is a stray cat near my house and it often leaves bird feathers at the backyard. Do your cats hunt small birds for their food? How can you discourage them not to catch birds?
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There is a stray cat near my house and it often leaves bird feathers at the backyard. Do your cats hunt small birds for their food? How can you discourage them not to catch birds?
Cats hunt, that's what they do, even house cats that are never allowed outside will hunt if allowed outside. I have never heard of a way to prevent them from it. Other than..... never mind :). Have fun and stay safe....
I am afraid that I don't know how to discourage it either, but then my cats are indoor cats. I would never trust the dangers of the outdoors to them. I feel sorry for the birds.
It must be horrible to see those feathers and know what it means, especially when it's a stray cat and it's beyond your control. The cat is just doing what comes naturally to it to survive. He/she is not at fault either.
I agree with you guys that it is the cat's nature to hunt but I do feel compassion to the birds. I guess it is just a cycle of life. Or maybe the city government can take care of these cats and put them into proper homes.
My cat likes to just catch things and then not eat them. She will catch a bird or mouse and then just drop it on the front porch like she's showing us what a good job she did hunting. I think it's because she is so well fed that she doesn't actually eat her prey. And I bet that's what she thinks about me when she sees our pantry. LOL!!
We feed wild birds. Occasionally feral cats have staked out our feeders. Bad strategy, big mistake. De-clawing a cat helps curb their killing as they can't grab prey so easily but not a good thing for cats left outdoors most of the time as it disarms them. House cats let out briefly and not having to defend themselves don't need their claws (your furniture and drapes will thank you.)
Life feeds on life, it is natures way. Life is not a Disney theme park. If you keep a pet that pet will have an impact, a footprint if you will. What do you want more, song birds and such or outside cats? They are incompatible. You might as well wish that apples falling from a tree would float up instead of falling down as to try to get cats and birds to peacefully coexist.
Barn cats are a terrific boon to helping to control rodents without poison which might find its way into the food chain and cause unintended collateral damage. Bird feeding needs to be well away from the barn then.
Birds or outside cats, pick one.
Pat