cat lover / bird lover

We put up bird feeders for the first time this year. Previously I'd worried about our cats, but the weather has been so dreadful I thought it was worth the risk. We have all the feeders hanging from the pergola outside the living room. They are very exposed which means the birds can see the cats coming from all directions and they also seem to know when the cats have come in to spend the rest of the day on the bed. So far we have got through a lot of bird food and not a single bird has been caught.

nanej - we decided about twenty years ago that we would not have another cat, after we had to have our last one put down purely due to old age - 22. We thought then, that we were retiring, possibly not around for much longer, and looking forward to having the odd weekend away - meaning if we had another cat someone would have to care for it. BUT even after all this time, I still stay, whenever the subject of cats comes "We have had cats all our lives". Cats were part of my life I do not remember a time without them, and as far as our last three (mother and two kittens) were concerned, I could write a book about their antics. They were however, strongly reprimanded for killing birds - not that that made the slightest difference! our large untidy garden was a haven for them.

We`re not coming to Kintyre this year Soop, but will only be up in Glencoe, so, hopefully...............

number Give me notice, and I shall bake a

Soop, I might just do that, thank you!

I have three bird feeding areas and have set two up in safer areas in greenery but one is in a place where it can be seen from the kitchen which is slightly more exposed. I have also blocked cat routes in the fences to reduce ease of access..though I know they can still get in! I will keep my water pump handy by the big window!

I think that the birds in our garden, and there are a lot, are used to cats and are wary of them. I may put chicken wire round the bird feeder in the tree. This is the one the cat seems to want to sit on.

I don't have a bird table or feed birds anywhere that cats can reach. That would just be stupid. However, I do still feed the birds in places where you have to be able to fly.

I must admit to loving having a bird table in the garden now I don't have a cat. Someone I know gets very angry with the local cats coming into his garden to kill the birds, but I did point out that a bird table is actually quite unnatural and man made and cats must think we have them purely for their pleasure. I have my bird table next to a very large holly bush so it's difficult for any cat to sneak up on them.

We lost our cat to cancer in October 2011 and have not got another. It is the first time since we have been living together ( 42 yrs) that we are cat free. At first I did not notice as we moved out of our house shortly after to stay with our DD when we were having building done on the house. I am trying hard to attract birds back into the garden (they got scared off with all the noisy building) but neighbours' cats come in and scare the birds (have found feathers too!)
cannot decide about another cat..no cat flap now as we had a new door... birds... but I quite miss a warm snuggle with a cat on a cold evening! DH is not keen as it means finding a solution to the cat flap situation... dilemma!

number when next you pass...please call in. Rory would love to meet you.

My three moggies are rather old and less active now, but in their prime two of them unfortunately were real killers. I tried the bell on collar, but she got it off. They could still stalk quite successfully with it on!

We now get a neighbours' young cat in wreaking havoc on the birds. I also use a water pistol when I get a chance.

I love cats and birds, we feed the birds on a feeding area which is quite open of cover, so any cats can be seen sneaking up. We have moorhens nesting now, and I dread to see the little black dots zooming around on the pond. I know as they get bigger, they will follow their Mum on the banks, and gradually get picked off.

When our cats were younger, we had ducklings each year, that again, were dwindling in number each day. One year we couldn't bear it, so caught the last two, and raised them, first indoors with heated pad, old teddy as Mum, use of bath etc, then in an outside run. Mum would come and sit next to them. It was a lot of time consuming work for a couple of months, but we then released them and their teddy Mum, and they eventually went back to the wild. We should have ringed them to see if they ever return.

One of my life`s ambitions now is to meet Rory!

He is indeed, shysal He now walks with a very slight limp. He is extremely home-loving and makes a great fuss of his dutiful staff...a thoroughly loveable cat in every respect. Rory has always seemed shy with the Sikka deer that come to the forest fence. He's sunning himself in the garden. Never known a cat to groom himself with such gusto.

Is Rory making good progress soop?
My cats haven't brought in any kill for ages, but they do love to sit and watch the larger wildlife. There seems to be mutual tolerance between the species - badger, fox, muntjac and cat!

Rory shares his patch with scores of feathered friends. A friendly robin has been seen to nip the odd morsal of cat food from under his nose.

I don`t know if Mia catches anything when she`s outside, haven`t seen her do it, but she does chitter away if she`s on the window sill and sees anything outside. I opened the back door for her to go out the other morning, and had to shut it quickly, as there was a lady mallard duck right outside the door, and I didn`t want to take any chances.

Only one of my six cats was a serious hunter and he had little interest in birds, although, sadly, he did catch them occasionally. He was far more interested in rats and squirrels. The others have managed to catch the odd fly and one sits at the window and yatters at the birds. The feline family is now much reduced and too old to bother even with thinking about stalking.

Flower it's very hard to fight nature. You say your cats aren't hunters - I've prided myself that my cat is trained - she shows no interest in birds as I shouted at her from the first whenever she went into crouch mode but she still hunts mice etc. I always feed the birds and they've become oblivious to my cat but, unfortunately, there are two new cats who have just moved onto her turf and they're killers. It's quite upsetting and my serene garden is now a killing field.

One owner has helped by fitting a bell to killer cat's collar - maybe you could suggest that?