Stopping the cat catching birds!

Our previous cat was an excellent 'mouser' which I didn't mind except when he brought them in to play with ! She never to my knowledge caught a bird.
Bertie is a champion bird catcher despite the fact the furthest he goes is next door. We've had him since April and I think the total is 10, including 3 in one day !!
I put a collar and bell on him and he went beserk with in 30 seconds trying to get it off. Not much more I can do unfortunately.

We've always fed the birds, we have two mainly indoor BSH, they seem to accept the birds and watch but don't bother them. Recently however a neighbours cat has started hiding under low shrubs and bushes and has on at least one occasion caught a dove, it looked like a massacre. We have cat proofed our garden, or so we thought, to prevent our cats getting in and to keep others out! The little blighter has obviously found a way in. We may have to stop feeding the birds

My Storm has since we moved into a house with garden turned into an inveterate hunter and even eats his birds!

I have insisted that I will not have his birds indoors, unless they are alive and well and are meant as a present for me.

It's a cat's nature to hunt birds - try to tell your interfering neighbour how many birds starve or freeze to death every winter. Being caught by a cat is perhaps preferable.

That's why I prefer to have a dog.

We'd see our cat "revving up", body low to the ground, front paws going like the clappers on the spot, but fortunately she never seemed to catch anything, even when she was younger. De-clawing cats is apparently not a simple procedure and, in my view, it's very cruel. I'm not sure it's legal in this country - at least I hope it's not.

Here is a link to an article including the RSPB's advice on how to reduce the number of birds killed by cats:
www.theguardian.com/environment/blog/2010/may/19/birds-cats-rspb-protection-tips. I hope it helps.

I used to get upset when Tara my cat brought home birds and mice- usually alive, to play with. It is what they do and all of a sudden last year Tara decided she did not want to chase anything any more so I am very happy.

She was never happier when I would be sitting down eating supper, watching TV and she would come home with a mouse, sit beside my chair and devour her supper.

The only way to stop this is to keep your cat indoors. Cats are brought into the world inhabited by wildlife by humans and as such I feel it is the responsibility of humans to ensure wild creatures do not come to harm....55 million birds are killed by domestic cats every year. Just think about that !

I assume the OP's neighbour who complains, is a meat eater, consumer of dairy products, wearer of leather shoes, user of cosmetics containing lanolin, wears wool, eats fish .............

?

Honestly the message is this.

You cannot invite an animal into your home then expect it to deny its very being. That is ridiculous. We love animals for what they are, not for their human qualities, as that is the values you are trying to impose on your cat.

Oh!!! That seems too mean. Cats love outdoors.

Bittersweet but my cat Beppie no longer is able to catch anything since she has grown older. However she used to bring me headless baby bunnies, what a memory on Easter Sunday!
Perhaps you could wean her off of going outside? Give her shorter and shorter periods of outdoor time. Many cat owners here in the states never let there cats outside.

our kitten THINKS he can catch birds,when a seagull sat on the shed roof chattering at him he was so excited...when it spread its wings he dived in the door and skidded across the kitchen floor in terror.He has now taken to chasing flies and bees ,brought a queen bee in last week...still alive and dropped it at my feet ...he was very startled when it flew back towards him.Best entertainment we've had in ages

My front lawn is covered with bird feathers this morning

Well I'm sorry you cat has scratched people but why are they approaching her near enough for her to scratch them? Your neighbour should just leave her alone and certainly not be close enough to get scratched, I'd of been tempted to say well stay away from her or as you suggested get a bucket of water. I wouldn't worry about it sounds like an interfering busybody to me. There is no way to stop a cat coming into your garden however much you may dislike them.

Thank you for your advice, my original post was prompted by a visit from an irate neighbour who said that she was far worse than the other cats in the area and had even scratched people. There are cats around that I give a wide birth to because some are more amenable than others. We will keep her in more and have ordered some louder bells. The cat bib is a non-starter as that would be too restrictive. We told the neighbour that he is welcome to use a water pistol or even throw a bucket of water over her which may deter her from coming into his garden.

Cinders is affectionate to us but generally avoids other people and if cornered will naturally defend herself. As you say clipping her claws will not solve anything as they will soon grow back and she does need them to look after herself.

She normally only gets pigeons, mice and the odd rat. The quicker birds usually get away.

I agree with other posters. The cat is doing what is natural for it. Why would you get a cat and then try to change its natural instincts? We used to have a cat - he would often bring in mice and birds, sometimes half eaten rabbits (I live in the country). Clipping claws is cruel - as ninathenana said thank heavens de clawing is illegal.

Don't waste money having the cat's claws clipped. It will go straight to it's usual scatching post and sharpen them again.
Thank heavens de clawing is illegal.

We have a terrier who are bred to chase and catch vermin, and very effective he is too. But nothing he nor I can do about it as it's in his genes. Same as your cat.

Cats catch things that move! When they are kittens we toss a table tennis ball, or piece of paper for them to play with, we teach them these things, we enjoy seeing them chase around the floor, a bird/mouse is no different to them really, just a moving object to have fun with. Our cats never ate what they caught (except the very expensive gold fish from a neighbours pond - they always left the eyes for me!). Their catchings were always laid at the back door ready for my approval, which they did not get.

Thank goodness no Vet will declaw your cat in the UK . Cats are hunters and she is actually `bringing lunch home` for her family , which is you ! There is nothing you can do to stop her just being a cat and doing what cats do . Sad for the birds I know - I hate it too when my kitties bring in all sorts of wildlife but would never tell them off for doing what comes naturally .

Cats hunt birds and mice its a natural thing for them to do.

Blackbirds make nests in the ivy covering our garden wall inspite of them knowing there are cats nearby. The cats just wait until the little birds start to fly and the strong healthy little birds can usually escape. Its natures way,try to accept it.

Bells can actually be counter productive. Cats are clever as we know, and they quickly discover that if they move even more stealthily then the bell doesn't ring! They become more effective hunters rather than less. I'm afraid it's what some cats do-mine tend to go more for rodents, not all cats are birders.

I know it is not nice but that's what cats do. Please dont put a bell on her collar, would you like to walk around with a bell clanging in your ear? She just wants to give you a ( unwanted) gift.

You would have to have your cat declawed to stop her climbing and that's illegal in the UK.. clipping them won't stop her from killing birds I'm afraid its what cats do. You would have to confine her to be sure she stopped, sounds like you are doing all you can which is all you can do in my opinion.

Your cat is doing what cats do naturally,having a loud bell on collar may give the birds more chance to get away, but why would you ever think of clipping your cats claws ??? sorry but in my view that is cruel