Blackbird

That's nature isn't it?
Blackbird in our garden used to chase off our cat, who would slink into the house.

Ooopsminty well you must hate me then as I have 4 cats and not a collar or bell on any of them! I have fostered cats and having seen the horrible accidents caused by collars so would never use a collar. I have both rescue dogs and cats and do wonder about people who say they "hate" one or the other. People who "hate" animals are the ones that do disgusting things to them?

No you're definitely not being unreasonable! I would be distraught too.

In April 2019 the Mammal Society estimated that cats kill around 27 MILLION birds a year, but they also kill a whole range of other creatures such as frogs.

However, my real gripe with cats is this - if I owned a dog and let it out to roam and leave faeces in the surrounding gardens, my neighbours would, quite rightly, be annoyed, so why is it considered to be "ok" for cats to be allowed to do the same thing? My mother (89) can't use her patio at all, as the smell of cat urine and the mess they leave behind makes it impossible.

Toxoplasmosis (see the link below) can be transmitted from cats, and although dogs can be carriers too, generally dog poo is removed by responsible owners. Cat faeces can appear anywhere and owners are not able to deal with it.

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/beware-of-the-cat-britains-hidden-toxoplasma-problem-8102860.ht

How sad for the bird to have been caught like that. The sad fact is that cats just have an instinct in them to catch the birds that's what they do it is nature. It sounds that the nest was maybe not built high enough as well.

Just a suggestion but I have seen these alarm type things you can order for your garden (not too expensive) and they emit sounds that only cats, rats can hear and they deter them from coming into the garden. It is worth a try I am getting one as I have my bird feeders out and like the birds.
Perhaps get one just for a try.

We’ve had a garden room built on the back of the house directly under our bedroom windows. Can’t have windows open on a night as cats jump onto the bed during the night, not a nice experience. Also use our planters and garden as a toilet.So sad hearing about the blackbird incident.

I love all animals and birds. I have 2 cats and a dog. Never understood why people have such a dislike for cats. They are such beautiful animals, but yes can be predators, that’s just nature. We have one that never hunts anything, but the other one, is a predator, I’ve lost track of how many mice he’s been bought in the house. I catch them and let them go.
Some dog owners actively encourage their dos to chase and kill, such animals as squirrels. This sickens me, this isn’t nature it’s just sadistic.

Dogs

Yes I have my two beautiful dogs but also like cats and had one some years ago before the dogs. I do not know how to train a dog to chase and kill smaller animals because the thought has never crossed my mind. I think the local cats know that my garden could be a bit risky and although I see many cats at the front of the house not many come round the back. One of my dogs would run and try and get the cat if it sat on the back fence mostly they don't. Just like the cat that caught the bird some dogs have it in there nature to chase cats and others do not.

I can't keep a collar on my cat as he is strong enough to remove the safety one, but as he is all black he is an indoor cat and my last cat was run over. Many years ago I did have a cat who was adept at catching birds , I remember coming home from work and my cat was staring at the dog's kennel, I went outside to let him in and he didn't move but the dog peeped out of the keenel with a sparrow in his mouth. I grabbed the cat and through him indoors, immediately the door was shut my dog came out of the kennel, opened his mouth and gently put the bird on the ground, the little bird shook himself and flew away. So proud of my little rescuer.

Oh that is terrible. I have a beautiful pair of blackbirds coming here to feed. They are practically tame. If anything happened to them I would be inconsolable so I can image how you are feeling.
I have had to try and keep cats out of this garden for years. I have cat scarers fitted but not all work on all cats.
I feel for you so much.

Jennyluck, some dogs don’t need any encouragement to catch and kill rabbits and squirrels. Lurchers can be killing machines where small furry animals are concerned. Same with jack Russell terriers, their farm work is mass murder of rats.
My big gentle fifth generation labradoodle was a real challenge to train. Like many large labradoodles , the prey urge was high. When aged about 18 months, She caught a rabbit, brought it to me, I said drop it. She broke its neck with one pressure and dropped it. I learned a lot from her about dog body language and the need for instant recall. She’s 12 this year, fit, happy and given the chance would still swim a river to chase deer ?

Unfortunately they are hunters and you cannot change that. I have an elderly Persian and a 3 year old rescue boy, he is most definitely a hunter. My cats have the free run of our garden usually but the tops of the fences are meshed like a lion’s den to stop them getting out. We had three conifers in the garden that were getting passed their best, when my husband found a bird starting to build the nest he cut the tree down to avoid any upsets. The bird would have found a better place to build. We left one conifer the much lower denser conifer that we never expected a bird to build in there. Of course we were wrong! But this one we only discovered once 5 eggs were sat in there, no chance of disturbing that. Now Stanley the cat is on lockdown until they hatch and fledge, he really is not very happy at all about it, especially in the evening where he loves to be in the garden for hours. But I would hate him to catch and kill anything.

Over 30 years I have had 9 cats, all house/garden cats, and between them all have killed 7 birds, 7 too many for my liking. Do not attract birds by feeding them, have put windmills on top of the decking to try and put them off visiting.

We had a baby pigeon in our garden about three weeks ago, that was not frightened of us, but not flying. We watched from a distance until it was dark when he had hidden away, no parents coming down for it, so I took him to a wildlife sanctuary, hated the thought of getting up in the morning and finding him dead.

It’s sad when your pet catches a bird. I can watch the birds at the feeder from the kitchen window and they give so much pleasure.
Fortunately my cat seems to prefer mice.

TooyoungtobaGrandma

I have both rescue dogs and cats and do wonder about people who say they "hate" one or the other. People who "hate" animals are the ones that do disgusting things to them?

Is that comment to me?

I've never said I hated anyone.

I dislike cats and dislike the owners who don't use collars. It's the actions I dislike

As for collars, the rescue where I've got all my dogs from prefers cats to wear collars

But not all cats wear collars, not all dogs do

But when I see cats ripping up beautiful birds for playtime I feel an awful lot of anger and shall continue to do so no matter what you say

Some dog owners actively encourage their dos to chase and kill, such animals as squirrels.

Living in an area filled with the rare and protected red suirrels, I have yet to meet or see any chasing and killing

And I echo David Attenborough's words

www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/dec/10/cats-killing-birds-gardens-david-attenborough

So sad reading your post Namsnanny. I understand your sadness. We have buried three young birds within 2 weeks, two chicks that died in the nest and one fledgling that couldn’t fly. To lose a beautiful blackbird in this way is heartbreaking.

Namsnanny you are not at all silly, sometimes its the last straw isn't it? A cat got all the little robin chicks in our wall nest last year and was very upsetting. It didn't make it better that the robins were probably to blame because they make nests in really accessible places. Moggycuddler you are obv a responsible cat owner, if only more were like you and didn't let their cats wander. I wouldn't want to own a cat but I definitely wouldn't hang a ringing bell round a cat's neck all day either, that seems very cruel and detrimental to its hearing. 'Our' blackbirds had a battle of wills with a cat on the shed roof, it was very comical as the cat had no intention of moving but was eventually divebombed to distraction and had to concede defeat. I've also seen a sparrowhawk doing what comes naturally but hawks are magnificent birds and they need to eat and provide for their chicks too. That's not a 'wasted' death. It's such a pity your blackbird was killed Namsnanny by an animal that no doubt has plenty to eat.

If you put a collar and bell on cat birds know they are coming, but it is all part of nature. Cats are programmed to kill birds and mice. I wouldn't have one, but I do find them very cute.

I understand the OP's distress. I have two cats, one of whom is a terrific hunter. I don't let her out at all, as I am well aware that she would kill anything she can get hold of. My two cats are rescues from Romania, whose early life was on the streets. Obviously, they had to survive however they could - but all wildlife has to kill something else to survive. They can't exactly go to the shops for their food, as we do.
I love birds too, and all other wild creatures big enough for me to see. I can't walk or stand long enough to be able to walk a dog, or I would have one! I'm partially sighted and could not walk outside very far, and still be safe.
My cats are my comfort, just as a dog is to their owners. They are soft to stroke, loving and affectionate and make me smile every day. Just like dogs,they know when you are sad and try to comfort you. MollyPolly60 if you ask around maybe there is a cat rescue in your area that will try to Trap, Neuter and Release feral cats. I know if won't solve your problem, but there would not be more and more feral's then, to cause more problems. These cats don't want to live wild, where they are subject to disease, hunger and attack (sometimes from dogs) - they just don't have any other options.

Oopsminty: Have you not heard of or witnessed a Hunt in action? Now illegal but still around. If you had you would have had no doubt that dogs can be trained to kill other animals, not just small ones but foxes and also deer which are much bigger than them. I cannot believe that you have not heard of hare coursing, organised dog fights, or badger baiting. Please look at the evidence of the depths to which humans can sink.

Sadly, there are a lot of people

I have been a cat lover and owner all my life and whilst I accept that cats will hunt prey I find it unacceptable for them to kill any garden birds and it never happened. Easy peasy, each cat had a collar with a small metal disc and a bell each side so as they went for a bird off it flew hearing the bells. In all the cats I had I NEVER had one bird and think all cat owners should do the same it's only responsible like dog owners should pick up their dog's poo. The best things about cats they don't bark, personally give me a cat over a dog anyday. Sick of neighbours dogs barking and barking and causing such a nuisance even in lockdown. Not responsible owners at all.

If you live in an area that has cats then I do not see why you would encourage birds with feeders in the garden.

A few years back DH and I used to watch a robin flying into the garage through the broken window obviously building a nest somewhere in the garage but we couldn't spot where. Then when I went into the garage one day, there lying on the ground was our robin. A day or two later I caught my neighbour's cat coming out of the garage (he'd got in where the bottom of the door had rotted away). We didn't find the nest until some time afterwards when I was tidying the garage. There was the nest with 5 eggs in it. We were so sad.

It's definitely not safe for a cat to wear a collar - I've known 2 or 3 people who put one on their cats only to lose them to strangulation - no reputable rescue centre would recommend them for that very reason. A cat isn't responsible for what comes naturally to them - unlike humans.

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A very long address, but this gadget works. It's fun for grandchildren too!