Can you help me to decide please?

Birds are and probably feel safer when the feeder is close to tree branches that cats can't climb rapidly.

JaneJudge

I suppose if you get a cat from a rescue place they will have more of an idea of its temperament anyway? whether its an indoor cat or an outdoor cat etc

Why don't you ring them or email to lodge an interest in rehoming?

Yes, that’s right.
When I got my cats from the Cats Protection they knew all about their temperament.
Out of the three cats I’ve had, only one caught birds, and he was a Tom.
I wonder if girl cats are less likely to hunt?
You’ll certainly have lots of cats to choose from, it’s definitely a buyers market.

I’m so glad that you’ve decided to get a cat Henetha, I know how much you loved Wiggy x

We have 4 cats of varying ages. Our birdfeeder is always very busy, there is woodland behind our house. We are more likely to be given dead mice as presents than we are birds. The cats seem more tormented than the birds imho although this pigeon may disagree

Georgesgran my Maine coon has never shown any interest in catching anything either.
She is such a zen character.

The daft dog chases frogs all over the garden (it drives me mad) but the cat doesn’t bat an eyelid.

In fact, the daft dog chases the cat everywhere, (it drives me really mad) and she doesn’t bat an eyelid

We have a rescue cat, we got it from Battersea dog and cats home. They went into great detail about what we wanted from one. We live on a main road and needed one that had road senses and also asked for a female as they don’t seem to roam so far. We got exactly what we wanted and I must say this is the female we have ever had and she doesn’t kill birds, that is we don’t find any dead birds around. We have a feeder. and still seem to get birds in the garden. She is to well fed to go hunting

Our two cats are both - unintentionally - adopted. The boy doesn't hunt, the girl does, despite being well fed.

We are fortunate in having a balcony so we put the bird food on there where the cats can't get (unless we forget and leave the door open!).

You could use the type of bird feeder that sticks to the outside of a window. If you put that upstairs the birds would be safe from any cat that you have. Of course, it might be less convenient for watching the birds.

They don't all kill birds, we don't have our own cat but are surrounded by them! At least 5 visit our garden regularly and in the 5 years we have lived there only seen one bird caught, by (what we considered) to be the 'thick' one out of them all, he sneaked up on a starling from under a car. I have had cats in the past and always put a collar and bell on them, one benefit is that we have never had a problem with rodents.

Like AreWeThereYet we have bird feeders and the cats don't even look at it.

My cat is just coming down from his vigil in the tree where the sparrows feed completely oblivious to him,he just sits and watches and couldn’t catch one if he tried his balance is terrible!!… not even a year old yet..

Mikkima

We have 4 cats of varying ages. Our birdfeeder is always very busy, there is woodland behind our house. We are more likely to be given dead mice as presents than we are birds. The cats seem more tormented than the birds imho although this pigeon may disagree

Love it!

Again, thank you so much for your lovely help and suggestions. There's a lot to think about. Some good ideas amongst your replies. I'm so grateful.
Happy new year, all of you.

My dd adopted an indoor cat from her local animal rescue shelter. Dd lives in a flat which has a little balcony which her cat enjoys in the summer. My friend volunteers for a cat rescue charity and they have never known so many uncared for cats just left to their own devices. They are often un neutered so produce loads of kittens. This friend also bravely collects any cats killed on the local roads and checks for a chip - not many are! She will then contact owner if chipped and takes the bodies to any of the local vets who will keep for 7days - this is to avoid the bin lorry just getting rid. We had 5cats at one time and only one was a killer of birds the rest preferred sleeping. By the way there are hundred of birds looking for homes Birdline and Parrot rescue are two charities which spring to mind so I’m sure you would be an ideal fostered. We’ve been involved with animal rescue charities since our teenage years. Dogs cats parrots tortoises have always found a safe place. Good luck.

If you get a middle-aged cat from a shelter that has been an indoor cat all it's life, there is less liklihood that it will want to go out, but you never know with cats.

Most hunt, both birds and mice if they have the opportunity to do so. This is natural, and after all, probably the main reason why cats and humans ever started living together,

So if you are violently opposed to a cat behaving like a cat, either choose some other animal, or keep the cat indoors.

If you opt for a cat that has access to the outdoors, you can make it plain by your reception of the birds and mice given you as presents that you don't care for them, or don't want them brought indoors. I have looked the other way when dead mice were brought in and devoured on the door-mat but objected to live mice, or birds - living or dead being brought in.

My decision was far from popular - indeed one cat only acquiesed in it after having his bottom smacked soundly by his brother cat because the cat I was turfing outside complete with blackbird growled at me - something his elder brother was not prepared to countenance. I did however, as long as that cat lived, spend a fair amount of time playing undertaker to the local blackbird population.

Had cats all my life and big cat lover but also a bird lover. Never had any problems with my cats catching birds as I consider myself a responsible cat owner. I have a collar on each of them with a medillion type disc and either side a bell. Oh they still have their fun stalking but never catch anything due to the bells going off! I must make them cross but they have still had their fun chasing. Currently looking at a woodpecker, blue tit and nuthatch on my feeders.

Not all cats are killers but many are because it is their hunting instinct.

I've never had a cat although some of my DC have and the females have been the most prolific killers out of those I know. One tiny cat manages to bring in all kinds of creatures, including dragging a baby rabbit through the cat flap. It was rescued from the cat but it died anyway, probably of fright.

An indoor cat or perhaps even a house rabbit?

I had a Siamese cat that was an indoor cat. She was lovely, but they are noisy and demanding of attention.

I also had a Persian, that did go outdoors, but she was too lazy to chase birds. She used to ignore them completely, as they did her.

If a cat never learns to go out, they don't tend to worry about it. 😉

I had several cats, over the course of 42 years. Some killed birds, some didn't. Wearing a collar with a bell did nothing to stop them, nor did not feeding the birds.

My last cat (My lovely Mr Cooper) was feral when he arrived in our garden one day. He'd obviously had to live rough and kill whatever he could get. In the 11 years we had him, he didn't kill a single thing - he was so very well-fed and happy, he didn't need to. He was a9 when he died 2 months ago.

He was 19

he was so very well-fed and happy, he didn't need to hunt
Was he a six dinner Sid? Our daughter's cat is, well at least three she knows of!

Just a sideways thought - my next-door-neighbours have a house rabbit. It is housetrained to use a litter tray as a cat would be and has the freedom of the house.

Lots of things kill birds, including other birds - magpies are vicious with baby birds around here. However the benefit of a feeding station outweighs the risk I think.

Joseanne. No, he wasn't. He was fed 4 times a day - 1 pouch of wet food each time, plus dry food 24/7, and he had tuna and chicken at least twice a week.

One cat in the family hunts, the other doesn't and they are both well-fed.

I think DD' s cat is Six-Dinner Sid!

HowVeryDareYou

*Joseanne*. No, he wasn't. He was fed 4 times a day - 1 pouch of wet food each time, plus dry food 24/7, and he had tuna and chicken at least twice a week.

Wow! 😋

Joseanne He was exceptionally spoilt (because he'd spent the first 7 years or so as a feral/stray)