Just got back from a disasterous trip to meet a friend for coffee. The car park was treacherous and after several double selkos I grabbed the handle of a car I was passing, only to find the door wasn't locked and it flew open, causing me to do another double selko with two twists. I eventually managed to get back in my car only to find it wouldn't start - dead, very dead battery. Phoned hubby to come and get me with some jump leads. No reply. Phoned his mobile number and heard the lady tell me I had insufficient credit. Borrowed a stranger's phone and spoke to hubby who was at the far end of a large field with one of the dogs. He said he would be 20 minutes. I sat in my car and it began to snow, with an icy arctic wind, and I was frozen to near death. I had no radio or heater, but there was a blanket on the back seat, which I used. I thought I would do some bird watching as there are plenty of trees in this car park, but not one single bird anywhere. Hubby arrived, car started, and I got home.
I went upstairs and glanced through the bedroom window - two beautiful long tailed tits on the feeding station. This is a first for me - never seen any round here. I couldn't help but scream. They heard me and flew to the fence. The same second they landed on the fence, a black moggie arrived in the same place from the other side, and out came its front legs and claws.
I am happy to say that the birds escaped unhurt and the moggie fell off the fence then ran away, but not before I uttered some very unlady like words. I doubt the tits will venture to my garden again after that, and I am going into self imposed hibernation for the rest of the week.
Cheers, Linda.
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I can't vouch for LTT, as you know I have a food source but I had one visit one! lol!
I would recommend the trellis stuff (aren't we technical?!), we used it along our fence and it worked a treat rolled over. Although I don't know what your neighbours are like, ours were quite the pain and the daughter (who is vile to begin with) made us take it off their fence even though it was on our side. According to her the cat had the right to roam...yes it does, but when its stalking and butchering Collared Doves on the garden, it will be kept out!
Anyway, they can't get their footing on it - we have it underneath the big conifer too so they can't get along the fence under it :o)
Thanks Paul, I'm going to give it a go. I want my sparrows corner back for one thing! The neighbour in question can go shoot himself as far as I'm concerned, but it isn't his cat!!! He also feeds the birds by the way.
Susan H said: This wasn’t the first incident with said black moggie. (PS I love cats, especially black ones)
This wasn’t the first incident with said black moggie. (PS I love cats, especially black ones)
Sounds like a fun time was had by all:) Not a cat and bird tale but a cat one just the same. I used to have a pushbike shop once upon a time, I also had a Brindle Lurcher dog that went everywhere with me. In the house next to the shop was a the biggest Bum Face (Persian) moggie you have ever seen that was a total vandal, rapist, thug, child molester etc. It also kept trying to get into my shop but Button always stopped it. One day the dog was behind the door, the cat couldn't see him, cat decided now was the time to enter shop, Button just lay there with the tip of his tail twitching (this indicated he was having a laugh), Bum Faced monster stomps through door and into shop looking all menacing, Button sticks his head behind bum faces bum and says "Hello my pretty" in doggy language. This was the one and only time I have ever watched a cat try to turn itself inside out to turn round and run. Never came near the shop again.
Had to laugh at your story Rev.d! I can just imagine your dog waiting there - and the cat's face when he came out from behind that door!
You done well that the cat never came back - our nextdoor neighbour's cat didn't really learn it's lesson. It used to hide under a thick bamboo bush at the top of our garden and try to hunt the birds. Anyway it was under there one day when Bobby my Westie in my avatar went that way, well i don't know who was more surprised!
I could hear much growling and hissing coming from the garden and when I looked Bobby had the cat pinned to the ground by its neck! This has happened twice (not on purpose you understand, always when cat has been stalking birds and Bobby's surprised it) but the cat still hasn't learned its lesson and still comes in the garden!
Needless to say the trellis stuff I mentioned previously now creates a screen under the bamboo which works effectively so it cannot hide under it. Sparrow - we use it for everything where deterring cats are concerned!
Hi Sparrow
Sorry I missed this thread but read it now and still laughing, sorry I know it's at your expense!
What a shame about your sparrows, I'm sure they'll come back when the moggy problem is solved. The same happens here, I can't put any feeder near our fence as the next door neighbour's cat is so sneaky and quick, she'd be up there in no time. I've even had to prune bushes at the bottom to stop her lurking under there where the birds can't see her as she's black too.
Regards
Kerry
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kezmo6310/
Hi Rev.d
I loved your story about the bum faced persian what an apt description of that particular beed! LOL
Hi Kezmo,
Paul seems to have found a good cat deterent in the green wire netting stuff he uses. I am going to try some and see what happens. Lola and Purdy are usually all the cat deterrent I need, but this Moggie is a new boy in the neighbourhood. He will learn.
I was right, the LLTits haven't made a comeback as yet, but there again, neither has Moggie as far as I know.
Glad to see my disasterous morning could make you laugh - laugh away!! I did!!!
Can you hose him if you spot him Sparrow. I had a cat fall in my pond when I scared him off & never came back. I'm sure it would only take once or twice to stop him coming.
This has to be the funniest thread I've read though :-D
Unknown said: Can you hose him if you spot him Sparrow. I had a cat fall in my pond when I scared him off & never came back. I'm sure it would only take once or twice to stop him coming.
It depends how stupid/determined they are. This one nextdoor had a water fire extinguisher turned on it yet it still came back!
Oh and by the way, I don't mean pointed at it, fire extinguishers are far too powerful for that, just at the fence behind - the noise was enough for the cat to flee!
Hi everyone and thank you all for your comments,
Update:
Moggie hasn't made a repeat appearance up to now. I think he may have discovered the dogs. They have certainly found his scent and keep looking for him.