Hi all, happy Easter and spring tiding sot you all.
I'm new on here so apologies if there is already a thread on this .. or if i have broken the rules in some way.
I just wanted to share my annoyance with what looks like another year of nesting failure where i live due to predation by the local gang of cats. within the space of 4 houses there are 9 cats. My neighbour and I seem to be the only ones not in love with our feline friends. I put a nest box up on the front of my north facing house last year but next doors cat killed one of the nesting bluetits. Needless to say only one of the chicks fledged. I think the same has happened this year too as i haven't seen the new pair of bluetits for a couple of days now. i've just tapped the side of the box but nothing. the last time i saw them they were very active nest building and (i think) feeding the young. Cats may not be to blame for their disappearance but i can't think what else has happened. Its very discouraging. i jet feel like taking the box down.
i know there is not much that can be done about this on a local level. I really wanted to gauge what people think about the problem of cats. i read somewhere that they kill something like 60 million birds a year in the UK. Is that true?! It's a staggering number if it is. Surely something has to be done about this at a national level, such as limiting each household to one cat .. or making cat alarm collars compulsory .. or at least a public broadcast about the damage they do to bird stocks.
Does anybody agree? I just don't know how you stop these pests.
All views welcome.
All the best Adrian
Just to make it clear, I mean the little glass or plastic containers of air freshener, not the spray - then no damage is done to plants. Good luck.
Best Wishes, Rosy
For those worried about the possible impact of cat predation on bird populations, this is the RSPB's point of view: www.rspb.org.uk/.../birddeclines.aspx
My blog: http://mazzaswildside.blogspot.co.uk/
My Flickr page: https://www.flickr.com/photos/124028194@N04/
Just a point to note, cat bells do little or nothing. Birds/small mammals don't understand that a ringing bell means a predator. A little tinkling sound isn't recognised as a warning. Falconers with hunting birds put bells on their birds for location purposes and they still catch their prey.
I think you're also fighting a lost cause. We're (mostly) a nation of cat lovers and I'd wager the majority really don't care about wildlife and if Tiddles catches a few birds each year and as stated on the RSPB web site the science on the impact of cats on bird populations is at best sketchy. Species most in decline aren't being predated on by cats.
For the record I have two resuce cats. I'm also lucky insofar as they seem either disinterested or completely inept at catching anything.
Best thing to do is create a garden which offers poor hunting spaces (no ambush points near feeding stations) and use the deterrents already mentioned.
Or you could move the Mull, the Eagles tend to keep the feral cats down.
Hi there, you can read the RSPB perspective on cats here.
Bells on collars do work for birds, check out the link to the research here. The more and the louder the better, birds are intelligent and can often learn to associate a particular noise with a particular threat. If a cat is charging towards a potential victim and is making a loud jingling noise birds have a better chance of hearing it approach.
I've not heard of any feral cats being taken by eagles on Mull, are we missing something here sunrider?
Warden Intern at Otmoor.
I was informed some time ago (on the island) that cat remains had been found under the nest of an eagle, whether of course this is true or not cannot be confirmed however eagles have been known to take foxes so it's not a huge jump of faith to assume Tiddles could be on the menu in a certain set of circustances. They are certainly more than capable.
Regarding cat collars I can only go by my own results. My old cats had bells on them but still caught things regularly. One would assume the only time birds and small mammals would learn of the impending doom was if they actually escaped, then they would have the association of danger with the noise.
A colleague of mine up in Scotland just confirmed that Sunrider, we learn something new every day! Apparently feral cat remains have been found at nest sites!
Found a new black cat with collar this morning, hiding in the laurel bush where I throw a couple of handfuls of suet pellets and raisins for the blackbirds. He thought I was throwing them at him ran off with me chasing him out.
This is the problem for me - if I leave the gap under the fence next to the gate unblocked, cats can squeeze in; if I block it up, the hedgehogs can't get in. Hedgehogs win.
This explains the heap of feathers that puzzled me two days ago. I didn't think it was the sparrow hawk - they don't usually pluck the small birds.
I'll just be more vigilant until it learns. Every time it goes quiet outside, I'll go and rattle the bushes.
Motion detecting sprinklers is wots need. Any inventors like to make some money.
Take care all, Stich.
My gallery Here Flickr Here
Hi Stich, someones already got this covered, see Jet spray repeller, can't vouch for their effectiveness but they do exist!!! Let us know if you get one and find it effective!
Not sure how this would effect people in areas with hosepipe bans!
ah yeah i've heard of those! here's a link to a video with one in action
www.amazon.co.uk/.../ref=sr_1_1
the only trouble is i see with that is they still need to be connected to a hose pipe- which is not so good for those with hosepipe bans-pity it dosn't come with some self contained water bottle.
otherwize i've found those 'prika strips' which you fit ontop of fences helps somewhat