Birdfeeders

Cats are a problem in most neighborhoods. Of course, if you have a cat, make it an indoor cat, but you cannot control what your neighbors do and many people think it’s just fine to let their cats roam. In many areas, including ours, feral cats are also an issue. If you are sure that the cats visiting your yard are wild, you can often catch them with a baited live trap and take them to your local humane society. Just be sure you are not taking away your next door neighbor’s pet! There are also a few ways to protect birds visiting your yard. Most importantly, eliminate all hiding places near your bird feeders so cats don’t have a place to hide. Be sure to have bird baths out in the open and up off the ground. Hanging bird feeders seem safe, but remember the ground feeders often gather below hanging bird feeders to get the dropped seed. Any area where ground feeders are visiting should have low fencing between feeding areas and any nearby brush or other hiding places. The best defense is making sure birds can see any approaching cats.