Ideas to protect bird feeders and bird baths from feral cats?

Sarah W
by Sarah W
My neighbor is taking care of several feral cats, and those cats love to come into my yard and stalk the birds that I strive to attract. I am tired of seeing bird feathers every day and would like to know if anyone has any suggestions as to how I can protect the birds from these kitties. I like cats, too, so I am not going to harm them, but there has to be some ideas out there. Please?
SW
  9 answers
  • Douglas Hunt Douglas Hunt on Nov 01, 2013
    The National Audubon Society has suggestions here: http://www.audubon.org/bird/at_home/SafeCats.html Obviously since these are feral cats your neighbor is not going to keep them indoors, but the rest of the suggestions should apply.
  • Mikell Paulson Mikell Paulson on Nov 02, 2013
    I put course ground black pepper on the property line where the cats walk! They like to lick their feet and get the pepper on their tongue and they will not come back! Make sure that it is wide enough that the cats have to walk on it! If it is a little damp better yet! It will stick to the cats feet!
  • Kat Davis-Moran Kat Davis-Moran on Nov 03, 2013
    Sarah ..... i am sure in a humane and natural way these cats can be handled gently with. If it weren't for humans these kitties wouldn't be running all over the place, it is our responsibility as humans n pet owners to spay n neuter n to keep them inside good luck there are tons of info on line
    • Sarah W Sarah W on Nov 03, 2013
      @Kat Davis-Moran Hi! I am currently trapping,neutering and releasing these kitties as I can, but I have to release them back where I found them...thus the ongoing problem about my birds. I clearly said that I did not want to harm the cats so I will definitely be trying the black pepper!
  • Mikell Paulson Mikell Paulson on Nov 03, 2013
    We I am sorry! It works well for me! Even keeps the racoons away!
    • See 2 previous
    • Kat Davis-Moran Kat Davis-Moran on Nov 04, 2013
      @Sarah W yes me too, good idea n camera shooting same here lol
  • Kat Davis-Moran Kat Davis-Moran on Nov 03, 2013
    you are awesome, I did trap n neutering over 100 cats, koodos to you :-)
  • Sue Brashear Sue Brashear on Nov 03, 2013
    hmm wonder why nature advocate doesnt show its face? hope no human has crossed ur path, chances r u area animal/child/domestic abuser wanting to get a rise out of someone or maybe ur in jail somewhere on ur computer.
    • Kat Davis-Moran Kat Davis-Moran on Nov 04, 2013
      @Sue Brashear lol good one, some people have no time on their hands nor friends for that matter, gotta feel kinda sorry for such a poor folk. Just to bad someone has to come on here n bash people, this is not what this site is for.
  • Mikell Paulson Mikell Paulson on Nov 04, 2013
    I know I did not tike the way I was bashed! Takes more than that to knock an old lady down! Good luck with the cats! :)
  • Yair Spolter Yair Spolter on Nov 05, 2013
    Hi everyone, I'm Yair from Hometalk Support. The comments on this thread from Nature Advocate have been removed, since they are not in line with Hometalk's posting guidelines. I apologize for not catching this sooner. If you see this type of activity in the future, please flag it (using the little dropdown menu in the upper right hand corner of each comment/post) to bring it to our attention. Thanks!
  • Sharon honea Sharon honea on Feb 20, 2016
    I would like to get rice hulls to break up the dirt in my yard. Sss