My cats keeping killing mice which is fine but now they have taken on killing birds too which i really hate as they keep bringing them in the house and there are feathers everywhere.i managed to save one this morning from my cats mouth luckily.they both have collars with bells but are still getting at the birds is there anything else i can use.
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2007-01-18 16:52:53 · 12 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Cats
I've got the same problem. I bought six big, ugly, full-size, plastic falcons at a second hand shop in Otago and put them up on sticks in my garden. Scares off the birds. Now the birds are afraid to even fly by it, and my cats have nothing to chase.
2007-01-18 16:59:40 · answer #1 · answered by Tahini Classic 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
This is the problem with cats outside, after all, they are natural predators. Larger bells might be the answer, but rather than weight, try for sensitivity, you want a warning with any move your cats make. I remember seeing something about some kind of cap that can be put on cat's claws rather than declawing, perhaps that could be some help. The problem I've seen with fake owls/hawks/snakes is that the birds eventually realize that they are fakes (had a friend who had the birds she was trying to scare off nest in the hole in the bottom of one of her fake owls.) My experience though (and I'm sure I'll get some people who don't agree) is that if you tell the cat "that's very nice, here you go." a few times, and give the prey item BACK to them, after a while they get that you don't want it. Take the bird/mouse/whatever and dispose of it, well, the cat figures you ate it, that's why it was brought to you in the first place. What I think's funny though is when our cats kill a mouse or rat and put it in front of the door to the snake room........
2007-01-18 17:05:31 · answer #2 · answered by gimmenamenow 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't think there's much you can do other than keep them shacked up inside. I have a 15-year-old, her name is Killer (seriously), and she probably has over 100 kills in her lifetime. Mostly birds, but recently she 'graduated' up to squirrels. I realize that a lot of people will think I'm a bad owner, but some cats can only be domesticated to a certain degree. Pretty soon the wildlife in your yard will thin out, and the kill frequency will diminish. Good luck.
2007-01-18 17:04:03 · answer #3 · answered by joe_kiss 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Your cats are not "cold blooded killers" they are simply predators as are all cats. When they bring you a kill it is their way of submitting to your mastery. It is a sign of great respect. You cannot train a basic instinct out of an animal. You must either accept this behavior or turn your cats into totally indoor or totally outdoor pets. I do sympathize with you. I keep my cats inside all of the time. This way if we find ourselves with an unwanted "guest" the visit is usually a very short one. Also, we don't have to deal with feathers and "whoziz or whaziz" Only you can answer your question to your satisfaction. I wish you the best!
2007-01-18 17:29:28 · answer #4 · answered by fishergirl 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
i once read a book on cats and it say when a cat brings birds and mice into a house , that they are bringing them as gifts to show gratitude to their owners. try putting larger bells all the way around the collar.
2007-01-18 16:59:21 · answer #5 · answered by t miller 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, to start, you could keep them inside. Other than that they also make collars that have numerous bells on them...the loud sound could scare the birdies, but cats can be very sly...slow movement would cause little or no sound to come from the bell. They are very smart
2007-01-19 04:42:57 · answer #6 · answered by monkeysgirl04 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Cats are natural predators...not much you can do to stop them from hunting if you are going to continue to let them outdoors. They usually present their owner with their killl as a "gift", and want to be rewarded for it. However, cats killing birds has become a huge problem...they are wiping out thousands upon thousands of migratory birds, and populations are declining because of this. I would suggest keeping them indoors if you don't want them killing wildlife.
2007-01-18 18:12:28 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
You are owning a good cat. Animal instinct. You must appreciate what the cat is doing for you. Your cat is definitely not a killer.
2007-01-18 17:01:29 · answer #8 · answered by kenn 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My old cat Punk used to bring me all sorts of goodies, but one day he brought me my son's pet rat and I flipped and hollared at him..."give me that rat" he opened his mouth and dropped the rat in my hands. From that day forward all I had to do to get something from Punk was to ask him to give Momma his prize...he always brought them to me live and I was able to release them back. Cats are smart...talk to him/her, let them know you appreciate their hunting skills and ask for the prize...(don't do it with mice---let the little flea infested boogers die!) Good luck
2007-01-20 16:07:07 · answer #9 · answered by jumbos_mom 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
well that is their nature .mine bring home rabbits, 1 grouse, lots of different other animals and birds birds birds. don't let them out if you have a problem with them! - there is no other solution
2007-01-18 17:03:03 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋