How To Protect Wild Birds At Feeders With A Cat Guard

[@pfhanley1963]

I've found it difficult to communicate to cat owners, who I know are animal lovers, in a way to protect the birds without the cat owners becoming defensive. It gets so frustrating knowing that they would want to create a solution if they could just stop play defense attorney for Mittens and hear that there is a problem that can easily be solved if they could just believe it existed. Sorry, needed to vent. Great video.

[@matildemiller6012]

on behalf of cat owners out there, i want to apologize :/

[@lesleyflores1582]

cat owner and bird lover here. agreed, I'm a strong proponent of keeping your cats indoors (for their safety and for the safety of wildlife) and making sure they are spayed or neutered. Not everyone wants to listen but there are those out there fighting the good fight for the love of cats AND the love of other animals :)

[@szita2000]

@@lesleyflores1582 On the same note why don't we keep the birds in a cage for the safety of the worms and bugs? I am a cat owner and a bird lover too. Our cats can roam around, and I have put umbrella like collars on our trees but this is one garden in a street. They can go out to the back lots and there is a forest there. And I disagree to keeping a cat inside a 600sqft house.

[@bwd1465]

@@szita2000 hardly a fair analogy. Cats are invasive predators whom birds have not adapted natural defense against hence why they’re responsible for billions of bird deaths a year. Keep your cats indoors or consider another pet.

[@stephaniedodt2389]

This is awesome! I fully intend to do this. I'm scouring my property for all the brush I can find! What a great and simple idea. My Taber loppers are gonna get a workout this weekend. My problem is that I am on both sides of the fence. I love animals, period, all of them. I just wish I could stop them from eating each other, and with your help I am probably about to do that. I like cats, in fact my own cat might have joined the rank of feral cats and no longer even be alive, but I was able to gain her confidence as a kitten. (Long story short, she became a beloved, microchipped house pet with health insurance that never goes outdoors. I love her to bits and we've known each other for 10 years.) There are outdoor cats outside. Not a problem at first, for a month. I had bought supposedly an extra tall pole. I was more concerned with squirrels than cats . The baffles worked fine with the squirrels. ( Of course, as an animal lover, I felt sad for the squirrels and they now have their own stash of dried corn ears, LOL). I felt the pole kept the feeders high enough off the ground to be safe. I was wrong. A prominent manufacturer of squirrel proof feeders creates a long hanger from the top of each feeder which causes it to hang much closer to the ground by at least a foot. Good for dealing with squirrels, not so good with cats. I just measured this, and the bottoms of the feeders hang barely 5 feet from the ground. Can a cat jump 5 feet and snag birds off of feeders? You better believe it. I am a member of Cornell Bird Lab and participating in Project FeederWatch. I spent a great deal of money preparing for this event which takes place from November 13, 2021 to April 30, 2022. Besides being a birder, I wanted to participate in this event, because it provides citizen science data, and at the same time it helps the birds through the most difficult part of the year. Half Scottish, I'm stubborn as Hell and not ready to give up. I just ordered another of the same identical poles so that I end up with a second baffle and add in one of the sections from the new pole, making the existing one 2 and 1/2 feet higher. I am going to use the one squirrel proof feeder for Black Oil Sunflower Seed and add two light weight suet feeders, due to weight considerations. I have already ordered spiked plastic squares and a sprayer of orange oil concentrate (See Amazon). I belong to a local Audubon Group, which seems to be mostly "older" retired people like me. I have two very nice (and pricy!) squirrel proof feeders left over and will sanitize them and "gift" them to a member without cat issues.

[@k.l.hollister8128]

Cats kill 1.3-4 billion birds per year and have caused several species extinction. I was horrified when I learned this. We used to have families of quail all over our property, now we have a couple pair and we watch their babies disappear each day. We try to run the neighbors 3 cats off to no avail. I would think local officials should start ticketing people or something before it’s to late. People need to start taking responsibility for letting non native predators free to decimate entire populations of birds. I’m an animal lover and understand wanting to allow your cat to live how it wants, but it is dangerous for your cat and detrimental to birds and other small animals. I have seen many comments from angry bird lovers or people who don’t want their gardens used at litter boxes who suggest trapping, shooting or poisoning them. It’s becoming a more noticeable problem for sure as there are fewer and fewer birds. At least get the cat a noisy collar or declaw it. Dog owners get tickets all the time and I would much rather have a dog hanging in my yard, at least they aren’t constantly trying to play with helpless baby birds until they are dead.

[@ruggedrickrude1946]

Now the neighbors say geez Fred and Barbara are too lazy to clean up the tree branches on their property lol

[@araceliedwards7803]

Excellent idea!! I’m definitely going to try this!! Thank you for sharing!!

[@goodnamesareallgone1]

Awesome idea! I'm going to use branches off a thorny bush (anti-cat) mixed with smaller tree branches to give the birds places to sit. I was going to get 1/4" plywood with 1/2" screws screwed through, but I like this better. Thank you.

[@rodmcbride6651]

Works great. Our cat still tries but with branches in the way it gives birds enough time to react and escape.

[@AllThingsConsidered333]

Unfortunately I rent a duplex in town and my neighbors stupid cat is always outside and hunts my birds. I love cats and I have 3 but I keep them contained. She won’t. My landlord definitely won’t want big brush piles or branches in the yard. I am so limited what I can do and I am frustrated and angry

[@pelissey]

Ever consider putting the feeder up a bit higher? You could use a pulley of some sort.

[@R00ster108]

we put a t-stake in the ground. zip tied Mr longarm to it with a big squeegee on the end and hang the bird feeders from it. my wife can raise and lower it without any difficulty. It extends to up to 10 or 12 ft far outside the jumping limit of cats and grazing deer. We’ll see how it functions in winter. so far its great.

[@larrysmac]

Domestic cats belong indoors.

[@swingback4653]

they also need suet.. you can get it at the pet store... love birds.. saw a cardinal this week in my neighbour hood ilive in the city of Montreal in Canada

[@ruggedrickrude1946]

Nice property what state is that in if you care to say bet it’s nice in the fall and even though I hate the summer but it looks cool there too. I like the cold weather.

[@sandrajohnson2489]

I'm surprised your feeders are placed so low on the tree. I know cats can climb trees but maybe if the feeders were higher up, your cat might not want to climb up so high to get them.

[@eannicole205]

great idea, very helpful and simple. Thanks.

[@alysiahensley1435]

Great idea

[@ramonadinwiddie2895]

Fantastic idea thank you so much!!

[@larrysmac]

It's actually just a variation of an African boma.

[@rounderone8437]

How about keeping your cat inside?

[@PeaceCountryBoy]

This is genius lol I like it

[@gentlemanjack25]

Wholesome good people

[@lizlorraine463]

Thank you!!!!!

[@Raymoundish]

thank you sir for the tip!

[@2230Pcvines]

Any tips on keeping bees away from feeders

[@joequillun7790]

Blue jays eat bees, and nests. Didn't know that bees would nest on or near a feeder.

[@cherripaterson6066]

my semi feral has been killing baby birds that land on the ground in the yard she hides under bush i sprinkled black pepper she hates that, but i have a bird feeder that this might prove helpful the baby birds are so trusting and let even me get within touching distance, so today i failed to rescue another baby eating on the ground , she wont wear a collar just tears it off and acts crazy so thats not an option

[@pdpode8978]

How about hawks?!

[@ruggedrickrude1946]

Wonder if I could do that for the stupid squirrels that get up and eat the bird feed out of my feeders

[@PlantNative]

😑 put a bell collar on your cat