Squirrel Attack

While chatting with AngelzOO in another thread about Ferrets, I was reminded of an incident that occurs at my house often. A question I have always wanted an answer to......

Most of you already know that we built a big cat enclosure in our back yard for our boys....but for those who don't...we built a big cat enclosure in our back yard for our boys <grin>

Either we have mean Geico squirrels in our back yard OR my yard squirrels are little Einsteins.....

The Squirrels in my back yard seem to have learned that our cats cannot get out of the cage to harm them. In the early mornings and evenings, these squirrels grab hold of the chicken wire, chattering and twitching their little tales—it's as if they are having a contest with each other "Whoever can p_ss off my cat first, wins an acorn"... (Actually, It's really funny, I should record it)

Anyway - my cats make a funny noise and I was wondering what it is??????

I'll try to type the noise that my cats make - here goes:

(Sounds like a mini machine gun) eheh eheh ehehe eh eheh -
Now picture this noise going on while their whiskers twitch, their eyes remained locked on squirrel with drool dripping from the corner of their mouth...... My educated guess is that is a hunting thing. So here's my question, what is this noise they make?

mauahah.

First I want to say that I'm thrilled that you have an outdoor enclosure! I so want to do that some day! Once I have a house that is.

squirlls squirlls squirlls, is there anything they wont do?
I'd say that sense the squirrls know that the cats can't reach them beyond that fencing, the squirlls are doing a bit of a territorial chant if you will. A threat to them, trying to impose on the cats.

I'm not sure about the noise your cats make, as I can't actually hear it... but do their teeth seem to chatter a little? or their mouth at least? I've seen cats do this, even my Asim, when he watches a fly in the window, his wiskers go crazy, he opens his mouth a does a little silent chatter, and sometimes makes some preditory noises like what you discribed.

It sounds like your cats are chattering. There have been several threads recently (most in the Behavior forum) about this.

Ivo chatters at our local squirrel, too. I live on the second floor of my building, with the first floor given over to shops. In the back of the building (where I live and my windows look over) the first floor roof extends past the second floor (to give more room for the shops), so there is a ledge under my windows. I often put bird seed out on the ledge/roof for the pigeons that live on the roof. Often, a squirrel comes and feeds on the birdseed. When Ivo sees it, she chatters. It's almost a combo of meowing and teeth gnashing. It does sound like a machine gun.

I don't think anyone has determined exactly WHY cats make this noise. All I know is that when I hear Ivo making this noise, the squirrel is on the roof.

AngelzOO - Okeefecl

Yeah! Yeah! That's the behavior - It's like their mouths are partially opened....and you can hear this chattering...sometime it's a silent chatter and almost like a silent crying noise...

If I could interpret what my cats were saying, I'd say they were saying, "One step closer and I will eat you through the fence—wire and all" :laughing:

What's strange is that they don't do this with the Mocking Birds...just the squirrels.... It's so funny because the Mocking birds are meaner......

LOL!
Kim

Do the mocking birds get as close?

Perhaps your cats just prefer the taste of squirll. They are easier prey after all.

AngelzOO -

Yeah - the birds land on top of the cage....they swoop and dive bomb it as well - here's a look at my cage from the back - The mocking birds attack from the top of the cage...LOL!

The WILD KINGDOM in my back yard, who knew?

Vikki -
I must have missed this topic - I've been gone for awhile (trying to catch up) BUT Regarding you reply—That's the feeling I'm getting......their body language, pretty much, says it all. :laughing:

TEETH - How interesting! THANKS!

Kim

Those squirrels are brave little suckers, aren't they? We have one squirrel who hangs out in a tree right outside the window where the kitty tree is. It just sits there and stares in at Trent who goes INSANE when it's out there. It just sits there and teases him! My kitties don't chatter much, but I wanted to share that it isn't just your squirrels who tease the cats. I have them too.

I can't tell from the photo. I may get my hubby outside next year to build one for my babies! It looks like a amusement park for kitties! We have two sliding doors that open to the back yard and we could build the "cage" on to one of those! Very Cool idea Kim

Kim, are your cats spoilt or what!

Alf managed to corner a squirrel a few years ago, but then didn't know what to do. I think he was just trying to make friends

I had a small kitten get up a tree on the coldest night of the year. Little stinker sneaked out while I was bringing in groceries. A squirrel harrassed him unmercifully while he was clinging to this tree. It would run circles around the tree, even ran across his back a few times. It was hilarious! I tried everything to get this poor baby down, but he finally came down when he got cold enough. Fred used to love to chase squirrels, I have even seen him run up a tree behind one with the squirrel's tail in his mouth. He stopped all that when one of those big K.C. squirrels stood up and hissed at him. Now he just chatters and hisses through the window, since he is no longer allowed outside.

Whew! I can see that my cats are not alone..... This would make a great Animal Planet documentary—LOL!

Dragonlady: the cate cage is connected to my screenroom via "homemade" ramp...then we built a cat door from the screen room wall to the inside of the house. So, really, they can go in and out whenever they want. Looks like this:


It's so funny how they have become used to their faux outdoor lifestyle. They are so frisky right now because of winter and they run through the little cat door like wild animals. We hear the door flap swinging open and shut like little saloon doors all day long.

FlimFlam : I think the boys are spoiled, too—LOL!! I can't imagine them living anywhere else because of the demands they place on us. (I'm sure everyone in here can relate) .....I recently added another tree limb inside the cage and they claw it silly, while looking at me as if they want me to go get another one... a bigger one, maybe!

They are truly mommy's little monster babies...