Cats Killing Birds

I know, this is a weird complaint.  But I have about 6 ferals that I feed and lately they seem to be catching and killing quite a few birds.  Big shock, right?  Cats killing birds, who would have thought it.  But I just feel so bad for the birds.  You would think as much as I feed these cats that they would be too fat and lazy to catch a bird.  But I know it is in their nature, and I'm sure there is no way to stop them.  Does anyone else have this problem?  My sister jokingly suggested I catch the cats and put collars with bells on them.  

Cats are a huge problem for native birds, reptiles, and small mammals everywhere! They have a lot of fun killing and don't eat or even take home most of what they kill. They've endangered many species of local wildlife, so I think you're right to be concerned!

You're sister's suggestion is not half bad. Unfortunately a lot of cats get good at silencing their bells when they walk. If you think you could trap them and put collars on them safely, though, there's a new product that looks interesting: http://www.birdsbesafe.com/. I haven't used them and I have no idea how well they actually work, but if they're as effective as they claim, it's worth a try. But again, only if you're certain you can but collars on them safely! 

Molly92 said:

 
Cats are a huge problem for native birds, reptiles, and small mammals everywhere! They have a lot of fun killing and don't eat or even take home most of what they kill. They've endangered many species of local wildlife, so I think you're right to be concerned!

You're sister's suggestion is not half bad. Unfortunately a lot of cats get good at silencing their bells when they walk. If you think you could trap them and put collars on them safely, though, there's a new product that looks interesting: http://www.birdsbesafe.com/. I haven't used them and I have no idea how well they actually work, but if they're as effective as they claim, it's worth a try. But again, only if you're certain you can but collars on them safely! 

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My cat has a bell on her collar and still catches birds.  I wonder if the birdsbesafe collars really work--I've never seen anything like that before.

Molly92 said:

 
Cats are a huge problem for native birds, reptiles, and small mammals everywhere! They have a lot of fun killing and don't eat or even take home most of what they kill. They've endangered many species of local wildlife, so I think you're right to be concerned!

You're sister's suggestion is not half bad. Unfortunately a lot of cats get good at silencing their bells when they walk. If you think you could trap them and put collars on them safely, though, there's a new product that looks interesting: http://www.birdsbesafe.com/. I haven't used them and I have no idea how well they actually work, but if they're as effective as they claim, it's worth a try. But again, only if you're certain you can but collars on them safely! 

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Thanks, Molly!  What an interesting concept.  It looks like brightly colored fabric sewn into a tube that you put on a collar.  I could probably even make something like that.  Unfortunately, I don't think there is any way I could get it on any of the cats without sedating it first.  And they have all been fixed, so I don't see sedation in the future anytime soon.

Betsy....... It is worth a try if your cat is already used to wearing a collar.  Unfortunately I don't think there is any way I could get one on a feral cat.  If you try it out, please come back and let us know if it works.

My concern about putting bells or a collar on a feral cat to keep them from hunting is that if they roam away, or end up on their own without a caregiver, they will starve. Feral cats need to be able to hunt to survive if the need should arise. Are people putting out bird feeders that are attracting the birds? If so, a solution would be to take down the feeders so the birds go elsewhere. That is a very difficult situation you're in, especially if you have neighbors who are upset at the cats for killing the birds. The truth is, though, that the food chain is a reality. Just as humans eat animals, coyotes eat cats, cats eat birds, birds eat worms. Animals eat each other to survive, that's a sad fact of life.   

MsAimee said:

 
My concern about putting bells or a collar on a feral cat to keep them from hunting is that if they roam away, or end up on their own without a caregiver, they will starve. Feral cats need to be able to hunt to survive if the need should arise. Are people putting out bird feeders that are attracting the birds? If so, a solution would be to take down the feeders so the birds go elsewhere. That is a very difficult situation you're in, especially if you have neighbors who are upset at the cats for killing the birds. The truth is, though, that the food chain is a reality. Just as humans eat animals, coyotes eat cats, cats eat birds, birds eat worms. Animals eat each other to survive, that's a sad fact of life.   

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It also draws attention to feral cats and puts them at risk for other predators.  I would never put a collar on my feral cats.  I always refer to the Circle of Life.  Building built by humans are killing more cat than feral cat are killing birds. 

I love nature and all animals.  I enjoy feeding the birds and other wildlife in my yard.  I know that my feral cats are going to hunt.  It is their nature.  They live outside and it is instinct.  Just as other wild animals hunt for their food.  It is the Circle of Life. 

My feral cats would never allow me to put a collar on them.  I would also fear for their safety.  I don't like the killings, but accept that it is a part of them.  It is not excessive or a supplement to their food.  It is that they are programmed to hunt.  Nothing will stop this instinct. 

PJB755 said:

 
I know, this is a weird complaint.  But I have about 6 ferals that I feed and lately they seem to be catching and killing quite a few birds.  Big shock, right?  Cats killing birds, who would have thought it.  But I just feel so bad for the birds.  You would think as much as I feed these cats that they would be too fat and lazy to catch a bird.  But I know it is in their nature, and I'm sure there is no way to stop them.  Does anyone else have this problem?  My sister jokingly suggested I catch the cats and put collars with bells on them.  

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I fed oat hay free choice to my horses for years. Deserts don't have good pasture. It gave them something to pick and rummage in for hours. Of course the birds found it and scrounged what the equine vacuums missed. Often helping by spreading the poo. And with the birds came the cats. The cats were ferocious hungers. And yet the number of birds never really seemed to decrease. In the end my opinion was the cats were not getting the best and brightest. Many types seem to have alarm/watch birds. Other birds learn to listen to those birds. I adjusted all me feeders to make it near impossible for a cat to ambush a bird eating. It is simply part of what goes on in nature.

Well, I do have to mention that although of course it's natural for cats to hunt birds and small animals, it's not natural that the cats are there in the first place. Humans brought cats all over the world and they have become a major invasive species. Their toll on native ecosystems is huge and is a big concern for conservationists.

I wanted to add that bird feces is toxic, and a big worry for me when caring for my outdoor ferals was that they'd step in it and ingest it while grooming themselves. The birds used to get into my cat food before I got a bird-proof pet feeder for my porch, and poop all over my carpeted porch. It was also unhealthy for me to have contact with that stuff while cleaning it. I'm not anti-bird (I feed them every day), but it seems all of God's creatures pose some sort of threat to one another.

Molly92 said:

 
Well, I do have to mention that although of course it's natural for cats to hunt birds and small animals, it's not natural that the cats are there in the first place. Humans brought cats all over the world and they have become a major invasive species. Their toll on native ecosystems is huge and is a big concern for conservationists.

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That is correct. But it's not like there wasn't something hunting birds before your home was built and the wildlife driven out. I also consider the fact we maintain a number of bird feeders in our yard year round. While the feeders started out as entertainment for our house cats they have brought numerous species including a few that are fairly rare to live and breed in our yard. An overabundance of cats of course is a huge problem. As far as killing wildlife and small livestock and the damage done to larger livestock I have a total abhorrence of all dogs. The minute they are off leash or out of their yards they are by far the MOST destructive, and I might add man made species, on earth. That's not even taking into account the endless noise pollution.

PJB755 said:

 
I know, this is a weird complaint.  But I have about 6 ferals that I feed and lately they seem to be catching and killing quite a few birds.  Big shock, right?  Cats killing birds, who would have thought it.  But I just feel so bad for the birds.  You would think as much as I feed these cats that they would be too fat and lazy to catch a bird.  But I know it is in their nature, and I'm sure there is no way to stop them.  Does anyone else have this problem?  My sister jokingly suggested I catch the cats and put collars with bells on them.  

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One thing you can do that will prevent the cats catching so many birds is to net their ambush spots. Cats catch a lot of birds near bushes or low trees. They lie in wait with the low foliage hiding them and then suddenly rush out and pounce on the birds when they get close. If you put some net around the bottom of any bushes the cats like to hide in it will prevent them from doing this. You can also trim any low hanging branches or cut any long grass so that the cats don't have so many spots to stalk the birds from. It won't totally stop them from getting birds, but it will cut down on the numbers they catch. 

Thanks to everyone that replied. I think I just needed to get a new outlook on the situation. I suppose if I wasn't feeding the cats they would be trying to catch a lot more birds. We have lots and lots of morning doves in the neighborhood, so I can't blame the cats for catching them if a dove happens to be there. Good idea about getting rid of the places where a cat can set up an ambush. I'm going to work on that. And as far as dogs being more destructive, that could be true. I love my dogs, but they will also kill any bird that they can catch. Doesn't happen very often, but it does happen. I fell in love with the ferals because they are like little wild creatures, so I guess I have to accept them that way.

PJB755 said:

Thanks to everyone that replied. I think I just needed to get a new outlook on the situation. I suppose if I wasn't feeding the cats they would be trying to catch a lot more birds. We have lots and lots of morning doves in the neighborhood, so I can't blame the cats for catching them if a dove happens to be there. Good idea about getting rid of the places where a cat can set up an ambush. I'm going to work on that. And as far as dogs being more destructive, that could be true. I love my dogs, but they will also kill any bird that they can catch. Doesn't happen very often, but it does happen. I fell in love with the ferals because they are like little wild creatures, so I guess I have to accept them that way.

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If not for the hawks that keep our morning dove population under control we would be overrun. My rant has more to do with the continual focus I see on cats killing wildlife when it's really an issue that pertains to all domestic pets left to roam or even what they do in their own fenced yards. They are animals and behave like animals.

We had a feral who loved me and would on a regular basis deposit the remains of it's last kill, jackrabbits on my porch. Since coyotes are usually shot on sight out here the jackrabbit population has boomed. Without regular predations they are rather , non alert. Your feral cats while getting some birds are probably doing an even more efficient job at rodent control. One of the unacknowledged facts of a moderate feral colony in most human settings.

Morning Doves are not very bright.  They keep flying into my windows. Two have hit hard enough to die.  They will also walk all the way around the in ground pool to get a drink of water thinking the deck will be closer to the water like a beach.  I love their 'song' though and was happy when they finally appeared 2 years after we moved in.

Eclipse stuck his head into a bush and came out with a bird in his mouth.  We got it away from him (talk about mad!) and it flew away but I feel like we just added to the decline of the bird gene pool.  LOL  Hopefully the bird learned a lesson that day.

Handsome Kitty said:

 
Morning Doves are not very bright.  They keep flying into my windows. Two have hit hard enough to die.  They will also walk all the way around the in ground pool to get a drink of water thinking the deck will be closer to the water like a beach.  I love their 'song' though and was happy when they finally appeared 2 years after we moved in.

Eclipse stuck his head into a bush and came out with a bird in his mouth.  We got it away from him (talk about mad!) and it flew away but I feel like we just added to the decline of the bird gene pool.  LOL  Hopefully the bird learned a lesson that day.

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What they lack in brain power they make up for in breeding capacity. I find their remains. usually a pile of feathers on a regular basis. We have a pair that every year try and build a nest in the tree outside our front door. Open the door or walk up the path and you get two birds in the face. The nest always ends up falling out of the tree. I have been knocking down their nest each time they start to build this year. I should perhaps borrow a cat to sit up there to take care of some defective DNA in the bird gene pool.

Hello everyone!

We are a Middle School Lego Robotics team that is working on the problem of outdoor and feral cats killing birds and we have created a collar that should help greatly.  It is very easy and inexpensive to make at home.  

As part of this project we did a lot of research and found out that domestic cats actually kill birds, small mammals, and reptiles not for food but because they have been bred that way.  Over thousand of years cats were bred to keep pests off of farms and out of cities.  As a result, they now have an instinct to kill and usually do not eat the animals unless they do not have other sources of food.  In fact, this instinct from selective breeding is the reason many cats present their kills to their owners - cats were rewarded for the more kills they had.

We developed a collar that gives a visual warning to birds.  Obviously not all cats will accept the collar and some kills will still be made, but any help to reduce bird deaths is great.  This is actually a huge problem in the US.

This is what you need:

 - a 9" piece of 5/8" wide stretch ribbon (sold in small rolls at Walmart craft section)

 - 1" long pieces of velcro (also at Walmart)

 -  about 15" of neon tree flagging tape (found at Lowes or Home Depot)

Use hot glue gun to attach velcro to opposite ends of stretch ribbon.  Cut flagging tape into 3 equal 5" pieces and tie them on the ribbon.  

Catch a cat and put it on using the velcro!

We would like to get your feedback on how well it works and if you have any ideas to further improve our design!

Thank you,

Ferocious Feral Felines
Team 3169

Feral cats hunt birds and rodents in order to keep from starving to death. Many of them don't have a human caregiver to feed them and rely on rodents, birds, insects and trash to survive. Your device is helpful for domesticated pet cats who are fed by their owners and allowed to roam outside. A feral cat will not allow itself to be touched, and it's not advisable for people to try to grab them to put a collar on them. Feral cats have the right to hunt in order to survive just as you have the right to go to a supermarket and purchase meat from animals that were killed so that you can enjoy your meals and feed your children. Coyotes hunt cats, cats hunt birds, birds hunt insects, insects eat plants. It is the circle of life. Humans, however, are the only ones who hunt just for sport, to hang a dead animal's head on their wall. I can tell you that I've cared for ferals on my property and also hang a bird feeder and care for the birds. My ferals didn't hunt the birds because I fed them. However, the starlings pecked many of the sparrows to death at the feeder-birds killing birds. This is the way of nature, as unpleasant as it is. Please stop giving feral cats a bad rap because they need to hunt to feed themselves and their young.

FLLTeam3169 said:

 
Hello everyone!

We are a Middle School Lego Robotics team that is working on the problem of outdoor and feral cats killing birds and we have created a collar that should help greatly.  It is very easy and inexpensive to make at home.  

As part of this project we did a lot of research and found out that domestic cats actually kill birds, small mammals, and reptiles not for food but because they have been bred that way.  Over thousand of years cats were bred to keep pests off of farms and out of cities.  As a result, they now have an instinct to kill and usually do not eat the animals unless they do not have other sources of food.  In fact, this instinct from selective breeding is the reason many cats present their kills to their owners - cats were rewarded for the more kills they had.

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I'm not sure that's true. I think all cats hunt naturally, not because they were "bred that way". Some breeds might be better at hunting because they are more athletic than others, but cat breeding is done because people like the way a cat looks, not the way it hunts. You have to take into consideration the fact that selective cat breeding has only been going on for the past 600 years or so. The oldest breeds were prized because of their colouring and long fur, not their hunting ability

http://www.mypawsitivelypets.com/2013/07/what-is-oldest-domestic-cat-breed-8.html

Cats present their people with prey in order to encourage them to practice hunting, the same way that mother cats will bring prey home to her kittens so they can learn valuable life skills. It's nothing to do with being rewarded for killing.

I agree with @MsAimee  You should never attempt to handle or put a collar on a feral cat. It would be like trying to grab a handful of razor blades.

Why don't your group try to come up with another way of helping feral cats? How about finding a way to stop wet food and water from freezing in the winter? Or designing a warm, weather proof shelter? Or a way of keeping raccoons out of feral cat feeding stations?

Domestic cats shouldn't be allowed to roam around outside unsupervised. It's way too dangerous. How about designing a cat enclosure so they can go outdoors safely? Or a way to bring the great outdoors in to them?

Here are a few threads and articles to inspire you.

 [thread="329066"]My Cat Loves The Outdoors Can I Tether Him​[/thread]  

 [article="29670"]Cat Enclosures​[/article]  

 [thread="272648"]Any New Suggestions On Keeping Starlings From Devouring Feral Kitty Food​[/thread]  

 [thread="310081"]Feral Cat Housing In Winter​[/thread]  

Norachan, good ideas. The problem of starlings eating cat food can be resolved with the bird-proof pet feeder I've posted the link to various times-- it really works. Another good project would be to train domesticated pet cats who roam outdoors to walk on a lead and harness (like one of mine does). It would involve working with, and educating, the pet owner as well, which could be interesting. How about learning about and holding an educational seminar about TNR at your local Humane Society? This would reduce the cat population and fewer cats would hunt. Children can be encouraged to respect all creatures in the circle of life, including feral cats.