Help in a cold spell

[copper123]

Just a quick reminder , this cold spell is coming to an end but please remember many small birds wrens blue tits and many others die in weather like this in mild winters so this one is seriously killing lots of them .

A few little feeding stations in the garden will lead to many more birds being around in the spring .

[1949threepence]

Great idea.

[mrbadexample]

Not to mention unfrozen water.

[copper123]

I think magpies kill quite a lot of small birds , they are very dificult to get rid of (Magpies i ment)

Edited February 13, 2021 by copper123

[1949threepence]

1 hour ago, copper123 said:

I think magpies kill quite a lot of small birds , they are very dificult to get rid of (Magpies i ment)

Yes. A lot of people blame cats. But they only get chicks or the old and sick. The rest are way too quick for them. Most are killed as a result of bird on bird predation.

[mrbadexample]

1 minute ago, 1949threepence said:

Yes. A lot of people blame cats. But they only get chicks or the old and sick. The rest are way too quick for them. 

You're kidding Mike. Domestic cats are extremely destructive and very efficient hunters. It's been estimated that the country's 7.5 million cats are responsible for around 100 million small animal deaths per year.

[1949threepence]

1 hour ago, mrbadexample said:

You're kidding Mike. Domestic cats are extremely destructive and very efficient hunters. It's been estimated that the country's 7.5 million cats are responsible for around 100 million small animal deaths per year.

They are Jon, and there is no doubt they do kill many millions of birds and small mammals every year. But the vast majority of birds they kill, would have died shortly afterwards anyway. Even the RSPB concede that - link

Quote

 

The most recent figures of how many creatures are killed by cats are from the Mammal Society. They estimate that cats in the UK catch up to 100 million prey items over spring and summer, of which 27 million are birds........

..........It is likely that most of the birds killed by cats would have died anyway from other causes before the next breeding season, so cats are unlikely to have a major impact on populations. If their predation was additional to these other causes of mortality, this might have a serious impact on bird populations.

Those bird species which have undergone the most serious population declines in the UK (such as skylarks, tree sparrows and corn buntings) rarely encounter cats, so cats cannot be causing their declines. Research shows that these declines are usually caused by habitat change or loss, particularly on farmland.

 

Bottom line is that cats will be cats. It's hard wired in them to hunt prey. 

[mrbadexample]

1 hour ago, 1949threepence said:

Bottom line is that cats will be cats. It's hard wired in them to hunt prey. 

I'll be honest - I don't entirely buy the "old and sick" line. 

When our (my girlfriend's!) cats bring in corpses I get more than a bit angry. In the end I had to convince myself that the cats see birds as flying sandwiches. It's the only way I can understand their desire to pounce. 

[copper123]

My cat has been kept away from birds all her life , while I am sure she really misses going out when she wants , I also feel good knowing she never kills birds , also shes not going to get run over.

 

[mrbadexample]

We put a sign up to warn the birds but apparently they don't speak Swedish round here. 

[copper123]

Old photo of my cat , nearly eight years ago - shes not changed much just fatter and greadier

[1949threepence]

4 hours ago, copper123 said:

My cat has been kept away from birds all her life , while I am sure she really misses going out when she wants , I also feel good knowing she never kills birds , also shes not going to get run over.

 

Mine was a stray before she came to me in 2012, and was used to her freedom. I found it literally impossible to keep her in from day 2, when she ran out through the front door when I was having something delivered - and they can move damn fast when they choose. I've got a cat flap so she come and go as she wants. Although she doesn't go out much in the Winter. Conversely most of those warm Summer nights she spends outside & sleeps in the house during the days. 

Somewhat oddly, she's never brought dead mice/birds in the house.

[copper123]

My cat has just been trained to be wary of outdoors - she knows its there but just knows it pleases me that she does'nt go there.

Shes never been a stray so could not feed herself to save her life , I know she would be a great mouser but because none get in the house theres none for her to kill.

A cat will always act differently if it has has been semi wild it has a different perspective on life.

My cat goes in the back garden , but knows its a treat and as its well fenced off I am pretty sure she will not jump the fence and run away , she gets watched anyway .

 

[copper123]

2 hours ago, copper123 said:

Old photo of my cat , nearly eight years ago - shes not changed much just fatter and greadier

Ps That horrible mat has gone now years ago , really nasty was'nt it

[mrbadexample]

Just now, copper123 said:

Ps That horrible mat has gone now years ago , really nasty was'nt it

I thought it was taken in your shed. 

[1949threepence]

8 minutes ago, copper123 said:

Ps That horrible mat has gone now years ago , really nasty was'nt it

To be honest, I never noticed it until you said.