Thanks for that recommendation GemmaJF which with hindsight I acted on but didn't reply to on here. I set up a new one just over the veg patch today and within a couple of hours saw the tail end of our visiting fox disappear behind the shed. I was doing secret surveillance to see if it was working so now the next doors cats have been vindicated as they just lounge about like it's their place; and catch the odd mouse which I'm grateful for!
A neighbour has 4 cats which stroll through our garden as if they own it - and then do what comes naturally of course. I must have spent a fortune on trying to stop them but being crafty cats, they get used to anything that once scared them. I have given up feeding the birds as food was just rotting in the feeders because nothing visited. The birds must have "spread the word" about the cats lurking amongst the bushes.
I have always had cats and have always fed the birds and now have a thriving population of house sparrows and assorted tits living in the eaves and around the garden plus visiting chaffinches and loads of other small brown jobs as well as woodpeckers, turtle doves, jays, robins, blackbirds and so on depending on the season.
You just have to be clever about putting hanging bird feeders high enough for cats not to leap at them and put down ground food away from shelter for pouncing cats. I also have bushes nearby where the birds can shelter when cats and sparrowhawks are on the prowl.
My house is surrounded by arable fields and damp pastures and the cat and Wheaten terrier are invaluable for dealing with the unwanted rodent population - rats all year and meeces migrating into the house walls in winter. The Labrador tries to help but is hopeless. Very funny though.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
If the cats worked to control rats obelixx, you wouldn't be asking how to control the rats on another thread. Hanging bird feeders high doesn't stop them killing countless amphibians, reptiles and non-pest small mammals. There presence of cats alone is enough to make birds abandon their nests or give away the nest position to predatory birds.
You can't take one situation like yours and generalise that all is well.
The cat catches mice. The dog catches the odd rat. My problem is with meeces moving into the house for winter and scrabbling around under floorboards where the cat can't go and I can't put poison sachets.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
Obelixx sounds very similar to myself. We are both in the country and tripping over wildlife. Which will effect our viewpoint. We have a large stray cat population. We believe people are dumping. They breed, have feral kittens. The rspca, do not want them. I can get them neutered for free. The locals have caught several many being ex pets have already had the op. Its stressful for all. We are then expected to release the cats again. The cats do kill our local rabbit population. Which is plentiful. I don't feed them but some neighbours do. The cats are not really a problem. I get a lots of birds, of different varies. I have shrubs and high feeders. Wood and stone piles for insects. I did have a large nettle patch for butterflys. Until I clicked on there was a huge patch of nettles in the field that backs on to the garden, what the hell am I growing them for. I refuse to kill slugs. Shrews and other small rodents feed on my slugs. I don't have much problem with slug damaged plants. I'm fairly sure I saw a stoat. I was sat tending a bed when a newt/lizard type thing crawled other my knee. We have birds of prey. Although I think it's my neighbours pigeons a field away that attracts them. Not the rich wildlife. The gardens rabbit proof. But one got in when the gate was left open. It was the only rabbit the cats had absolutely no interest in. I made no attempt to get rid of him. My neighbour entered my garden without permission and "helpfully" shot it. I was furious.
The only problem with rats we had was when a neighbour got chickens. He didn't know how to look after them. They were always in my garden. I actually liked them. They could easily have got killed on the road. They were filthy, Ill cared for and attracting rats. I reported them, which made me unpopular. The chickens were rehomed. I know who has them they are beautiful now. The rats moved on.
The cats are not a big problem on the wildlife here. Well unless you are a rabbit. They on the whole must kill to survive. I can except in the towns they can be a frustrating problem if you are actively trying to encourage the wildlife. It all depends on on your particular situation. I have a Robin that follows me around the garden. I will be sad when he's gone. But he's wildlife not a pet.
I've been rambling so long I have forgotten where I was going with all this.
How can you say they are not really a problem Lunaria?
I mean do you study them closely? Have you scientifically measured their impacts over time? I ask because in all the cases where this has been done it indicates free roaming cats are the equivalent to a huge ecological disaster. Hence the banning of free roaming cats in NZ, Australia and soon the US.
I also live in a rural area. I was born in a rural area. I also closely monitor wildlife populations. The declines since the 1970's when I started are, measurable, real and likely now to be unstoppable in many rural areas.
In many intensively farmed arable areas wildlife is all but gone from the wider countryside due to habitat removal, and the effects or chemicals. In the last remaining areas (often our gardens) free roaming cats then represent the last straw in the declines. This is not anacdotal evidence, like 'oh I see a lot of birds in my garden' (well maybe they have nowhere else to go) it is based on real data.
I've no idea why people remain in denial over the damage cats do to wildlife. Did you read the paper that you asked me to post a link to?
How easy are the scarecrows to set up to suit the area you need them to cover, and are there a lot of do's and don't on where to site them for them to be most effective? I am being driven crazy by the local felines, sick and tired of cleaning up after other people's pets, especially as I have a partially sighted 5 year old who likes to help with the garden, but daren't let her lose to help dig and weed in case she comes across a pile of cat do.
I correct that Gemma. My opinion/belief based on no scientific data at all. Only the large numbers of wildlife I see daily. Says that they are not a major problem. I believe ecosystems adapt. They are in constant flux. I have not carried out any studies to support this. You are quite right to pull me up on that.
There was a study on our local loch a couple of years ago. A company wanted to build holiday cottages where we know there are otters living. The independent study carried out (paid for by the company) claimed there were no otters. Pretty much all the locals have seen otters. It was argued the water level was higher than normal so signs of otters had been obscured. I'm sorry I don't have links to the study. It was discussed in a meeting a few years ago. I never had a copy. The cottages didn't get built. The loch is still undisturbed.
I had a quick read. I have not had the time to devote to it.
Posts
Thanks for that recommendation GemmaJF which with hindsight I acted on but didn't reply to on here. I set up a new one just over the veg patch today and within a couple of hours saw the tail end of our visiting fox disappear behind the shed. I was doing secret surveillance to see if it was working so now the next doors cats have been vindicated as they just lounge about like it's their place; and catch the odd mouse which I'm grateful for!
A neighbour has 4 cats which stroll through our garden as if they own it - and then do what comes naturally of course. I must have spent a fortune on trying to stop them but being crafty cats, they get used to anything that once scared them. I have given up feeding the birds as food was just rotting in the feeders because nothing visited. The birds must have "spread the word" about the cats lurking amongst the bushes.
I have always had cats and have always fed the birds and now have a thriving population of house sparrows and assorted tits living in the eaves and around the garden plus visiting chaffinches and loads of other small brown jobs as well as woodpeckers, turtle doves, jays, robins, blackbirds and so on depending on the season.
You just have to be clever about putting hanging bird feeders high enough for cats not to leap at them and put down ground food away from shelter for pouncing cats. I also have bushes nearby where the birds can shelter when cats and sparrowhawks are on the prowl.
My house is surrounded by arable fields and damp pastures and the cat and Wheaten terrier are invaluable for dealing with the unwanted rodent population - rats all year and meeces migrating into the house walls in winter. The Labrador tries to help but is hopeless. Very funny though.
If the cats worked to control rats obelixx, you wouldn't be asking how to control the rats on another thread. Hanging bird feeders high doesn't stop them killing countless amphibians, reptiles and non-pest small mammals. There presence of cats alone is enough to make birds abandon their nests or give away the nest position to predatory birds.
You can't take one situation like yours and generalise that all is well.
The cat catches mice. The dog catches the odd rat. My problem is with meeces moving into the house for winter and scrabbling around under floorboards where the cat can't go and I can't put poison sachets.
OK I hadn't fully understood that.
Tough call, we had rats get in the roof of our utility room and they gnawed through the water pipes.
I used expanding foam to block every singly hole and cavity I could find. Has worked for several years now with no repeat disasters.
http://www.screwfix.com/p/no-nonsense-expanding-foam-gun-grade-750ml/87934
Obelixx sounds very similar to myself. We are both in the country and tripping over wildlife. Which will effect our viewpoint. We have a large stray cat population. We believe people are dumping. They breed, have feral kittens. The rspca, do not want them. I can get them neutered for free. The locals have caught several many being ex pets have already had the op. Its stressful for all. We are then expected to release the cats again. The cats do kill our local rabbit population. Which is plentiful. I don't feed them but some neighbours do. The cats are not really a problem. I get a lots of birds, of different varies. I have shrubs and high feeders. Wood and stone piles for insects. I did have a large nettle patch for butterflys. Until I clicked on there was a huge patch of nettles in the field that backs on to the garden, what the hell am I growing them for. I refuse to kill slugs. Shrews and other small rodents feed on my slugs. I don't have much problem with slug damaged plants. I'm fairly sure I saw a stoat. I was sat tending a bed when a newt/lizard type thing crawled other my knee. We have birds of prey. Although I think it's my neighbours pigeons a field away that attracts them. Not the rich wildlife. The gardens rabbit proof. But one got in when the gate was left open. It was the only rabbit the cats had absolutely no interest in. I made no attempt to get rid of him. My neighbour entered my garden without permission and "helpfully" shot it. I was furious.
The only problem with rats we had was when a neighbour got chickens. He didn't know how to look after them. They were always in my garden. I actually liked them. They could easily have got killed on the road. They were filthy, Ill cared for and attracting rats. I reported them, which made me unpopular. The chickens were rehomed. I know who has them they are beautiful now. The rats moved on.
The cats are not a big problem on the wildlife here. Well unless you are a rabbit. They on the whole must kill to survive. I can except in the towns they can be a frustrating problem if you are actively trying to encourage the wildlife. It all depends on on your particular situation. I have a Robin that follows me around the garden. I will be sad when he's gone. But he's wildlife not a pet.
I've been rambling so long I have forgotten where I was going with all this.
How can you say they are not really a problem Lunaria?
I mean do you study them closely? Have you scientifically measured their impacts over time? I ask because in all the cases where this has been done it indicates free roaming cats are the equivalent to a huge ecological disaster. Hence the banning of free roaming cats in NZ, Australia and soon the US.
I also live in a rural area. I was born in a rural area. I also closely monitor wildlife populations. The declines since the 1970's when I started are, measurable, real and likely now to be unstoppable in many rural areas.
In many intensively farmed arable areas wildlife is all but gone from the wider countryside due to habitat removal, and the effects or chemicals. In the last remaining areas (often our gardens) free roaming cats then represent the last straw in the declines. This is not anacdotal evidence, like 'oh I see a lot of birds in my garden' (well maybe they have nowhere else to go) it is based on real data.
I've no idea why people remain in denial over the damage cats do to wildlife. Did you read the paper that you asked me to post a link to?
How easy are the scarecrows to set up to suit the area you need them to cover, and are there a lot of do's and don't on where to site them for them to be most effective? I am being driven crazy by the local felines, sick and tired of cleaning up after other people's pets, especially as I have a partially sighted 5 year old who likes to help with the garden, but daren't let her lose to help dig and weed in case she comes across a pile of cat do.
I correct that Gemma. My opinion/belief based on no scientific data at all. Only the large numbers of wildlife I see daily. Says that they are not a major problem. I believe ecosystems adapt. They are in constant flux. I have not carried out any studies to support this. You are quite right to pull me up on that.
There was a study on our local loch a couple of years ago. A company wanted to build holiday cottages where we know there are otters living. The independent study carried out (paid for by the company) claimed there were no otters. Pretty much all the locals have seen otters. It was argued the water level was higher than normal so signs of otters had been obscured. I'm sorry I don't have links to the study. It was discussed in a meeting a few years ago. I never had a copy. The cottages didn't get built. The loch is still undisturbed.
I had a quick read. I have not had the time to devote to it.