Lost my birds to a cat (need advice)

[aprophet]

Quote:

They just dont understand do they

No sir most sure don't

 

[centrarchid]

What about a marten? Do they cache kills? You indicate some birds taken from "really high up in a tree", please elaborate. For me really high up in respect to chickens is 25 m. Red fox I could see hunting 3 m or so up like some domestic dogs are capable of. You do not have grey fox which could easily hunt 25 m.

 

[Mattemma]

If *pets* come into my yard I will remove them,and no that does not mean return to the owner! Do what you have too within the law.

I would put a live trap out for a few months and see what I get.

 

[dutchhollow]

I don't think you are dealing with a domestick cat. I have never had a cat take an adult bird ( we have chickens, guines, ducks and geese). The ones taken out of the tree I would really suspect a bird (owl if at night) don't know if you have those there? Cat's don't (generally) kill a lot of animals at one time like weasels and other pests do.

 

[BigDaddy'sGurl]

Quote:
A cat won't dig and won't be as likely to knock everything around...also, a cat won't usually leave ANY bodies around...they like to "display" their kills on their front porch in my experience, if they don't eat them. Sounds like a fox or dog...the ones in the tree was an owl maybe? A cat won't usually kill multiple prey animals at once either...dogs like to kill in numbers more than cats.

 

[D'Angelo N Va.]

I have to agree with everyone else, no cat is going to take down a full grown bird. The babies sure thing. I have seen my cats climb the tree to get to a birds nest, but if it were a full grown chicken it would not have gone there.....I have had my cats go after my baby ducks when I had lots of them hatching out around the pond, but that's about it.

 

[galanie]

I agree that it doesn't sound like a cat. I have the neighbors cats plus some strays come through and none show any interest whatever in my orps. Besides, if it's eating the birds like you say then it's pretty doggone hungry, and I doubt a pet would be starving like that. Not to say a cat might not kill a smaller bird, just that I doubt that's what killed the majority of them. The camera sounds like an excellent idea.

But a cat can indeed be kept up. In the house. There is no reason a cat *must* be allowed to roam free. Most cat owners do prefer to have them outside but they can live a jolly good life indoors and never set foot on grass. I love cats and have had them most of my life. I do not currently have one because I don't want one in my house after a room mates cat peed in various places in here. That was 7 years ago and I've treated the spots but once peed at, another will do so without hesitating. And I won't have one that is only or mostly outside. They are marauding bird and wildlife killers and are exposed to too many dangers if allowed to roam free.

 

[6littlechickies]

Not a cat, they won't dig as their feet aren't designed for this. I have cats that get mice and other stuff but look at the birds as too big. Chances are they won't chew through the nylon either. A coon or opossum is the likely chew through problem and they could have got them in the tree. Get a live trap and bait it to see what you catch. You may have more than one predator. Dogs kill many birds but generally don't eat too much, it is sport for them. Good luck.

 

[aprophet]

the Op is located in the UK a lot of the preds we have here they do not have them in the UK england is quiet urban ized ? compared to here ( USA )

 

[wpalmisano]

Sounds like a fox