Cat Cure?

[Montivagus]

that'll be a no then.

I'd urge you not to put words in my mouth. It is not a no it's what it says. No one on this thread has said cats are a "major" cause of decline in bird numbers. They are indisputably a needles contributing factor and indeed a major threat to some rare species in some places as the article you link to says.
If figures like 275 million prey items a year from something that is supposed to be fed by its owners seems acceptable and not a total pointless waste I can't help you!

Most of these figures come from the Cat Protection League as they didn't like a report by the mammal society that villified cats they produced one of their own to take the heat off; they are not scientific.This is; http://www.songbird-survival.org.uk/assets/news/press-release-07.06.pdf

Even they, though, say

The older a cat is, the less likely it is to hunt
The better condition a cat is in, the less likely it is to hunt, and
Cats kept indoors at night are less likely to kill.

 

[drstrange]

Why don't Whiska's bring out bird and mouse flavoured cat food? When was the last time you ever heard of a cat catching a TUNA???

 

[spamel]

Why don't Whiska's bring out bird and mouse flavoured cat food? When was the last time you ever heard of a cat catching a TUNA???

That's a very good point!! Why did I never think of that before? Wierd innit!!!

 

[Montivagus]

Why don't Whiska's bring out bird and mouse flavoured cat food? When was the last time you ever heard of a cat catching a TUNA???

Classic but then they don't actually eat them do they!

 

[drstrange]

Why don't Pedigree Chum bring out cat flavoured dog food?

 

[TallMikeM]

I'd urge you not to put words in my mouth. It is not a no it's what it says. No one on this thread has said cats are a "major" cause of decline in bird numbers. They are indisputably a needles contributing factor and indeed a major threat to some rare species in some places as the article you link to says.
If figures like 275 million prey items a year from something that is supposed to be fed by its owners seems acceptable and not a total pointless waste I can't help you!

Most of these figures come from the Cat Protection League as they didn't like a report by the mammal society that villified cats they produced one of their own to take the heat off; they are not scientific.This is; http://www.songbird-survival.org.uk/assets/news/press-release-07.06.pdf

Even they, though, say

The older a cat is, the less likely it is to hunt
The better condition a cat is in, the less likely it is to hunt, and
Cats kept indoors at night are less likely to kill.

it doesn't say what journal that article was published in. It gives no references as to who peer reviewed it and it was commisioned by a vested interest. I remain unconvinced.

 

[leon-1]

TallMikeM you are entitled to your view, however please try and keep the thread on topic instead of dragging it off on an argument.

There have been loads of studies done into the decline of British Birds, some may or may not of rightly or wrongly accused the cat as being a problem, they have also accused the loss of natural habitats, climatic change, pollution and farming. None of this was being discussed in this thread.

What was being discussed was how pibbleb can keep his neighbours cat from defacating on his doorstep, so could we return to the topic at hand.

 

[TallMikeM]

TallMikeM you are entitled to your view, however please try and keep the thread on topic instead of dragging it off on an argument.

There have been loads of studies done into the decline of British Birds, some may or may not of rightly or wrongly accused the cat as being a problem, they have also accused the loss of natural habitats, climatic change, pollution and farming. None of this was being discussed in this thread.

What was being discussed was how pibbleb can keep his neighbours cat from defacating on his doorstep, so could we return to the topic at hand.

with respect leon but I was responding to a post where the poster said he hated the fact that he couldn't legally kill peoples pets as they were destroying wildlife. I merely asked for evidence that this was the case.

I didn't drag this thread off topic, I merely followed where it led.

 

[locum76]

pibbleb could drive lots of 4 inch nails through the bottom of his doormat so that they stick out of the top. when his neighbours cat tries to download on said mat his/her his sensitive regions will be exposed to cold steel. thus, rendering pibbleb's doormat an unlikely feline latrine.

 

[drstrange]

I've just had a look at the dog fouling act, but there doesn't seem to be one for cats. Point is, if the cat is causing an environmental health risk, then it might be the owners legal responsibility to remedy the problem.

Another thing, I seem to remeber you saying that you didn't want to confront your neighbour because 'she had just split up with her husband'. Well, I probably sound like a hard ba@#*rd but that kitty poo contains some very nasty things and the health of your children should be a priority.

I personally would give the problem back to the owner.

Check this link:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/actionnetwork/G656

 

[pibbleb]

I was going to say that i was surprised by the roar emotion that has come out of this thread, but then my emotion was totally roar on Friday.

You are right though, I'm perhaps being a bit to soft over the issue when it comes to speaking with the neighbour so I'm going to speak with her in the week.

Pib

 

[pibbleb]

Sorry off subject slightly. On Radio 1 this morning they had people texting their responses to a similar question but for both cats and foxes.

There was only one anti-fox suggestion I heard which was human hair in a sock or tights hanging from the fence. I wonder why that would work, smell I guess.

P

 

[PatrickM]

A gratuitous photo of one of nature's finest predators, one of my 5 pussies, Katy:

As a Scotsman I'm very grateful of our Freedom to Roam, and I'm not about to place restrictions on Katy who is governed by her instincts to roam and hunt in what she perceives as her territory. She doesn't recognise the artificial boundaries we have placed between our garden and the next.

She is a much loved member of our family and I wouldn't hesitate to protect her from anyone out to do her harm :twak:

 

[BorderReiver]

My bloody dog accounts for several fledglings every year.The Blackbirds nest too low in our garden.

 

[rik_uk3]

How to give a pill to a cat

1. Pick up cat and cradle it in the crook of your left arm as if holding a
baby. Position rightforefinger and thumb on either side of cat's mouth and
gently apply pressure to cheeks while holding pill in right hand. As cat
opens mouth, pop pill into mouth. Allow cat to close mouth and swallow.

2. Retrieve pill from floor and cat from behind sofa. Cradle cat in left
arm and repeat process.

3. Retrieve cat from bedroom, and throw soggy pill away.

4. Take new pill from foil wrap, cradle cat in left arm holding rear paws
tightly with left hand. Force jaws open and push pill to back of mouth with
right forefinger. Hold mouth shut for a count of 10.

5. Retrieve pill from goldfish bowl and cat from top of wardrobe.

6. Kneel on floor with cat wedged firmly between knees, holding front and
rear paws. Ignore low growls emitted by cat. Get spouse to hold cat's head
firmly with one hand while forcing wooden ruler into mouth. Drop pill down
ruler and rub cat's throat vigorously.

7. Retrieve cat from curtain rail, get another pill from foil wrap. Make
note to buy new ruler and repair curtains. Carefully sweep shattered
figurines from hearth and set to one side for gluinglater.

8. Wrap cat in large towel and get spouse to lie on cat with its head just
visible from below the spouse's armpit. Put pill in end of drinking straw,
force cat's mouth open with pencil and blow down drinking straw.

9. Check label to make sure pill is not harmful to humans, drink glass of
water to take taste away. Apply Band-Aid to spouse's forearm and remove
blood from carpet with cold water and soap.

10. Retrieve cat from neighbor's shed. Get another pill. Place cat in
cupboard and close door onto neck to leave head showing. Force mouth open
with dessert spoon. Flick pill down throat with elastic band.

11. Fetch screwdriver from garage and put door back on hinges. Apply cold
compress to cheek and check records for date of last tetanus shot. Throw
T-shirt away and fetch a new one from the bedroom.

12. Ring fire brigade to retrieve cat from tree across the street. Apologize
to neighbor who crashed into fence while swerving to avoid cat. Take last
pill from foil wrap.

13. Tie cat's front paws to rear paws with garden twine and bind tightly to
leg of dining table. Find heavy duty pruning gloves from shed. Force cat's
mouth open with small spanner. Push pill followed by a large piece of fillet
steak. Hold head vertically and pour pint of water down throat to wash pill
down.

14. Get spouse to drive you to emergency room; sit quietly while doctor
stitches fingers and forearm and removes pill remnants from right eye. Stop
by furniture shop on way home to order new table.

15. Pay a vet to give the pill

 

[Tengu]

Perhaps you should get a cat, Border reiver, then the blackbirds would know to nest higher up

 

[dave k]

I found something that worked quite well. There was a cat that used to partake in massive `bowel movements` in my vegetable garden.

I had to wait for the right moment though..


After a couple of day's, it was getting used to me - even to the point where it would come up and I'd stroke it.. So one time I grabbed it by the scruff of it's neck, and plunged it into a bucket of ice-cold water I had by the back door for such an occasion.

Totally effective, non harmfull.

Never saw the cat in my garden again

 

[Bigman]

I love cat's and have one myself, she's called Cassie and is now 25yrs old and still going strong.

I have a litter tray in the kitchen by the back door and have made an area of the garden for her sole use as a toilet which I clean on a regular basis.

It is unusual for a Cat to use someone's doorstep as a toilet and the best thing would be to have a quiet word with the neighbour to explain your fears as Cats can have worms which in turn can lead to Toxocara Catis in the faeces if the Cat isn't regularly given worming tablets.

 

[bambodoggy]

I think I'd invest in one of those petloo things that gets dug into the garden and decomposes the dirt, as well.

We've got two big dogs (GSD and Rottie) and we have one of these "Petloo things", lol......cracking bit of kit if you ask me. Our two can create literally a mountain of the stuff in no time and this is the best solution I've found so far.

Our garden never has doggy doo on it and is safe to play on, roll on and actually enjoy our dogs on.

10 out of 10 for the person that thought these up

Funnily enough we don't have a problem with cats or their waste in our garden and nor does our next door neighbour. He is one of the few round here without pets and said he used to clear up to 8 or 10 cat doodoos a day from his garden, as soon as we moved in he says he hasn't seen a cat or cat doodoo anywhere!

Cheers,

Bam.

 

[locum76]

i put landscape fabric (a kind of posh mulch) down on bits of my garden last year to keep the weeds down and plant strawberries through. every cat in the area seemed to like using it as a toilet.

perhaps a scrap of said fabric in a far corner of the garden would stop the unwanted scat on yer doorstep.