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Cats won't leave birds alone - 10/30/2016 2:18:19 PM

peppermint

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Joined: 10/18/2005
From: Montana
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I have 2 parakeets. I also got 2 kittens this summer. Finally got too chilly to keep the parakeets outside on the screened in porch so brought them into the house. Problem is the cats keep jumping at the cage, climbing it, and basically scaring the poor birds. I tried a squirt gun. It works as long as I stay in range of the cage but as soon as I'm away the cats are back at it again. Next we got those carpet strips, the ones you use around the edges of wall to wall carpeting. Nailed the strips to the sides and front of the cage. Laid 5 strips in front of the cage. They don't jump at the cage any longer. However, they sit on the strips in front of the cage, waiting to see if the birds will come closer. So the strips are a partial success.

My next idea is getting some sort of sticky paper. Maybe the kind that gets used in mouse traps. Some other kind of sticky paper??? Am thinking the cats won't like the feel of that sticky paper on the paws.

Does anyone have any other ideas I haven't thought of yet? When my kids were young we always had birds and cats with no issues. Taught the cats to leave the birds alone. Maybe it was easier with so many people in the house to help enforce the training.

I am open to any and all ideas.

_____________________________

We are stardust, we are golden, and we got to get ourselves back to the garden.

Yes, I am crazy about feathered creatures. I have a dozen chickens, 3 ducks, 5 geese, and 2 parakeets.

Revise that number. Just got 14 new chicks and 5 turkeys.

Post #: 1

RE: Cats won't leave birds alone - 10/30/2016 2:43:23 PM

ThatDizzyChick

Posts: 5490
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They will stare at the birds and do there best to get at them, and there is nothing you can do about it, it's in their nature. They are predators and birds are their prey.

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RE: Cats won't leave birds alone - 10/30/2016 2:50:20 PM

kiwisub22

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Joined: 7/16/2016
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This isn't helpful, but I had two budgies that were suspended from an archway into the kitchen, and one of my cats liked to jump from the counter onto the cage. Came home one day to find one of the budgies in three different rooms , and the other under the fridge missing half of his feathers.

Now I have an African grey who is loose in the house. She usually stays on her cage, but I have found evidence (poop) in odd places of the house. She tends to walk and the cat and the dog stay away from her.

(in reply to peppermint)

Post #: 3

RE: Cats won't leave birds alone - 10/30/2016 3:43:44 PM

jlf1961

Posts: 14840
Joined: 6/10/2008
From: Somewhere Texas
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Well, house cats normally prey on birds, so there is problem one.

Problem two is you own cats (I am not a cat person.)

However, the sticky paper will deter most cats, however there are some who will get stuck to it, then in the future work out a way past this particular deterrent.

Cats are like most predatory species, when presented with a problem getting to their prey, they figure out a way around the problem (ask anyone that has kept chickens where there are lynx and bobcats.)

So, you will be looking at different ways to deter the cats (welcome to "The Cold War: Home Edition.")

There was a web page at one time that gave details on how to make an electrified frame around a bird cage that works the same way as a bug zapper.

At which point, I think the cats will start hunting you.

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RE: Cats won't leave birds alone - 10/30/2016 5:21:26 PM

Greta75

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Cats and cute little parakeets.

Naughty playful kittens too!

That's a tough one. All you can do is try to find a space to put a cage in a place where the cat can't reach.

I used to keep fishes and dwarf hamsters prior to having a cat. When I brought my cat in.

It managed to fish for the fishes, by sticking paw in and actually catching them out.

And it managed to somehow, kill my hamsters. The grills may be too small for it's entire paws to go in. But just one nail for stabbing is lethal, and all the hamster gotta do is be at the edge of the grills of their cage.

That's cats!

(in reply to peppermint)

Post #: 5

RE: Cats won't leave birds alone - 10/30/2016 5:47:01 PM

anniezz338

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Do not do anything to hurt the kittens. Ditch the water bottle and do NOT use the mouse paper. The chemicals on the mouse paper could seriously harm the kittens and it could stick to their paws and tear paw skin off. The water bottle is seen as a punishment and you should never use punishment on animals. Use rewards and distractions, like toys and treats to get their attention away from the birds.

Write Jackson Galaxy from My Cat from Hell. He's a cat expert and should have some good suggestions. But please don't punish the kittens.

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RE: Cats won't leave birds alone - 10/30/2016 6:30:08 PM

dcnovice

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FR

Is it possible to put the birds in a room that the cats can't enter?

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Post #: 7

RE: Cats won't leave birds alone - 10/30/2016 9:41:43 PM

peppermint

Posts: 5169
Joined: 10/18/2005
From: Montana
Status: offline

Thanks everyone. I was afraid there was no easy way to handle the problem.

Jeff, I'm not a big cat person but they are necessary for where we live. This house is over 100 years old and last remodeled in 1950. There are lots of places where I am sure mice can get into the house. Need a mouser to help keep the rodent population at bay. I know you're a dog person. A dog just won't suit our lifestyle. Gary is often in the hospital and when he is I might be there for several days. Cats left with plenty of food, water, and a clean litter box can take care of themselves for a few days. Dogs require much more care.

Unfortunately the cage is much too large to hang. It's 4' by 3' by 2' built out of wood and hardware cloth. Moving the cage to another room could work for a short time. We are hoping to find someone to share our house with us. When we find that person he/she will have their own bedroom and living room so we can all have privacy.

I do not personally consider spraying some water on a cat as being cruel. Used the squirt gun on my last cat many years ago. After a week I could trust him being in the house alone and know that he wouldn't bother the birds. It's more cruel to allow a cat to torture the birds. I hadn't thought about the sticky mouse paper being toxic but that is a possibility. I'm thinking about double sided tape instead. It wouldn't be nearly as sticky as the mouse stuff but might annoy the cats enough.

At least the kittens leave the chicks and chickens alone. Mama chicken explained to the kittens in no uncertain terms that they were to stay away from her chicks. It only took one time and they have all been living peacefully ever since.

Thanks again for the replies. Back to the drawing board...

_____________________________

We are stardust, we are golden, and we got to get ourselves back to the garden.

Yes, I am crazy about feathered creatures. I have a dozen chickens, 3 ducks, 5 geese, and 2 parakeets.

Revise that number. Just got 14 new chicks and 5 turkeys.

(in reply to dcnovice)

Post #: 8

RE: Cats won't leave birds alone - 10/30/2016 9:45:06 PM

Greta75

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Joined: 2/6/2011
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Peppermint, if you are using these cats for hunting, how did you manage to train the older ones to leave your birds alone? They must be hunting outside birds on top of rats as well?

I would think that makes it precisely more difficult! Need to have very lazy over fed cats, so they won't bother the birds.

(in reply to peppermint)

Post #: 9

RE: Cats won't leave birds alone - 10/31/2016 10:45:13 AM

DesFIP

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From: Apple County NY
Status: offline

We're using electronic rodent deterrents. You buy them at Lowes in a pack of three. They work better than anything else I've tried. They plug into an outlet and also serve as night lights.

Beyond that, get a handyman to spend several days caulking every room in the house.

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RE: Cats won't leave birds alone - 10/31/2016 1:30:28 PM

peppermint

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Joined: 10/18/2005
From: Montana
Status: offline

It's where the wiring and plumbing come up through the floor that are the greatest problems. The kitchen and bath room made me cringe when I looked under the sinks. Thankfully we found an electrician who will rewire the house for us, room by room as we can afford it. The kitchen is number one on the list and will be made safer in just a few weeks and actually have grounded wiring. Not sure there is any way to get to the holes around the plumbing and electrical in those rooms caulked. You'd have to see it to believe it. Code was a lot different during the 1950 remodel than it is now. Have plans to pack in some steel wool around the plumbing as that's what we did when we were overseas.

< Message edited by peppermint -- 10/31/2016 1:35:46 PM >

_____________________________

We are stardust, we are golden, and we got to get ourselves back to the garden.

Yes, I am crazy about feathered creatures. I have a dozen chickens, 3 ducks, 5 geese, and 2 parakeets.

Revise that number. Just got 14 new chicks and 5 turkeys.

(in reply to DesFIP)

Post #: 11

RE: Cats won't leave birds alone - 10/31/2016 1:34:20 PM

peppermint

Posts: 5169
Joined: 10/18/2005
From: Montana
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Greta75

Peppermint, if you are using these cats for hunting, how did you manage to train the older ones to leave your birds alone? They must be hunting outside birds on top of rats as well?

I would think that makes it precisely more difficult! Need to have very lazy over fed cats, so they won't bother the birds.

The cat I was talking about that was trained to leave birds alone I had nearly 30 years ago. He's been gone for a good 15 years now. He was an indoor only cat. He was trained using a squirt gun whenever he would start to stare or go after the birds.

_____________________________

We are stardust, we are golden, and we got to get ourselves back to the garden.

Yes, I am crazy about feathered creatures. I have a dozen chickens, 3 ducks, 5 geese, and 2 parakeets.

Revise that number. Just got 14 new chicks and 5 turkeys.

(in reply to Greta75)

Post #: 12

RE: Cats won't leave birds alone - 10/31/2016 1:35:36 PM

peppermint

Posts: 5169
Joined: 10/18/2005
From: Montana
Status: offline

reposted for some reason

_____________________________

We are stardust, we are golden, and we got to get ourselves back to the garden.

Yes, I am crazy about feathered creatures. I have a dozen chickens, 3 ducks, 5 geese, and 2 parakeets.

Revise that number. Just got 14 new chicks and 5 turkeys.

(in reply to peppermint)

Post #: 13

RE: Cats won't leave birds alone - 10/31/2016 4:46:47 PM

Greta75

Posts: 9968
Joined: 2/6/2011
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: peppermint
The cat I was talking about that was trained to leave birds alone I had nearly 30 years ago. He's been gone for a good 15 years now. He was an indoor only cat. He was trained using a squirt gun whenever he would start to stare or go after the birds.

All my cats love water so much, if I squirt a water gun on their body, they will just stare at me, and lick the water off themselves ha! After all, if I turn on the tap, they go right under and get wet. If I turn on the shower, they always come into bathroom with me. I gotta scream at them to keep them out. But they'll still sneak in when I am busy washing shampoo out of my hair.

I guess this is training them too much to love water, so I can bathe them easily.

< Message edited by Greta75 -- 10/31/2016 4:49:23 PM >

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Post #: 14

RE: Cats won't leave birds alone - 10/31/2016 4:48:29 PM

Greta75

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Joined: 2/6/2011
Status: offline

.

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Post #: 15

RE: Cats won't leave birds alone - 11/7/2016 3:57:27 AM

bondageerone

Posts: 522
Joined: 6/16/2016
Status: offline

I have a pussy that is so well behaved, if he growls at birds,
I pull his tail,
cats do not like that.

(in reply to peppermint)

Post #: 16

RE: Cats won't leave birds alone - 11/7/2016 4:07:33 AM

kiwisub22

Posts: 450
Joined: 7/16/2016
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: bondageerone

I have a pussy that is so well behaved, if he growls at birds,
I pull his tail,
cats do not like that.

Sounds like the cat has you trained - to pull his tail when he growls at birds.

(in reply to bondageerone)

Post #: 17

RE: Cats won't leave birds alone - 11/7/2016 9:04:55 AM

notxofast

Posts: 27
Joined: 10/27/2010
Status: offline

The glue on those glue traps is super powerful - and it will take hours with mineral oil and dawn to get your kittens off. Not to mention a trip to the vet for painful debriding of any torn skin. But you can hang cans with screws or pennies around the cage. Cats tend to dislike surprise and weird, loud noises. I'd say ge a sound maker - and every time the kittens approach the cage - blast the sound.. Don't scold them - let them think the cage is the cause, and they'll learn to leave it alone.

< Message edited by notxofast -- 11/7/2016 9:05:34 AM >

(in reply to kiwisub22)

Post #: 18

RE: Cats won't leave birds alone - 11/7/2016 9:19:19 AM

peppermint

Posts: 5169
Joined: 10/18/2005
From: Montana
Status: offline

That's an interesting idea. I'll have to see if I can rig something up.

_____________________________

We are stardust, we are golden, and we got to get ourselves back to the garden.

Yes, I am crazy about feathered creatures. I have a dozen chickens, 3 ducks, 5 geese, and 2 parakeets.

Revise that number. Just got 14 new chicks and 5 turkeys.

(in reply to notxofast)

Post #: 19

RE: Cats won't leave birds alone - 11/7/2016 1:57:18 PM

DocStrange

Posts: 1076
Joined: 6/10/2015
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: peppermint

I have 2 parakeets. I also got 2 kittens this summer. Finally got too chilly to keep the parakeets outside on the screened in porch so brought them into the house. Problem is the cats keep jumping at the cage, climbing it, and basically scaring the poor birds. I tried a squirt gun. It works as long as I stay in range of the cage but as soon as I'm away the cats are back at it again. Next we got those carpet strips, the ones you use around the edges of wall to wall carpeting. Nailed the strips to the sides and front of the cage. Laid 5 strips in front of the cage. They don't jump at the cage any longer. However, they sit on the strips in front of the cage, waiting to see if the birds will come closer. So the strips are a partial success.

My next idea is getting some sort of sticky paper. Maybe the kind that gets used in mouse traps. Some other kind of sticky paper??? Am thinking the cats won't like the feel of that sticky paper on the paws.

Does anyone have any other ideas I haven't thought of yet? When my kids were young we always had birds and cats with no issues. Taught the cats to leave the birds alone. Maybe it was easier with so many people in the house to help enforce the training.

I am open to any and all ideas.

They make a scat mat for cats & dogs. It is an electrified mat that discourages animals from walking on it. Depending on where your cage is kept you may need more than one.
http://www.safepetproducts.com/cat-products/cat-training/scat-mat-for-cats-and-dogs.html

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Post #: 20

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