Sunday 26th May 2013 – F***ing neighbour’s cat!

Sorry if you’re offended by bad language, or love your cat, but I’m rather furious by a black one who lives near us. Since my baby birds have hatched I’ve had to chase this certain cat off my shed roof many a time. It seems to be rather bold, and even when I get close to it, it’s reluctant to go. Anyway, I opened George’s curtains this morning, and everything looked fine in the garden, I then came back from ringing this morning and went to garden to open the greenhouse, and noticed that the bird box had been knocked off the shed and was on the floor face down. The parent birds were around looking rather confused. The box is heavy, and had been swiped so hard the camera had been disconnected. I picked up the box and could hear some tweeting inside, so we carefully attached it all back together, and are now waiting patiently for the parent to come back. The babies are moving inside the nest, but the nest itself is very messy, so only time will tell what will happen to them. I’ll keep you informed, but unless the parent come back, the babies won’t survive. I’m not sure what else I can do. I can’t move the box to another location, if you have any suggestions please let me know. I don’t think it’ll be long before they fledge as yesterday I saw them preening their wing feathers, and their beaks are getting more pointy. Bloody cats, pain up the arse they are, especially that black one!!

10 Responses to *Sunday 26th May 2013 – F***ing neighbour’s cat!*

thelandroverownerswife says:

May 26, 2013 at 10:25 am

No need to apologise and you have my heartfelt sympathies Claire.

We’re constantly chasing other peoples’ cats our of our garden (we’re a pet free house due to allergies – cats being particularly dangerous for Mud). We have prikka strip nailed to the top of our fence http://www.prikka-strip.com/ and the cats don’t seem to like it very much. Not sure if you could make use of it for your nest box location but I popped the link in just in case.They have found gaps under the fence to get in and Mud intends to nail gravel boards all the way round this spring/summer. We’ll have to leave small gaps for hedgehogs at either end of the garden but it will at least reduce the access points for the cats.

With the wren nesting about 2 foot off the ground in the ivy on the side of the house and the stupid blackbird currently sitting on eggs in the most easily accessible nest site imaginable (on top of the girls’ toy kitchen in the outside storage area) cats are a real concern. We even had one on the coal shed roof the other week!!!!

And I really resent having to clear their mess from the lawn and veg beds before my girls can go out to play or I can go dig/weed/plant etc.

I hope the parents return.I have everything crossed for you.

- clairesallotment says:
  
  May 27, 2013 at 2:51 pm
  
  The Prikka-strip looks fantastic, thank you so much for sending me the link. I’ll get onto them, and see what’s best. The parents returned very quickly, and they’ve been feeding them as they were before. It was a tense half an hour though I can tell you. I think they knew we were helping them (my husband didn’t think so), but they must have been watching us and when they felt it was safe they returned.
  
  - thelandroverownerswife says:
    
    May 27, 2013 at 3:24 pm
    
    Glad the parent birds returned. Claire we got the Prikka strip from Wickes and I have seen it in B&Q before.
  - clairesallotment says:
    
    May 28, 2013 at 8:48 am
    
    I’ve got a Wickes near us, so I’ll go and have a look. Thanks.
Eve says:

May 26, 2013 at 10:54 am

Claire. I am not a fan of cats either. There are loads of WILD cats here….and I mean wild. I have a mink trap as we have had hens killed by them before but the bloody cats are what I catch every time. They are evil and really nasty. Good thing is when I catch them we put the cage into the car and drive them a long way away…only ever had 1 come back. Hope the little chicks are ok. Eve

- clairesallotment says:
  
  May 27, 2013 at 2:43 pm
  
  I don’t know where this cat is from, but it’s new. There are a couple of new families that have recently moved in, so maybe it one of theirs. The other cats in the area don’t come in anymore as they know they’re not wanted in my garden.
  
Mike says:

May 26, 2013 at 11:29 am

I have no problem with cats in fact I have had a few over the years and been nice pets however cats are natural hunters and while it is inconvenient for us sometimes the cat is only following its genetic predispositions. When I have had problems with cats I have always found that a SuperSoaker works really well as well as being fun 🙂

- clairesallotment says:
  
  May 27, 2013 at 2:54 pm
  
  My sister has a cat, and it’s very sweet, but when they try to harm something that I’ve been looking after I get really mad with them. I will have to purchase a supper soaker of 2, not just for the cats, but the kids will want to play with them.
  
Marc Dubreuil says:

May 26, 2013 at 2:23 pm

In my environment, we have mink, foxe and even bears some time, but the most fearsome predator, is domestic cats. Good luck with your little babies

- clairesallotment says:
  
  May 27, 2013 at 2:41 pm
  
  You feel like you need to stand guard morning, noon and night. I’ll keep my eyes open for any sign of it, then when they birdies have fledged I’ll have to think how I can attach the box more firmly.