My Cat is Being Bullied… by Birds!
Puddy likes to go outside for a few hours a day, spending her time curled up under the trees in the shade, or on our table and chairs. She’s not very adventurous – she sometimes takes off and leaves the yard but she’s getting old (ha!) and prefers the lazy approach now. She’s never caught a bird (or come close to it) and there’s no other cats in the neighbourhood anymore so she’s safe from nature and nature is safe from her.
Well, that was how it used to be. Now nature seems to have some beef with Puddy because there are two little squarking birds who have targeted her. They sit on the wall and scream their heads off at her, ruffling their feathers, while Puddy crouches on the ground, staring up at them, chattering away.
I don’t know how it started, or when, but all of a sudden whenever I let Puddy outside, the birds are there only seconds later, squarking at her. It’s not a cute little squark, it’s a loud, annoying scream that drives me nuts, especially when I’m trying to relax inside. I end up having to go to the door and clap loudly to scare them off – but even then they simply fly up, hover and come back. Phill said he’s seen them swoop Puddy and I wouldn’t be surprised – everything about the confrontation screams “bully”.
Puddy doesn’t even try to run after them, she just chatters away with a few little audible meows in there. When I come outside and scare them away, she turns and looks at me as if to say, “Hey, I was dealing with it!”
They are worse than the crows in the morning because at least the crows stop making noises once we’re awake. These little birds are there all day long and it’s really not what I want to hear on my day off!
I’ve brought Puddy inside because of the birds, but also because I just spotted a wasp-infested tree out the front and I don’t want Puddy to think they’re something to play with. As I bent down to pick her up, I spotted another nest hanging under the outside table, which is pretty much right next to the screen door, with wasps buzzing around it, so I might get Phill to deal with that one when he gets home. Until then, Puddy stays inside.
I didn’t manage to get a photo of the birds because, surprise surprise, they disappeared as soon as Puddy came inside. I heard their faint squarking which could mean they’ve found another target. I wonder what’s going on? Are they protecting a nest? I haven’t seen one anywhere near our house that Puddy might be a threat to. Are they just bullies? It’s possible. Why won’t Puddy at least run after them to scare them away? Because she’s a wuss?
Does anyone else have this problem? I thought it was meant to be the cats scaring the birds, not the other way round!
Edit to add: Just as I went to hit “publish” the damn birds came back, squarking loudly from the wall. Puddy is inside at the screen door, chattering at them. How do I get rid of them?????
that would annoy the crap out of me. have you tried getting, i dunno, like a super soaker (incase this is a non AUS term – its big water gun with very long range) anyway. maybe you could be a sneaky ninja and shoot them with a water gun and scare them off?
bluepaintred – My first thought was poison (haha). A super soaker would work – I have a little spray bottle but that doesn’t hold enough power. I think a super soaker just might reach the wall from the door … hmmm… nice idea!
OK Here’s your deal. First, I MUST remind you that your previous post was titled “The Beauty of Nature.”
Now – photo the perps. Post the mug shots . We’ll send them out wide on the blog-o-sphere – there are some serious birders there – and see what they are. Then we’ll devise a scheme to deal with them.
So first – the photo (or what the heck, I like the super-soaker idea too – just please post a photo of that.)
….Rabbits’ Guy´s last post ..WINNIE! DO YOU HEAR THAT ????
Rabbits’ Guy – Haha I didn’t realise about the titles – good catch! I will try to get a good photo – just got to wait until I can use Puddy as bait (hehe). Maybe then I can know what type of birds they are!
We had birds that kept coming to our side window, where we could view the bird feeders. The bottom of the screen was getting pulls and poor Toy was getting blamed by his human dad. Mommy of course sets out to prove his innocence. I just happened to walk in and catch these small brown birds pecking on the screen one evening and filmed the proof. Toy was then vindicated and those hungry birds were fed!
Moral….The early bird may get the worm but the smarter bird gets someone to deliver it!!! (=^Y^=)
Advice, I wouldn’t tick off that bird anymore than it already is, ….realize that kitty is never guilty unless proven so by 5 unrelated witnesses, then put up large wind chimes!!!! LOL..VBG (=^Y^=)
….the Cat Street Boyz´s last post ..Woofie Wednesday, BLIZZARD!
Interesting to know of other cases with birds picking on the cats.
When our cats walk across the yard, one or two Willie Wagtails around our place fly in and hover chirping around the end of their tails (which are usually held up in the air). Neither of the cats respond or retaliate at all – just keep walking with a bird swooping the very tip of their tail)
enjoyed reading this post
)) puddy’s too gentle. we have stray cats who come an steal a chick each day n we’ve been wondering how to get rid of them. btw, where r your posts on prague? i tried your search box but london came up.
I think your bird pests are a nesting pair that view Puddy as a threat to their nestlings. I do not recommend trying to super-soak them. I don’t know about your country, but in mine it is considered illegal to tamper with nesting birds unless the species is a known threat.
Puddy may just have to stay inside for a while, or at least spend less time outside until the nestlings have fledged. But those wasp nests need to be dealt with! Eeek. Remember to do it at night when the bees are all inside the nest sleeping. It’s more efficient then.
….Kate´s last post ..pumpcakes and compote
The Cat Street Boys – Wow, I would have assumed it was the cats pulling at the screen too – luckily their innocence was able to be proved! I like the idea of wind chimes – I wouldn’t be able to put them on the wall but I could hang them nearby.
Scott T – Sounds like your cats are very patient! It’s amazing how bold and brave some birds are, getting close to cats that could (probably) easily get them!
Terri – The cat stealing the chicks sounds terrible! It’s hard to keep cats out of places because they so easily get in! I’m not sure if I have published any posts on Prague – thanks for the reminder though – I will get to it!
Kate – I think they might have a nest somewhere too. I wonder how long it takes the baby birds to get big enough that their parents will stop harrassing Puddy? lol Thanks for the tips with the wasps – I’ll tell Phill.
Luna makes those same chattering sounds when she sees birds – I have made some videos recordings of it. But the birds are outside (and Luna is almost always inside), so we have never had an issues with the birds causing problems.
CatSynth – I love the chattering sounds – sometimes I call it “barking” but it’s more of a chatter. Sounds like Luna’s safe from the birds and the birds are safe from her!