Another question to the collective wisdom.

I want to feed the birds in the garden, but also stop my cat from eating
them.

I have a bird feeder which has the food up high and the column that
they're on is protected by an anti-squirrel dome, those two factors keep
the birds safe while they are on the feeders. But with every peck at the
food, the birds send bits of fatball and seeds flying in all directions,
and that ends up on the lawn.

First it was mostly pigeons, who can't get to the feeders, who scavenged
on the ground, and the cat doesn't have much success chasing them, but
now even the little birds, such as a robin today, scrabble around on the
lawn, often only a few metres from the cat hiding under a bush, or even
just lying in wait flattened to the ground.

So, anyone built anything that keeps the food and debris at bird-table
height and is easy to replenish and clean and keeps the (nice) birds happy?

nib

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On 20/05/2025 09:50, nib wrote:

Another question to the collective wisdom.

I want to feed the birds in the garden, but also stop my cat from eating them.

I have a bird feeder which has the food up high and the column that
they're on is protected by an anti-squirrel dome, those two factors keep
the birds safe while they are on the feeders. But with every peck at the food, the birds send bits of fatball and seeds flying in all directions,
and that ends up on the lawn.

First it was mostly pigeons, who can't get to the feeders, who scavenged
on the ground, and the cat doesn't have much success chasing them, but
now even the little birds, such as a robin today, scrabble around on the lawn, often only a few metres from the cat hiding under a bush, or even
just lying in wait flattened to the ground.

So, anyone built anything that keeps the food and debris at bird-table
height and is easy to replenish and clean and keeps the (nice) birds happy?

nib

Darwin in action.
Remember that on average 90% of little birds have to die beore breeding
to keep the population stable

--
“But what a weak barrier is truth when it stands in the way of an hypothesis!”

Mary Wollstonecraft

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On 20/05/2025 09:50, nib wrote:

Another question to the collective wisdom.

I want to feed the birds in the garden, but also stop my cat from eating them.

I have a bird feeder which has the food up high and the column that
they're on is protected by an anti-squirrel dome, those two factors keep
the birds safe while they are on the feeders. But with every peck at the food, the birds send bits of fatball and seeds flying in all directions,
and that ends up on the lawn.

First it was mostly pigeons, who can't get to the feeders, who scavenged
on the ground, and the cat doesn't have much success chasing them, but
now even the little birds, such as a robin today, scrabble around on the lawn, often only a few metres from the cat hiding under a bush, or even
just lying in wait flattened to the ground.

So, anyone built anything that keeps the food and debris at bird-table
height and is easy to replenish and clean and keeps the (nice) birds happy?

nib

I have a tray made from a 1 foot square vinyl floor tile suspended
underneath the feeder. Each edge warmed with hot air gun half-inch in ,
bend to 90 degrees , corners part cut ,bent and stapled together to make
a rim. Another such tile curved over the top ofthe feeder as a roof
against rain.
It really needs to be 4 such tiles for a 2 foot x 2 foot tray, as
sparrows seem to spit out stuff they don't like.

--
Global sea level rise to 2100 from curve-fitted existing altimetry data <http://diverse.4mg.com/slr.htm>

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On 2025-05-20 12:38, N_Cook wrote:

On 20/05/2025 09:50, nib wrote:

Another question to the collective wisdom.

I want to feed the birds in the garden, but also stop my cat from eating
them.

I have a bird feeder which has the food up high and the column that
they're on is protected by an anti-squirrel dome, those two factors keep
the birds safe while they are on the feeders. But with every peck at the
food, the birds send bits of fatball and seeds flying in all directions,
and that ends up on the lawn.

First it was mostly pigeons, who can't get to the feeders, who scavenged
on the ground, and the cat doesn't have much success chasing them, but
now even the little birds, such as a robin today, scrabble around on the
lawn, often only a few metres from the cat hiding under a bush, or even
just lying in wait flattened to the ground.

So, anyone built anything that keeps the food and debris at bird-table
height and is easy to replenish and clean and keeps the (nice) birds
happy?

nib

I have a tray made from a 1 foot square vinyl floor tile suspended
underneath the feeder. Each edge warmed with hot air gun half-inch in ,
bend to 90 degrees , corners part cut ,bent and stapled together to make
a rim. Another such tile curved over the top ofthe feeder as a roof
against rain.
It really needs to be 4 such tiles for a 2 foot x 2 foot tray, as
sparrows seem to spit out stuff they don't like.

Ta! I haven't attempted to work out how far out I need to go to catch
the majority of the ejected food. Half a foot out is easily do-able.

nib

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

nib <news@ingram-bromley.co.uk> wrote:

Another question to the collective wisdom.

I want to feed the birds in the garden, but also stop my cat from eating them.

I have a bird feeder which has the food up high and the column that
they're on is protected by an anti-squirrel dome, those two factors keep
the birds safe while they are on the feeders. But with every peck at the food, the birds send bits of fatball and seeds flying in all directions,
and that ends up on the lawn.

First it was mostly pigeons, who can't get to the feeders, who scavenged
on the ground, and the cat doesn't have much success chasing them, but
now even the little birds, such as a robin today, scrabble around on the lawn, often only a few metres from the cat hiding under a bush, or even
just lying in wait flattened to the ground.

So, anyone built anything that keeps the food and debris at bird-table
height and is easy to replenish and clean and keeps the (nice) birds happy?

nib

Try a couple of plastic cats in strategic places, e.g. in front of where
the cat lurks in the bush. Move them around a bit as the birds will build
their presence into their mental mapping and might ignore them.

--
Spike

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On 20/05/2025 09:50, nib wrote:

Another question to the collective wisdom.

I want to feed the birds in the garden, but also stop my cat from eating them.

I have a bird feeder which has the food up high and the column that
they're on is protected by an anti-squirrel dome, those two factors keep
the birds safe while they are on the feeders. But with every peck at the food, the birds send bits of fatball and seeds flying in all directions,
and that ends up on the lawn.

First it was mostly pigeons, who can't get to the feeders, who scavenged
on the ground, and the cat doesn't have much success chasing them, but
now even the little birds, such as a robin today, scrabble around on the lawn, often only a few metres from the cat hiding under a bush, or even
just lying in wait flattened to the ground.

So, anyone built anything that keeps the food and debris at bird-table
height and is easy to replenish and clean and keeps the (nice) birds happy?

Clearly, you need to cut down the bush, then scatter caltrops round the
lawn.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

nib <news@ingram-bromley.co.uk> wrote:

Another question to the collective wisdom.

I want to feed the birds in the garden, but also stop my cat from eating them.

I have a bird feeder which has the food up high and the column that
they're on is protected by an anti-squirrel dome, those two factors keep
the birds safe while they are on the feeders. But with every peck at the food, the birds send bits of fatball and seeds flying in all directions,
and that ends up on the lawn.

First it was mostly pigeons, who can't get to the feeders, who scavenged
on the ground, and the cat doesn't have much success chasing them, but
now even the little birds, such as a robin today, scrabble around on the lawn, often only a few metres from the cat hiding under a bush, or even
just lying in wait flattened to the ground.

So, anyone built anything that keeps the food and debris at bird-table
height and is easy to replenish and clean and keeps the (nice) birds happy?

nib

Give the feeders away preferably to a neighbour with a dog where you can
view them over the fence.
It isn’t fair to attract birds in with food and where they can become pray for cats.
That’s what we did when we a cat decided to move in.

GH

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On Tue, 20 May 2025 09:50:39 +0100, nib wrote:

Another question to the collective wisdom.

I want to feed the birds in the garden, but also stop my cat from eating them.

I have a bird feeder which has the food up high and the column that
they're on is protected by an anti-squirrel dome, those two factors keep
the birds safe while they are on the feeders. But with every peck at the food, the birds send bits of fatball and seeds flying in all directions,
and that ends up on the lawn.

First it was mostly pigeons, who can't get to the feeders, who scavenged
on the ground, and the cat doesn't have much success chasing them, but
now even the little birds, such as a robin today, scrabble around on the lawn, often only a few metres from the cat hiding under a bush, or even
just lying in wait flattened to the ground.

So, anyone built anything that keeps the food and debris at bird-table
height and is easy to replenish and clean and keeps the (nice) birds
happy?

nib

Cover the area under the bird table with wire netting about 6-9 inches
above the ground?

Then the seed will fall through, little birds can get through, but cats
won't be able to pounce.

Possibly easier to do that constructing an inverted umbrella.

Cheers



Dave R


--
AMD FX-6300 in GA-990X-Gaming SLI-CF running Windows 10 x64

--
This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. www.avast.com

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On 20/05/2025 15:51, Marland wrote:

nib <news@ingram-bromley.co.uk> wrote:

Another question to the collective wisdom.

I want to feed the birds in the garden, but also stop my cat from eating
them.

<snip>

Give the feeders away preferably to a neighbour with a dog where you can
view them over the fence.
It isn’t fair to attract birds in with food and where they can become pray for cats.
That’s what we did when we a cat decided to move in.

AIUI if there is a resident cat it will keep others out.

Also some cats are "mousers" and some are "birders".

The answer therefore is to change the cat, and repeat until you get a
"mouser". There will be mice after the spilt food.

I suspect there might be some domestic objections!

Andy

--
Do not listen to rumour, but, if you do, do not believe it.
Ghandi.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On Tue, 20 May 2025 09:50:39 +0100
nib <news@ingram-bromley.co.uk> wrote:

Another question to the collective wisdom.

I want to feed the birds in the garden, but also stop my cat from
eating them.

I have a bird feeder which has the food up high and the column that
they're on is protected by an anti-squirrel dome, those two factors
keep the birds safe while they are on the feeders. But with every
peck at the food, the birds send bits of fatball and seeds flying in
all directions, and that ends up on the lawn.

First it was mostly pigeons, who can't get to the feeders, who
scavenged on the ground, and the cat doesn't have much success
chasing them, but now even the little birds, such as a robin today,
scrabble around on the lawn, often only a few metres from the cat
hiding under a bush, or even just lying in wait flattened to the
ground.

So, anyone built anything that keeps the food and debris at
bird-table height and is easy to replenish and clean and keeps the
(nice) birds happy?

Are you sure it's a problem? There's plenty of evidence left behind
when a cat does catch a bird, even when it escapes. My daughter has two
cats and very extensive bird feeders, and doesn't have any trouble.
Cats have to be remarkably fit and fast to catch any adult bird, and
all the media fuss about bird numbers being reduced by domestic cats
seems to me to be much exaggerated.

There are, to my certain knowledge, vastly more squirrels around than
there were fifty years ago, and they're much more likely to be able to
reach nests than cats. There are also more small birds of prey such as kestrels, and the corvids will certainly eat eggs and young birds.
Urban foxes were almost unknown when I was young, but I see at least
one in my garden most years.

--
Joe

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

Vir Campestris <vir.campestris@invalid.invalid> wrote:

On 20/05/2025 15:51, Marland wrote:

nib <news@ingram-bromley.co.uk> wrote:

Another question to the collective wisdom.

I want to feed the birds in the garden, but also stop my cat from eating >>> them.

<snip>

Give the feeders away preferably to a neighbour with a dog where you can
view them over the fence.
It isn’t fair to attract birds in with food and where they can become pray >> for cats.
That’s what we did when we a cat decided to move in.

AIUI if there is a resident cat it will keep others out.

The cameras put out to record the hedgehogs badger, deer,escaped sheep
etc that pass through the garden shoes at least four regular cats who “trespass” despite the presence of ours though it is mainly late evening till early morning.

Also some cats are "mousers" and some are "birders".

Well our bugger goes for both.

The answer therefore is to change the cat, and repeat until you get a "mouser". There will be mice after the spilt food.

Or Rats, I regularly shoot one on the neighbours lawn below their feeder .
They are tidy people but with cultivated fields backing onto the gardens
you always get some ,at least they haven’t been paddling around in sewer
shit like town rats.

GH

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On 2025-05-20 17:35, Joe wrote:

On Tue, 20 May 2025 09:50:39 +0100
nib <news@ingram-bromley.co.uk> wrote:

Another question to the collective wisdom.

I want to feed the birds in the garden, but also stop my cat from
eating them.

I have a bird feeder which has the food up high and the column that
they're on is protected by an anti-squirrel dome, those two factors
keep the birds safe while they are on the feeders. But with every
peck at the food, the birds send bits of fatball and seeds flying in
all directions, and that ends up on the lawn.

First it was mostly pigeons, who can't get to the feeders, who
scavenged on the ground, and the cat doesn't have much success
chasing them, but now even the little birds, such as a robin today,
scrabble around on the lawn, often only a few metres from the cat
hiding under a bush, or even just lying in wait flattened to the
ground.

So, anyone built anything that keeps the food and debris at
bird-table height and is easy to replenish and clean and keeps the
(nice) birds happy?

Are you sure it's a problem? There's plenty of evidence left behind
when a cat does catch a bird, even when it escapes. My daughter has two
cats and very extensive bird feeders, and doesn't have any trouble.
Cats have to be remarkably fit and fast to catch any adult bird, and
all the media fuss about bird numbers being reduced by domestic cats
seems to me to be much exaggerated.

There are, to my certain knowledge, vastly more squirrels around than
there were fifty years ago, and they're much more likely to be able to
reach nests than cats. There are also more small birds of prey such as kestrels, and the corvids will certainly eat eggs and young birds.
Urban foxes were almost unknown when I was young, but I see at least
one in my garden most years.

I don't know for sure. Our 17-year old is probably safe by now but the
4-year old is not. I found a dead magpie on the lawn a few days ago, but
it looked undamaged and the cat would probably have tried to bring it in
if it was him. Yesterday morning he was eating something on the lawn and
he usually catches rodents at night.

It's also the time of year when young and inexperienced birds might be appearing.

I've stopped feeding for a while.

nib

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On 20/05/2025 09:50, nib wrote:

Another question to the collective wisdom.

I want to feed the birds in the garden, but also stop my cat from eating them.

I have a bird feeder which has the food up high and the column that
they're on is protected by an anti-squirrel dome, those two factors keep
the birds safe while they are on the feeders. But with every peck at the food, the birds send bits of fatball and seeds flying in all directions,
and that ends up on the lawn.

First it was mostly pigeons, who can't get to the feeders, who scavenged
on the ground, and the cat doesn't have much success chasing them, but
now even the little birds, such as a robin today, scrabble around on the lawn, often only a few metres from the cat hiding under a bush, or even
just lying in wait flattened to the ground.

So, anyone built anything that keeps the food and debris at bird-table
height and is easy to replenish and clean and keeps the (nice) birds happy?

Moving in a different direction - and this depends on the size and
layout of your garden.

We have two ground feeder trays on the 'lawn' onto which we put various
types of feed. As they are in the middle of the lawn, cats can't sneak
up on them.
There still remains the occasional sparrowhawk which treats the place as
a fast food outlet - but there isn't much we can do about that, and even
a sparrowhawk has got to eat.

p.s. We make sure we don't leave any food down overnight.

--
Sam Plusnet

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On 20/05/2025 17:22, Vir Campestris wrote:

On 20/05/2025 15:51, Marland wrote:

nib <news@ingram-bromley.co.uk> wrote:

Another question to the collective wisdom.

I want to feed the birds in the garden, but also stop my cat from eating >>> them.

<snip>

Give the feeders away preferably to a neighbour with a dog where you can
view them over the fence.
It isn’t fair to attract birds in with food and where they can become
pray
for cats.
That’s what we did when we a cat decided to move in.

AIUI if there is a resident cat it will keep others out.

Also some cats are "mousers" and some are "birders".

The answer therefore is to change the cat, and repeat until you get a "mouser". There will be mice after the spilt food.

I suspect there might be some domestic objections!

Andy

Mouse. My cats went after weasels, voles, ferrets and polecats, rabbits,
hares, birds -
Small Birds are not good food though. They are more for practice.
Oh, and just because your cat comes home with a dead bird in its mouth,
don't assume it killed it.
Fledglings die in enormous quantities.

As in fact do adult birds. I've had a pigeon fall out of the sky at my
feet and die.
Famous case of a woman in a park struck by a falling duck.


--
Truth welcomes investigation because truth knows investigation will lead
to converts. It is deception that uses all the other techniques.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)