Winter in the garden has its own charm. The silence is interrupted only by the wings of the tit, the sparrows fight over a place at the feeder, and one has the feeling of an idyll. But this pretty picture often has another side. Just a few feet in the snow, an inconspicuous movement in the bush, and it’s clear that it’s not just you and the birds watching the feeder.
The feeder should be a place of peace in winter. Birds fly in to feed, sit for a while, look around and disappear again. But in many gardens it gradually became a dangerous place. Not because of the cold or poor feeding, but because of the cats. To the quiet, patient hunters who quickly noticed that the feeder is always busy. And where there’s hustle and bustle, there’s loot.
Watch a video about what birds you can meet at the feeder here:
The cat is not to blame. She doesn’t hunt out of spite or hunger, it’s just her nature. But for birds, a garden with a feeder and a lurking cat is a trap from which there is often no escape. The good news is that even without fences, bans and conflicts with neighbors, something can be done about it.
Why are cat feeders so tempting?
Birds behave differently at the feeder than in the wild. They are focused on food, less alert and often move low to the ground. This is exactly what cats like. He doesn’t have to run or jump, just lie down in the shade, hide behind a bush or under a bench and wait.
The problem is greatest in winter, when the birds do not have as many escape options and spend more time at the feeders. A single poorly placed backfill can thus mean repeated attacks, during which the birds stop visiting the garden altogether.
The most common mistake that almost everyone makes
Feeder too low. On a fence, on a tree stump, at the edge of a flower bed or hung on a tree right next to the trunk. Practical from a human point of view, dangerous from a bird’s point of view. The cat reaches such a place in a second, and the bird does not have a chance to gain height.
The ideal feeder is one that the cat cannot reach by jumping or climbing. Suspended from a thin branch, away from the trunk, or on a separate metal stand in the middle of an open space. Birds need air and space around them.
“The birdhouse needs to be placed so that the predator has no support for it. A smooth stake without branches, at least a meter and a half above the ground, with free space around it is ideal. As soon as the entrance can be approached by jumping or following the trunk, the house is no longer safe,” says ornithologist Josef Čech.
When even a simple change of surroundings helps
Sometimes it is not necessary to deal with the feeder itself, but its surroundings. Dense bushes, piled wood, garden furniture or low walls are ideal places for cats to lurk. It is enough to rearrange them a little, cut them or move the feeder a few meters further and the situation will change significantly.
Birds need to be able to fly away quickly, not weave through branches. The more open the space around the feeding area, the less chance that the cat will attack successfully.
What works without harming cats
Many gardeners worry that protecting birds means fighting cats. In reality, it is more about small adjustments that will change the behavior of both parties. Odor repellents based on citrus, moving elements around the feeder or light metal covers on the stands will make it unpleasant for cats to approach without harming them in any way.
It also helps to keep the feeder clean. Scattered grain on the ground attracts not only birds, but also cats. Once the birds stay higher, the risk is greatly reduced.
When you have a cat at home
If the cat belongs directly to your household, you have an advantage. It can be prevented quite simply. A collar with a bell is not a 100% solution, but it gives the birds a valuable extra moment. Likewise, limiting being outside in the early morning and evening hours, when the birds are most active.
The more stimuli, toys and exercise the cat has at home, the less need it has to hunt outside. It is often not hunger, but boredom.
A garden where everyone has a place
Cats and birds share gardens all over Europe, and there’s no reason why you can’t too. Just look at the feeder through their eyes. Birds need safety and a view, cats need clear boundaries where hunting is not worthwhile.
If this is done, the garden will remain a lively place even in winter. And you can enjoy the coexistence of cats and birds without fear and with a smile on your face.
