Am I evil???

[Franksmum]

I've got a nepetia (sp?) sitting in a pot in the greenhouse waiting to be put in a wall mounted basket.

My bigger cat Trevor (he's not clever) sits and stares at it through the perspex, I've even caught him licking the perspex and rubbing his face on it.

Where I was going to put it on the fence, my neighbours have put a wild bird feeder on their side (yes clever with two hunters next door...) so I was thinking of putting the nepetia on the other side of the feeder - would this be worse for the birds or a distraction away from them??

[Primrose]

Oh Franksmum - please don't locate your nepetia anywhere near the bird feeder! They are having such a hard time at the moment trying to gather enough food for their babies and if the nestlings are encouraged to the bird feeder when they start to fly, they won't be experienced enough to avoid any hunting cats anxious to hunt them down. There must be a safer place in your garden where you can locate it.

[Franksmum]

point taken - thanks!! I think I'm going to ask the neighbours to move their bird feeder somewhere else as well, it's just hanging on the fence about six inches from the top where both my thugs sit/lay and watch with interest... OH called it 'bait' when they put it up.

I'd love to put a bird feeder in our garden somewhere and also a bird box but unless it's suspended in mid-air there's nowhere safe enough

[RAREBREDCHICK]

I would definately ask your neighbour to move her box, and point out that the reason is your cats will only kill the birds she is trying to attract. Then you can put your plant where you want and hopefully (more importantly) your neighbours good intentions will not be wasted. Birds (most) are very useful to the garden. I currently enjoy watching a couple of robin fledglings, strip the greenfly off my rose hedge in the mornings.

[Tigger]

If your cats are young, you can train them to ignore birds. I've got 6 semi-wild creatures who don't touch any birds. In fact, I had 15 feeders in my front garden alone this winter, some of which were hanging on the swing where 2 of my cats spend much of the day catching the sun. Makes a lovely picture - birds feeding with cats sitting beneath them.

[mandylew]

If your cats are young, you can train them to ignore birds. I've got 6 semi-wild creatures who don't touch any birds. In fact, I had 15 feeders in my front garden alone this winter, some of which were hanging on the swing where 2 of my cats spend much of the day catching the sun. Makes a lovely picture - birds feeding with cats sitting beneath them.

this is interesting we have 2 6 month kittens, I have only let them out with us in the garden so far, they have taken a moderate interest in the rabbits (who are loose) but on the whole seem scared, they ignore the tortoise too so I was wondering what method I might use to get them to ignore birds too, they certainly like watching them out of the window though.

mandy