Date: Fri, 13 Dec 2002 17:47:18 -0600
Reply-To: BB for Hummingbirds and Gardening for them in the Southeast <HUMNET-L@LISTSERV.LSU.EDU>
Subject: Re: [HUMNET-L] A Reason for Cheer or Return of the CLAW!

HI Steve/HUMNET,
    The answer is a big NO, a bell on a cat is not enough to stop it from
killing birds.  In fact one study I read about conducted by the Mammal
Society in England found that cats with bells killed even more birds than
those without.  As a rehabber I have seen many cat-caught birds, including
hummingbirds, and many do not survive.  Domestic cats do not belong
outside at all, period.  The feral cat problem is really tragic, and I
totally empathize with you as there are MANY strays on the Northshore too,
and I have witnessed many birdkills off of my back porch. I finally made
underneath my house by the back porch (where the feeders are) inaccessible
to cats and so far so good.  What's even worse and more frustrating than
feral cats are the MANY, MANY "strays" that roam about that actually
belong to someone, but have no tags. All we can do as bird lovers is make
sure our feeders are high enough and away from cover that a cat can hide
in.  Check out  http://www.abcbirds.org/cats/catsindoors.htm to get great
information and facts about this crisis.  Just so that everyone knows, I
too am a cat lover, I have 2 beautiful, spoiled and very happy indoor cats
that never go outside and are not declawed.  If you can ever manage to
catch some of these cats you might want to try a device I have seen
advertised in rehab magazines called the CatStop, it looks like a bib that
attaches to the collar and is supposed to interfere with the cats ability
to catch prey.  I have never seen or used it, so cannot say if it is
really effective.  You can order it at www.catgoods.com  Anyway, may you
have many more hummers this winter. (I know I'm preaching to the choir
here at HUMNET!!) Pam in Madisonville