Neighbours cat grrrrrr!!

[tbird]

My neighbours have aquired a new cat, very cute looking but not so cute when its sitting on the wire on the roof of my aviary, scaring my birds. The roof is 1/3 clear laser and 2/3 chicken wire and it just lays in wait then pounces onto the wire sending the birds into a frenzy. HELP please, what can I do?

[Tintola]

One of my pet hates (and I have many!) is people who do not keep their animals on their own land. Speak nicely to your neighbours telling them of your problem, if they won't do anything to keep their cat away from your birds, using excuses such as "That's what cats do" (Not in my place they don't!) Then you must take matters into your own hands by following one or more of these options.

1 Rent/buy a cat trap and keep trapping their cat and taking it around to the cat/dog pound. It will cost them every time they have to bail it out. You can shortcut this by getting them to pay you the 'bail' money, saving both of you time and petrol money etc.

2 Buy/borrow a Doberman and put it over their fence to 'play' with their cat. If they complain tell them "That's what dogs do!!!!"

3 Set lots of rat traps on top of the aviary baited with Snappy Tom or the like, to give some aversion therapy.

4 Set up a sprinkler on top of your aviary and turn it on from the house every time you see cat on there.

5 Erect an electric fence wire around top of aviary or along your dividing fence (can be bought at produce stores) More aversion therapy.

6 One thing you must never do is give the cat a bowl of milk with dissolved aspirin in it as it is usually fatal.

7 The other thing you must never do is kill the cat, humanely of course, (method optional) and put it out on the road for the traffic to run over all night, then share their sorrow in the morning that pussy must have run out onto the road.

8 Option 7 can backfire as they will probably get another cat, in which case go back to option 1.

I hope this has helped with your current problem as I too have had this situation and have managed to solve it one way or another .

[GregH]

;) Tintola you do have a way with words. If only AFF were the Facebook of finches I could "like" your comment

[murf]

Definite visionary examples of tenderness Tintola, but my thoughts exactly.

[Tintola]

Recommended reading "101 Uses for a dead cat" (Yes, there is such a book)
http://www.google.com.au/search?q=101+u ... d=0CC0QsAQ" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Greg41]

If you complain too much to the neighbours you know who they will call on if the cat disapears, softly softly is the way to go.

[Matt]

Personally, I like option no. 3

[Tintola]

I forgot strategy no. 9 With a sympathetic expression on your face, deny everything.
It's called the "Cleopatra Syndrome" as she was the "Queen of Denial"

[finches247]

i shot the stray cats because where on a farm with my 22 and sometimes the neighbours cats if i am lucky and i hate cats and bad to native wildlife and to my avairies full of some of the rarest finches left in new zealand

[desertbirds]

This is a at least the second time around for this post. Cat trap- wheelie bin full of water , leave the rest up to the individual.