Predation by free rangíng cats. Uk research

[kimthecat]

Cat predation is a hot topic with cats being blamed for the decline of garden birds and calls for them to kept indoors.

More research  has been done recently and I found this on line. 

"Cats about town: is predation by free-ranging pet cats Felis catus likely to affect urban bird populations?"

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1474-919X.2008.00836.x/full

 Its the full monty so scroll done beyond the abstract for thne rest of the research and full set of references.

 The references mentions Vicky sims and kevin gastons research which I think was published around the same time.
 Íf you go top Scholar on google and search for V. Sims and "Avian assemblage structure and domestic cat densities in urban environments" it should come up on a list , if you look at the given  link  , it says researchgate.net [PDF] at the side. Click on this and the full study opens up
in a PDF 


 

[Kimmikins]

Isn't cat predation kind of old news...I mean there's always been cats, and they've always hunted. Is the decline in garden birds a new thing, or is it just now reaching a critical stage?

[crinklecats]

As I've already posted my home is surrounded by birds and my cats aren't interested.  I've noticed that cats have different preferences for play/prey.  Some cats love to chase the toy along the ground and others prefer to leap for it.  I think the same goes for their preference for prey - my cats seem to prefer chasing something along the ground and spend a lot of time peering and poking into the stone wall borders in the garden whilst the birds sing quite happily overhead.  Of course it could just be that they are plain lazy!

[Jordan]

Dont look like theres a problem with a decline of birds in my garden .....this was todays activity on the feeders






There are several cats in the neighbourhood.........two live accross the road and never bother.

Not sure about the neighbours garden though.........




All day ive had dozens of birds in all squabling over feeders yet they dont touch next doors!

[Kimmikins]

That's a lot of birds! I wonder why they're not going to your neighbours, maybe they're picky and prefer your food

Do you think it's a breed thing, with regards to whether they hunt or not? Or how they're raised maybe?

[kimthecat]

Dec 15, 2013 19:34:10 GMT Kimmikins said:

Isn't cat predation kind of old news..

 It wasnt when they started the research.

It took so long! 

 Its one of those subjects which never really goes away because you'll always have cat haters calling for cats to be kept indoors and using the excuse of saving the wildlife.  Its good to have decent unbiased research.  

[Kimmikins]

Jan 16, 2014 19:17:59 GMT kimthecat said:

Dec 15, 2013 19:34:10 GMT Kimmikins said:

Isn't cat predation kind of old news..

 It wasnt when they started the research.

It took so long! 

 Its one of those subjects which never really goes away because you'll always have cat haters calling for cats to be kept indoors and using the excuse of saving the wildlife.  Its good to have decent unbiased research.  

That explains it!

I definitely agree that unbiased research is always welcome. I don't really mind about the predation, it's a natural occurrence...the circle of life, if you will...but I don't like cat poop in my flower beds, any research on that? Luckily the walled garden and good neighbour cats mean I haven't had it since we moved to the new house

[Jordan]

Your lucky Kimmikins i'm one of a few gardens that still has soil so were well favoured with the cats using it as a toilet!

[Jordan]

Jan 12, 2014 21:25:42 GMT Kimmikins said:

That's a lot of birds! I wonder why they're not going to your neighbours, maybe they're picky and prefer your food

Do you think it's a breed thing, with regards to whether they hunt or not? Or how they're raised maybe?

Picky they definately are, refused to eat one lot of mixed seeds I put out, it had red seeds in it that they didnt like at all. Starlings even left them and they usually eat anything!

If you think thats a lot kimmikins you should have seen the number i was feeding when we had the big snow.........my god it must have been every bird in the forest coming to my garden.....neighbour didnt have a feeder then, just put it out this winter..............maybe theyre being loyal to me LOL

NB ANYONE DOING THE BIG GARDEN BIRD WATCH NEXT WEEKEND?

www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch/


Think its fairly old cats round about here...........maybe its just kittens / young cats that hunt the birds

[Kimmikins]

Maybe they see through your neighbour's feeble attempt at opening a dining establishment

I won't be doing the birdwatch, but that's because we have no birds at the moment! We've had our feeders out ever since we moved in, but have yet to see a single bird visiting. It's a new development though, and there are only a few trees scattered around, so hopefully as more people develop their gardens the birds will return. We don't even get pigeons, that's how little birdlife we get!

[kimthecat]

yes I'm doing the bird watch , I might start a thread in the bird bit . i do it every year .

 About cat poop in the floor beds. I use Get of my garden from garden centres and Pets at home .  You jsut sprinkle it around. Its non tixic and safe for all animals and it works .