Top 10 ways to Protect Birds from Cats

Some simple measure you can make your garden more safe for birds

A garden can be a great place to attract birds, but you may be endangering them if certain steps are not taken. A range of relatively simple measures can be employed which help reduce the risks to garden birds, especially when food is being put out.

Cats can be a real problem with birds, but there are some simple ways to help the birds.

1. Safely Place Bird Food

• Avoid putting food on the ground using a bird table where cats can't reach it.
• Place feeders high off the ground and away from places cats can jump from.

2. Protect the Bird Table

• Place spiny plants or clippings, such as holly, or an uncomfortable surface around the base of the feeding station to prevent cats sitting underneath it.
• Fix a downward opening cone or biscuit tin to the bird table post to prevent cat climbing up it. Squirrel baffles are a good choice.
• Apply Vaseline or grease onto a smooth pole will make the pole difficult for cats to climb.

3. Protect the Garden Perimeter

If your neighbours have cats you will want to stop them getting into your garden. Here's some tips...

Make a Safe Area

Surround you cat safe area with a fence, such as chicken wire, that leans in the direction of the cat approach. The cat will be unable to climb over such an angled fence.

Barrier Fencing Mesh

Use flimsy plastic barrier fencing mesh placed on top of a fence to prevent cats climbing over it. It is available in green!

Taut Wire

Taut wire or even string fitted 10-15 cm above the top of the fence makes it difficult for cats to balance on it.

Plastic Spike Strips

Specially designed strips of plastic spikes, such as Prikka-Strip, on top of a fence, shed roof and nestbox roof prevent cats from walking on them.

Plastic Bottles

Place half-full plastic bottles in borders. This is an old gamekeeper's trick, the light reflection deters cats.

Old CDs

Use old CDs on threaded twine with knots in between to keep them apart. String these across flower beds or hang them from trees. The light reflections deter cats.

4. Provide Bird Cover

Plant wildlife-friendly vegetation, such as prickly bushes and thick climbers in the garden to provide secure cover for birds. These should be close enough to where birds feed to provide cover, but not so close that cats can use it to stalk birds. See RSPB leaflets on Feeding garden birds, Gardening with wildlife, and Planting gardens for birds for more information. This kind of planting may also provide food and nesting sites.

5. Make Nest Boxes safe from Cats

Nest boxes need to be made safe for birds and their off-spring.

• Position nest boxes where cats cannot reach them or sit close to them, which prevents the parent birds from getting to the box.
• Spiked tree collar to prevent climbing up a tree to the nest box.

6. Use Ultrasonic Cat Deterrents

Cat deterrents such as ultrasonic devices and strong-smelling repellents are available. The effectiveness of these is probably variable, and there is little scientific evidence of their effectiveness. Some are also quite expensive. However, many people tell us that they have achieved good results with some of these techniques, so it must remain a matter of individual choice whether to use them or not.

A recommended device is the CATWatch deterrent which is endorsed by the RSPB and reduces cat visits by up to 33%

7. Use Cat Repellers

Cat deterrents are sometimes referred to as cat repellers.

8. Use Cat Repellent Plants

There is a new garden plant, Coleus canina, on the market. It is marketed under the names Pee-off and Scaredy-cat. This plant has a pungent odour that is said to repel cats and other mammals from the garden. It should be available from a number of garden suppliers.

9. Use Cat Scent Deterrents

Scent deterrents can either repel cats, such as Citronella, or they can be used to mark a territory, Silent Roar, for example.

• Use Citronella to deter cats
• Use Silent Roar to scent mark your garden
• Try orange or lemon peel, as cats hate the smell of citrus.

10. Chase off Cats with Water

A rather satisfying way of ejecting cats from your garden is to use water.

• Bucket or water pistol full of water will help to chase a cat out of the garden.
• Use the automated scarecrow, which uses hosepipe, and delivers a water jet when activated by a motion detector.