Dear Miss Behavin’: My cat recently caught a bird and brought it into the house. The bird survived, but I don’t want my cat to continue harming wildlife. How can I deter her?
Reply: It will prove quite difficult to convince your cat not to hunt the birds and wild creatures around your home. It’s instinctual. What you can do is prevent these incidents from occurring while still giving your cat access to the outdoors.
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It’s worth mentioning that being outdoors can be risky for domestic cats. There are various dangers including cars and predators, and undesirable health risks such as parasites and fleas. Does your cat need to be outside to live a happy life? Not necessarily.
If you want to prevent or at least limit your cats interactions with wildlife, consider making your yard or patio escape-proof. If your cat is agile and young, you might need to build a small enclosure attached to a window or door to ensure your cat stays “inside” while still getting fresh air and sunshine. This is also called a “catio” and you can see one on display at our Lantos Center for Compassion in Burlingame (1450 Rollins Road) or find different ideas on the web.
For older or less agile cats, adding a lattice panel to the top of your fence or removing objects near or next to the fence might be enough to keep them inside the yard. Look down too — many cats crawl under gates or slip out through tiny holes in the fence you might not know about.
Plastic bird spikes, while designed to deter birds, can function to keep your kitty inside the yard and deter them from escaping. The plastic spikes can be mounted sideways on the fence (facing into your yard) creating an obstacle your cat can’t jump over or around.
Lastly, increase your cat’s play time and give her a new perch by a window if she doesn’t already have one. A catnip toy, ping-pong ball, or laser pointer take minimal effort on our end but go a long way in giving our kitties the hunting and play they desire.