Controlling cats as bird predators

[Syd Curtis <>]

Thanks Russell, and all you other good folk who have so kindly given advice
on this matter.  

Clearly it is a common problem.  Cats by nature, hunt, kill and eat birds,
and there are many birding-aus subscribers who wish for a legal and humane
way of protecting our native birds from this menace.

So thanks for all the wise counsel.

The Australian Constitution lists the matters for which the Federal
government may make laws.  Nature conservation, land administration, and
feral animal control are not among them.  Therefore each State government
must make its owns laws about them.   And it would appear that in most
(probably all?) cases state governments leave feral animal control to be
handled by local authorities - town and shire councils.

So with the cat problem, it would seem that contacting one's local council
is a sensible first step.

I'll mention another  non-serious 'cat' problem:  neighbours cats using your
garden as a latrine.  My wife has a keen sense of smell and finds the stench
nauseating.  Cats are particularly attracted to newly dug soil - easier
digging for them.  So - dig a hole large enough to just bury an inflated
balloon.   Cat digs, and its claws explode the balloon.  Doesn't hurt the
cat but gives it a fright.

And what is almost certainly the most serious cat problem of all - feral
cats in outback Australia.  Huge, numerous and presumably living entirely on
native fauna except perhaps where there are rabbits.

Cheers

Syd



> From: Russell Woodford <>
> Date: Sun, 16 Jul 2006 12:01:52 +1000
> To: Syd Curtis <>, birding aus <>
> Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Controlling cats as bird predators
> 
> Thanks for putting this up for discussion, Syd.
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