We have a similar arrangement with our cats, Flåm and Tiara (we used to have
one called Dale, but alas, Eddie, no Voss yet). After Dale was rendered
two-dimensional on a nearby road and Flåm took a few birds, we decided to build
a proper cat run. It took quite a lot of planning, as position and access are
important, but we now have a large, entirely caged in area on the side of our
house, where the cats can dig in the dirt, climb various ledges and laze on
raised shelves in the sun.
Tiara, like Dale before her, has a severe case of wanderlust, and does attempt
to escape the house at every opportunity. However, being a cat, when she does
make it out, she immediately realises that she's off her territory and goes so
carefully that she's not difficult to catch. We do have a lead for her, but we
don't use it very much, as it does seem insulting.
We can now say that our cats are not a threat to our local population (of
mynas).
________________________________
From: on behalf of Bill Jolly
Sent: Thu 20/07/2006 9:02 AM
To: ;
Subject: Cat Control
G'day Tim
I enjoyed that!
Thanks to our daughter, who doesn't live with us, we've got a cat! I can
hardly believe I'm admitting this publicly. I was on my way down from
O'Reilly's when it happened. A fait-accompli by the time I got home.
I determined that if we took it on it would never ever leave the house - it
would be incarcerated with a litter tray. It would be unthinkable to manage
your property as a reserve, and then introduce a cat! Even though it was a
lovely cat...
Living with a litter tray in the laundry isn't a joy. We devised a 2m x 1m
cage with no base, to stand in the garden, the idea being to transport the
cat to it for an hour or so each day. Not a total success.
It really was a dilemma. As resolute as I was, so was the cat charming, and
so we were becoming charmed.
After a few weeks, we bought a collar and lead and began to introduce a
routine of taking her for a walk around the garden after breakfast. The cat
quickly adopted the habit of undertaking her morning toilet in the garden,
though we kept the litter tray on standby.
Three or so years later, the whole thing is continuing very satisfactorily.
We have the pleasure of a cat in the house - who catches occasional mice,
and sits on our laps a lot. Eileen enjoys strolling around the garden with
her in the early-mornings, not a bird or a lizard has ever suffered at her
paws, and the litter tray remains on standby, mostly unused.
When we sit on the verandah, the cat sometimes joins us, tethered out of
reach of any birds that might drop on to the verandah rail. I've also made a
small caged cat-verandah in which she often lounges and bird-watches,
accessed via a cat-door from my office.
Cats, like foxes, are marvellous creatures that just shouldn't be in this
country. No cat should ever be allowed outside on its own. But it can be
managed.
I don't feel the same way about neighbours' cats.
Bill Jolly
"Abberton",
Lockyer Valley, Queensland.
(27º 34' 21" S; 152º 08' 21" E)
Visit our website at www.abberton.org
>From: "Tim Murphy" <>
>To: <>
>Subject: RE: [Birding-Aus] Cat Control
>Date: Thu, 20 Jul 2006 07:40:16 +1000
>
>Now if some one can come up with a machine to deter daughters from adopting
>a cat and then dumping the pet on their parents when rhe head off abroad.
>
>Tim Murphy
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From:
> Behalf Of Russell Woodford
>Sent: Wednesday, 19 July 2006 11:42 PM
>To:
>Subject: [Birding-Aus] Cat Control
>
>
>Ultrasonic devices can be used to keep cats away from your property. One
>example is CATWatch.
>
>
>James Smith provides the following info:
>
>CATWatch is an ultrasonic deterrent that works. I found the product so
>effective in dealing with the cat problem in my garden when I was living in
>the UK that as I was considering returning to Australia I contacted the
>manufacturer and expressed an interest in and have subsequently become
>their
>Australian distributor. Details about the product are available on the
>fauNature website www.faunature.com.au
>
>
>
>---
>Russell Woodford
>Birding-Aus List Owner
>===============================
>www.birding-aus.org
>birding-aus.blogspot.com
>
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