Whew! I almost lost these babies.

My dog was barking hysterically and throwing himself against the gate on the front porch and when I got there to my horror the neighbor's Maine Coon cat was laying on the shelf feeder just below this bird house. The parents were flying around and tittering at it. I ran in the house and grabbed the first spray bottle I could get my hands on and let him have it! LOL I hope Windex tastes bad enough to make him think twice about repeating the crime. This photo was taken last July 7th. I guess it'll be a couple of weeks still before they're big enough to see.

Good job katy
I don't think windex taste good and I bet it stung the eyes a little too. and hope it didn't hurt the babies.
Good dog
tilly

Darn, it didn't keep him away. I need to figure out something so he can't reach the shelf again. So far the parents have returned but I'm afraid too much of this will cause them to abandon their nest!

How is he getting on it.
Looks like the roof is close enough for him to jump on. if not and he is climbing up you could one of the cones they use for squrills. need to find out how he is doing it then to fix it.

Well, here's a temporary fix I hope. He has to be climbing it, the carport roof is too far for him to jump. I'll try to find something more permanent (and elegant, lol).

Pepsi carton is pretty patriotic, if not elegant!

Would you dare put unbaited mousetraps down below and one or two up on the shelf? The unsuspecting feline sets them off and gets scared away by the noise and motion. I don't think a lightweight bird would trip them, but am not sure.

Wow, this is tricky! Scare the cat away without freaking out mama and papa bird!

I've been known to wrap things I don't want my cats scratching or climbing with duct tape turned inside out so the sticky side is out. Maybe try adding tape all up the pole and then loosely in a grid to the bottom of the box across the space below the shelf?

I've also been known to leave trays of water places unsuspecting cats might jump onto....


I think the ice blue of the carton gently complements the subtly weathered blue of the birdhouse roof....."A droll, back to the earth tribute to good ol' yankee ingenuity" in designer-mag speak........

The real problem is going to be when the babies fledge from the nest. That is when they will be the most vulneable to the cat.

Thanks suzybell, maybe I sould send the photo to H&G? lol I think I will add the duct tape.

They will be an awful temptation when the get to the brancher age. They all line up on the platform around their house. I will have to be very vigilent then. Jolly the dog is keeping an eye out for the cat and my cat sets up a fuss when he comes in the yard. She's not a fighter though, she just growls and sets the dog off.

I know chicken wire is good in the garden to keep them from digging I wonder if it would work on the pole I know they don't like it. I have 4 cats and its always a mind game to try to influence from something they want. The water is a neat idea around the pole. I wouldn't make it something permanent but if he got wet a few things he would quit. I trained my cats with a spray bottle to keep them away from my Cockatiels and they don't go near the cage anymore just the look of I want.
Good luck
Tilly.

I am impressed with your temporary fix!!!

I think chicken wire is a good idea - I have it bunched up on my fence to keep my cats from getting too near the birdfeeder that is there. And duct tape sounds like a great idea - I may lay a bunch of it sticky side up on the ground underneath some other feeders. (None of these feeders are being filled right now due to that health scare, but could be up and running again before long.)

those darn cats are so determined, he probably dreams about those baby birds! (I put 3 bells on my cat, you can hear him coming blocks away - lol!)

nice job with the Pepsi carton

So far, the cardboard has defeated the cat. I'm going to do the bunched up chicken wire on the ground around the pole. It shouldn't hurt the plants there. Mom and pop are going about their duties. In and out every couple of minutes!

My husband put motor oil on the poles of his feeders to keep the squirrels away. He has to do it every week.

The babies are still doing fine! ;~)

Good job Katy