Evening star., 1948-03-18
This and That
BIZ Charles Z. Tracepell


The real bird-killing cat is a special problem
In bird feeding.
1t Is only one cat, here and there which may
be ranked as genuine, sure-f1re bird killer.
This is contrary to popular opinion, which SO
often is wrong.
chance it gets, just as every dog is supposed to
kill a cat upon demand.
Actually, birds differ just as humans differ.
There are hundreds of cats that live in local
gardens along with birds, without harming
them.
1t is only when this difference in catkind
Is known and admitted that the true bird
killing cat can be estimated.
Then it Is seen that this sort Of animal con-
stitutes q real menace to bird life.
This Is far different from the popular hue
and cry set up against cats.
This one cat (probaby not more than one
to the square mile) can do more harm to
birds than all the others put together
And the trouble Is that usually he does
What to do about such a feline
There are but three answers:
Try to impress upon the cats owner that
birds are protected by the laws of the United
States against being harmed, interferred with,
or killed in any manner or by any one
This law applies both to humans as well as
to animals.
Such law, OF course, Is no good unless the
person who sees the violation is willing to bring
charges, swear out warrants and go to court
in the matter.
Today most people want somebody else to
do these things, so the common fact Is that
such suits seldom are brought.
But If the owner of such a truly bad cat is
made to understand that its depredations ac-
tually are in violation of law, said owner may
be led to do something about it,
This may consist of keeping the cat in or
at least indoors early in the morning and at
dusk
The second step that may be taken against
the bird killer Is to kill him.
This is a harsh step, truly, for the person
who loves all animals
1t is, however, in line with what is being
done all over the world.
We believe that very few persons who feed
the songolrds will be willing to 60 to this
extreme.
Throwing cold water on such cats seldom
does much good, but it may be tried
The third solution is probably the best in
most cases.
1t is simply to place the bird feeding station
squarely in the middle of the back yard, as
far as possible from shrubbery and trees.
Even the garage should not be closer than
25 feet.
If the station is placed on q stout pole or
pipe which, when firmly sunk in the ground
for 2, or more feet, still allows from to 6
feet of pole or pipe to protrude, the birds may
eat in comparative safety.
An inverted funnel of tin or other metal NAV
be placed on the pole beneath the feeding sta
ton, with the large or open end down
This often is a discouragement to the" bird
killer.
The old method of putting belled collar
on such cat has its limitations.
A system of eternal vigilance short of
murder, together with the station placed in
the center of the garden, will go a long way
toward solving this problem.
The killer cat usually runs on a schedule of
his own He comes at such and such time.
and If this can be determined he may be met
with show Of force.
Even such cat whose actions slur the
good cnes) never causes as many bird deaths
as do human beings. No one should forget
this when determining measures to bs used
against him.