For any of you that may have problems with cats, the June 1999 issue of
Birding from Cornell has an article on a campaign that has been started
called Cats Indoors! (pg. 280-281) If you want further information on this
the email address is lwinter at abcbirds.org or you can write to Director, Cats
Indoors!
American Bird Conservancy, 1250 24th St. N.W., No. 400, Washington, D.C.
20037.

I have put wire fences around the bases of my feeder poles so the cats can't
get close enough to pull the birds down off the feeders. It doesn't help
with birds feeding on the ground. There is also a sensor activated
sprinkler that you can set up. It will not go off with the small movements
of birds but is supposed to keep cats and dogs away. I'm trying to train my
Yorkshire Terrier (2.5 lbs. of her) to be an cat attack dog. She's gotten
good at barking up a storm when she sees the cats out by the feeders. I'm
sure the cats are just laughing under their breath. Attack dog, yeah right.
The next step is trapping them and transporting them to the pound. I hate
to see animals euthanized due to the stupidity of their owners. But I can't
tolerate losing any more birds, and they are killed by the tens of thousands
every year by cats in the US.