Don't know whether to laugh or cry

There's an 8 or 9 foot tall skinny tree of some sort by the kitchen windows
on one side of the walkway to the front door. It's all branches at the
bottom but has a bushy, leafy top and in the winter it gets bright red
berries. There's a family of Cardinals nesting in the tree. (For our non
US friends, this is a cardinal: http://tinyurl.com/n52ry ). Cardinals are
beautiful birds and wonderful parents; the male and female tend the young
equally. Yep, daddy sticks around to change diapers and do feedings

The last few days I've heard the male and female cardinals PIPPING loudly
(distress calls). Each time I investigated I found the female cardinal
sitting opposite the tree on the other side of the walkway atop a very low
shepherd's hook, no more than three feet off the ground (a windchime hangs
from it). The male cardinal was on a bush nearby.

Also each time, one (or the other) of the neighbor's cats has been out there
sitting at the base of the tree, staring up. The cardinals are *clearly*
trying to distract the cat(s) away from the nest. Unfortunately, they
aren't like some other North American birds which will physically attack
animals of much greater size who venture too close. So I've been going out
and shooing the cats away, "HSSSSST! Go home!"

Last evening night I heard the birds again and this time they sounded even
more distressed. (From many years of bird watching and bird feeding, I can
tell the difference.) I looked but didn't see either cat so I went outside.
One of the cats was in the top of the tree! I yelled, he scrambled down and
ran away.

The good news is mama cardinal went back to the tree. A while later I could
just make out through the window it appeared she was feeding (a?) little
one(s). So the cat didn't get the baby/babies.

This morning one cat made his displeasure known. They normally use a patch
of pine straw some 40-50 feet away under a tree as their "litter box". Not
this morning. The big brother deliberately walked right up to the back of
the house (my desk is set up right there by a window), squatted and
urinated! He was watching me the entire time. Heh. Pee all you want, pal,
I'm still not going to let you get those baby birds if there's anything I
can do about it!

Jill

Jill, I had something like this here when I had the baby Hummingbirds. I
bought one of the "Super soaker" water things the kids play with. No point,
with my sight, of trying the little squirt bottles or guns. I finally
convinced the neighbors cat to leave the birds alone. Now, if I see a cat
in my yard, I soak it. Can't tell who it is from a distance but, water
doesn't harm them and they can all learn the rules.
"jmcquown" wrote in message
. ..
There's an 8 or 9 foot tall skinny tree of some sort by the kitchen
windows on one side of the walkway to the front door. It's all branches
at the bottom but has a bushy, leafy top and in the winter it gets bright
red berries. There's a family of Cardinals nesting in the tree. (For our
non US friends, this is a cardinal: http://tinyurl.com/n52ry ).
Cardinals are beautiful birds and wonderful parents; the male and female
tend the young equally. Yep, daddy sticks around to change diapers and do
feedings

The last few days I've heard the male and female cardinals PIPPING loudly
(distress calls). Each time I investigated I found the female cardinal
sitting opposite the tree on the other side of the walkway atop a very low
shepherd's hook, no more than three feet off the ground (a windchime hangs
from it). The male cardinal was on a bush nearby.

Also each time, one (or the other) of the neighbor's cats has been out
there sitting at the base of the tree, staring up. The cardinals are
*clearly* trying to distract the cat(s) away from the nest.
Unfortunately, they aren't like some other North American birds which will
physically attack animals of much greater size who venture too close. So
I've been going out and shooing the cats away, "HSSSSST! Go home!"

Last evening night I heard the birds again and this time they sounded even
more distressed. (From many years of bird watching and bird feeding, I
can tell the difference.) I looked but didn't see either cat so I went
outside. One of the cats was in the top of the tree! I yelled, he
scrambled down and ran away.

The good news is mama cardinal went back to the tree. A while later I
could just make out through the window it appeared she was feeding (a?)
little one(s). So the cat didn't get the baby/babies.

This morning one cat made his displeasure known. They normally use a
patch of pine straw some 40-50 feet away under a tree as their "litter
box". Not this morning. The big brother deliberately walked right up to
the back of the house (my desk is set up right there by a window),
squatted and urinated! He was watching me the entire time. Heh. Pee all
you want, pal, I'm still not going to let you get those baby birds if
there's anything I can do about it!

Jill

"jmcquown" wrote in message
. ..
There's an 8 or 9 foot tall skinny tree of some sort by the kitchen
windows on one side of the walkway to the front door. It's all branches
at the bottom but has a bushy, leafy top and in the winter it gets bright
red berries. There's a family of Cardinals nesting in the tree. (For our
non US friends, this is a cardinal: http://tinyurl.com/n52ry ).
Cardinals are beautiful birds and wonderful parents; the male and female
tend the young equally. Yep, daddy sticks around to change diapers and do
feedings

The last few days I've heard the male and female cardinals PIPPING loudly
(distress calls). Each time I investigated I found the female cardinal
sitting opposite the tree on the other side of the walkway atop a very low
shepherd's hook, no more than three feet off the ground (a windchime hangs
from it). The male cardinal was on a bush nearby.

Also each time, one (or the other) of the neighbor's cats has been out
there sitting at the base of the tree, staring up. The cardinals are
*clearly* trying to distract the cat(s) away from the nest.
Unfortunately, they aren't like some other North American birds which will
physically attack animals of much greater size who venture too close. So
I've been going out and shooing the cats away, "HSSSSST! Go home!"

Last evening night I heard the birds again and this time they sounded even
more distressed. (From many years of bird watching and bird feeding, I
can tell the difference.) I looked but didn't see either cat so I went
outside. One of the cats was in the top of the tree! I yelled, he
scrambled down and ran away.

The good news is mama cardinal went back to the tree. A while later I
could just make out through the window it appeared she was feeding (a?)
little one(s). So the cat didn't get the baby/babies.

This morning one cat made his displeasure known. They normally use a
patch of pine straw some 40-50 feet away under a tree as their "litter
box". Not this morning. The big brother deliberately walked right up to
the back of the house (my desk is set up right there by a window),
squatted and urinated! He was watching me the entire time. Heh. Pee all
you want, pal, I'm still not going to let you get those baby birds if
there's anything I can do about it!

Jill

Jill, if there is an outside faucet handy, take an old hose, cap or pinch
closed the end, and punch holes in it every few inches - then wrap it around
the base of the tree and turn the water on to medium when the cats are out
and about (or are they *always* out?). The resultant water spray around the
base of the tree should discourage the cats.

Chin Skritches,

CatNipped

CatNipped wrote:
"jmcquown" wrote in message
. ..
Last evening night I heard the birds again and this time they
sounded even more distressed. (From many years of bird watching
and bird feeding, I can tell the difference.) I looked but didn't
see either cat so I went outside. One of the cats was in the top of
the tree! I yelled, he scrambled down and ran away.

The good news is mama cardinal went back to the tree. A while
later I could just make out through the window it appeared she was
feeding (a?) little one(s). So the cat didn't get the baby/babies.

This morning one cat made his displeasure known. They normally use
a patch of pine straw some 40-50 feet away under a tree as their
"litter box". Not this morning. The big brother deliberately
walked right up to the back of the house (my desk is set up right
there by a window), squatted and urinated! He was watching me the
entire time. Heh. Pee all you want, pal, I'm still not going to
let you get those baby birds if there's anything I can do about it!

Jill

Jill, if there is an outside faucet handy, take an old hose, cap or
pinch closed the end, and punch holes in it every few inches - then
wrap it around the base of the tree and turn the water on to medium
when the cats are out and about (or are they *always* out?). The
resultant water spray around the base of the tree should discourage
the cats.
Chin Skritches,

CatNipped

There's a faucet right by the tree so this might work! (would wreak havoc on
the water bill, though). She brings the cats in when it gets dark but
during the day they are free to wander in and out as they please. I don't
want to start up the indoor/outdoor cat debate but there are *alligators* on
this island!

Jill

"jmcquown" wrote in message
. ..
CatNipped wrote:
"jmcquown" wrote in message
. ..
Last evening night I heard the birds again and this time they
sounded even more distressed. (From many years of bird watching
and bird feeding, I can tell the difference.) I looked but didn't
see either cat so I went outside. One of the cats was in the top of
the tree! I yelled, he scrambled down and ran away.

The good news is mama cardinal went back to the tree. A while
later I could just make out through the window it appeared she was
feeding (a?) little one(s). So the cat didn't get the baby/babies.

This morning one cat made his displeasure known. They normally use
a patch of pine straw some 40-50 feet away under a tree as their
"litter box". Not this morning. The big brother deliberately
walked right up to the back of the house (my desk is set up right
there by a window), squatted and urinated! He was watching me the
entire time. Heh. Pee all you want, pal, I'm still not going to
let you get those baby birds if there's anything I can do about it!

Jill

Jill, if there is an outside faucet handy, take an old hose, cap or
pinch closed the end, and punch holes in it every few inches - then
wrap it around the base of the tree and turn the water on to medium
when the cats are out and about (or are they *always* out?). The
resultant water spray around the base of the tree should discourage
the cats.
Chin Skritches,

CatNipped

There's a faucet right by the tree so this might work! (would wreak havoc
on the water bill, though). She brings the cats in when it gets dark but
during the day they are free to wander in and out as they please. I don't
want to start up the indoor/outdoor cat debate but there are *alligators*
on this island!

Jill

Really? I watch "Miami Animal Police" all the time and hear about 'gators
getting pet dogs and cats. I'd be really hesitant about letting an animal
roam wherever they're spotted.

Re the water bill - yeah, there is that! ; Maybe, as Granby suggested,
just a good soaking with a "Super Soaker" would train them not to come over
after a while.

Tail Twitches,

CatNipped

jmcquown wrote:
There's an 8 or 9 foot tall skinny tree of some sort by the kitchen
windows on one side of the walkway to the front door. It's all
branches at the bottom but has a bushy, leafy top and in the winter
it gets bright red berries. There's a family of Cardinals nesting in
the tree. (For our non US friends, this is a cardinal:
http://tinyurl.com/n52ry ). Cardinals are beautiful birds and
wonderful parents; the male and female tend the young equally. Yep,
daddy sticks around to change diapers and do feedings
The last few days I've heard the male and female cardinals PIPPING
loudly (distress calls). Each time I investigated I found the female
cardinal sitting opposite the tree on the other side of the walkway
atop a very low shepherd's hook, no more than three feet off the
ground (a windchime hangs from it). The male cardinal was on a bush
nearby.
Also each time, one (or the other) of the neighbor's cats has been
out there sitting at the base of the tree, staring up. The cardinals
are *clearly* trying to distract the cat(s) away from the nest.
Unfortunately, they aren't like some other North American birds which
will physically attack animals of much greater size who venture too
close. So I've been going out and shooing the cats away, "HSSSSST! Go
home!"
Last evening night I heard the birds again and this time they sounded
even more distressed. (From many years of bird watching and bird
feeding, I can tell the difference.) I looked but didn't see either
cat so I went outside. One of the cats was in the top of the tree! I
yelled, he scrambled down and ran away.

The good news is mama cardinal went back to the tree. A while later
I could just make out through the window it appeared she was feeding
(a?) little one(s). So the cat didn't get the baby/babies.

This morning one cat made his displeasure known. They normally use a
patch of pine straw some 40-50 feet away under a tree as their
"litter box". Not this morning. The big brother deliberately walked
right up to the back of the house (my desk is set up right there by a
window), squatted and urinated! He was watching me the entire time. Heh.
Pee all you want, pal, I'm still not going to let you get those
baby birds if there's anything I can do about it!

Jill

Purrs for the babies to fledge.
--
Adrian (Owned by Snoopy, Bagheera & Shadow)
Cats leave pawprints on your heart
http://community.webshots.com/user/clowderuk

CatNipped wrote:
"jmcquown" wrote in message
. ..
CatNipped wrote:
Jill, if there is an outside faucet handy, take an old hose, cap
or pinch closed the end, and punch holes in it every few inches -
then wrap it around the base of the tree and turn the water on to
medium when the cats are out and about (or are they *always*
out?). The resultant water spray around the base of the tree
should discourage the cats.
Chin Skritches,

CatNipped

There's a faucet right by the tree so this might work! (would wreak
havoc on the water bill, though). She brings the cats in when it
gets dark but during the day they are free to wander in and out as
they please. I don't want to start up the indoor/outdoor cat
debate but there are *alligators* on this island!

Jill

Really? I watch "Miami Animal Police" all the time and hear about
'gators getting pet dogs and cats. I'd be really hesitant about
letting an animal roam wherever they're spotted.

Coincidentally, I just saw a Wildlife Control truck leaving the island.
Three guesses what they were called for and the first two don't count!
There are signs posted saying, "Do Not Feed the Alligators". Twenty-some
years ago when people started building here they thought it was quaint (or
something) there were alligators around... until small pets started going
missing.

The only other wildlife on the island that might be a problem are coral
snakes but they are rare. Oh, and red tailed hawks. One landed not six
feet from the back window a couple of weeks ago. It was full grown and
could easily have carried off a small cat. I suppose if the raccoons got
rabies they might pose a problem.

Re the water bill - yeah, there is that! ; Maybe, as Granby
suggested, just a good soaking with a "Super Soaker" would train them
not to come over after a while.


I'll just turn the hose on Problem is I can't sit and watch out the
kitchen window all day!

Jill

jmcquown wrote:
There's an 8 or 9 foot tall skinny tree of some sort by the kitchen
windows on one side of the walkway to the front door. It's all
branches at the bottom but has a bushy, leafy top and in the winter
it gets bright red berries. There's a family of Cardinals nesting in
the tree. (For our non US friends, this is a cardinal:
http://tinyurl.com/n52ry ). Cardinals are beautiful birds and
wonderful parents; the male and female tend the young equally. Yep,
daddy sticks around to change diapers and do feedings
The last few days I've heard the male and female cardinals PIPPING
loudly (distress calls). Each time I investigated I found the female
cardinal sitting opposite the tree on the other side of the walkway
atop a very low shepherd's hook, no more than three feet off the
ground (a windchime hangs from it). The male cardinal was on a bush
nearby.
Also each time, one (or the other) of the neighbor's cats has been
out there sitting at the base of the tree, staring up. The cardinals
are *clearly* trying to distract the cat(s) away from the nest.
Unfortunately, they aren't like some other North American birds which
will physically attack animals of much greater size who venture too
close. So I've been going out and shooing the cats away, "HSSSSST! Go
home!"
Last evening night I heard the birds again and this time they sounded
even more distressed. (From many years of bird watching and bird
feeding, I can tell the difference.) I looked but didn't see either
cat so I went outside. One of the cats was in the top of the tree! I
yelled, he scrambled down and ran away.

The good news is mama cardinal went back to the tree. A while later
I could just make out through the window it appeared she was feeding
(a?) little one(s). So the cat didn't get the baby/babies.

This morning one cat made his displeasure known. They normally use a
patch of pine straw some 40-50 feet away under a tree as their
"litter box". Not this morning. The big brother deliberately walked
right up to the back of the house (my desk is set up right there by a
window), squatted and urinated! He was watching me the entire time. Heh.
Pee all you want, pal, I'm still not going to let you get those
baby birds if there's anything I can do about it!

Jill

Yikes, Jill! Cardinals are my all-time favorite wild bird species. Well,
now I have a fondness for Blue Jays because I raised three tiny little
bitties - pix available if anyone wants to see them. Hey, we all know I
have a fondness for cats, but darn it, leave the birdies alone!

kili

Adrian wrote:
jmcquown wrote:
Last evening night I heard the birds again and this time they
sounded even more distressed. (From many years of bird watching
and bird feeding, I can tell the difference.) I looked but didn't
see either cat so I went outside. One of the cats was in the top of the
tree! I yelled, he scrambled down and ran away.

The good news is mama cardinal went back to the tree. A while later
I could just make out through the window it appeared she was feeding
(a?) little one(s). So the cat didn't get the baby/babies.

This morning one cat made his displeasure known. They normally use
a patch of pine straw some 40-50 feet away under a tree as their
"litter box". Not this morning. The big brother deliberately
walked right up to the back of the house (my desk is set up right
there by a window), squatted and urinated! He was watching me the
entire time. Heh. Pee all you want, pal, I'm still not going to let
you get those baby birds if there's anything I can do about it!

Jill

Purrs for the babies to fledge.

And to fledge well! Takes a little practice to be able to get off the
ground once you're on it

I've also seen a lot of fledglings over the years who pretend they can't fly
(or feed themselves) when in fact they can. I guess they're just not
willing to become independent yet. Playing games like that with these two
cats around wouldn't be good for their health.

Years ago my ex-fiance was sitting on my (then) balcony with me when he
spotted a sparrow on the ground fluttering its wings like mad at another
sparrow. He said, "Look at that bird, it's trying to pick a fight!" (I
needed a beverage warning for that one!) Um, no, that's a fledgling
pretending it still can't feed itself. Sure enough, the mother bird flew
away and the fledgling took off after her. This from a man who was raised
in the country. Sheesh!

Jill

jmcquown wrote:

This morning one cat made his displeasure known. They normally use a
patch of pine straw some 40-50 feet away under a tree as their "litter
box". Not this morning. The big brother deliberately walked right up
to the back of the house (my desk is set up right there by a window),
squatted and urinated! He was watching me the entire time. Heh. Pee
all you want, pal, I'm still not going to let you get those baby birds
if there's anything I can do about it!

LOL! A friend's big marmalade cat took a dislike to one of her
neighbors. Regularly every day, he would go next door to anoint their
front door! (He was the one who would periodically get enough of the
yappy little miniature poodle owned by another neighbor, so go over and
beat up on the dog - it usually eliminated the yaps for a week or so,
until the stupid dog forgot the lesson.)



Jill