Cat?
-
Guest
Will having a cat keep Martins from staying? Last fall a stray cat came up, and My wife just had to feed it. The cat is now ours. He won't leave. If I go to the mailbox, he's right there with me. He does catch field mice, gophers, moles, so he does do some good. He's the friendliest thing you ever saw...BUT... I want my Martins! If they see him laying on the patio, will they not stay? Anybody have a "outside" cat and Martins?
-
flyin-lowe
- Posts: 3788
- Joined: Wed Mar 29, 2006 8:49 am
- Location: Indiana/Henry Co.
IMO just having a cat around will not keep martins from you site. However you will really have to watch when they start fighting and fall to the ground,or if you have nest jumpers. Depending on availability some martins might be on the ground gathering nesting materials as well.
-
Emil Pampell-Tx
- Posts: 6743
- Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2003 1:26 pm
- Location: Tx, Richmond (SW of Houston)
- Martin Colony History: First started in Gretna, La in 1969 with a small homemade house, have had martins ever since at 2 different homes in Texas
Many purple martin landlords have cats. We had cats, and ours never bothered the martins, but they are animals, and given the chance, they will catch a bird. During the martin season, when the martins were gathering nesting material, and during fledging time, we kept the cats inside the house to avoid any problems. Our last cat caught some hummingbirds, so we had to raise the feeders real high so she couldn't catch the hummingbirds. That did it for us, we don't want any more cats.
Stray cats sometimes become wild abandoned cats, and they do catch a lot of birds. Often, they do not even eat the birds, they catch them for the enjoyment.
In general, bird lovers hate cats because of all the damage that they can do. It has been recorded that one active cat caught over 1000 birds in one year. Many martin owners trap cats, and send them to the pound.
Responsible pet owners control the activities of their animals. They keep the dogs inside a fence, and keep the cats inside a house. Since cats can climb fences, it is not ok to let them roam at night, they can harm things at night. Keep the cats inside the house is the best rule.
Stray cats sometimes become wild abandoned cats, and they do catch a lot of birds. Often, they do not even eat the birds, they catch them for the enjoyment.
In general, bird lovers hate cats because of all the damage that they can do. It has been recorded that one active cat caught over 1000 birds in one year. Many martin owners trap cats, and send them to the pound.
Responsible pet owners control the activities of their animals. They keep the dogs inside a fence, and keep the cats inside a house. Since cats can climb fences, it is not ok to let them roam at night, they can harm things at night. Keep the cats inside the house is the best rule.
PMCA Member, 250 gourds, 6 poles, 2traps
Agreed!!Emil Pampell-Tx wrote:Many purple martin landlords have cats. We had cats, and ours never bothered the martins, but they are animals, and given the chance, they will catch a bird. During the martin season, when the martins were gathering nesting material, and during fledging time, we kept the cats inside the house to avoid any problems. Our last cat caught some hummingbirds, so we had to raise the feeders real high so she couldn't catch the hummingbirds. That did it for us, we don't want any more cats.
Stray cats sometimes become wild abandoned cats, and they do catch a lot of birds. Often, they do not even eat the birds, they catch them for the enjoyment.
In general, bird lovers hate cats because of all the damage that they can do. It has been recorded that one active cat caught over 1000 birds in one year. Many martin owners trap cats, and send them to the pound.
Responsible pet owners control the activities of their animals. They keep the dogs inside a fence, and keep the cats inside a house. Since cats can climb fences, it is not ok to let them roam at night, they can harm things at night. Keep the cats inside the house is the best rule.
"We can judge the heart of man by his treatment of animals." - Immanual Kant.
https://plus.google.com/u/0/+JulioPrado954/posts
https://plus.google.com/u/0/+JulioPrado954/posts
-
KathyF
- Posts: 3522
- Joined: Thu May 24, 2007 1:57 pm
- Location: Missouri/Licking
- Martin Colony History: Colony started - 2007 with one pair
As of 2018 - 84 cavities offered, max # of pairs hosted - 82.
Hi David - my husband took some classes with the local conservation dept. and Emil is right - you'd be amazed at the damage cats can do, not only in a direct manner, but indirectly too.
They also eat food (mice, voles, etc.) depriving our other wildlife (coyotes, bobcats, etc.) of what they would normally eat.
I also volunteer at our local animal shelter and write the newsletter for them. For one of my articles, I did some research and wrote about the effects of the lack of spay/neuter and cats. Here's an interesting bit of non-trivial data: An unspayed female, her mate and their offspring, producing 2 litters per year, with 2.8 kittens surviving in each litter can produce 11,801 cats per year. http://www.spayusa.org/media/pdfs/Cats_ ... yramid.pdf
The farmers around here won't spay / neuter and think that their "barn cats" will just stay in the barn. Well, there are so many here now they are feral and the coyotes are catching them and the cats are preying on my flock of quail and my martins/bluebirds/tree swallows. ....and the shelter is full. Can't catch them anyway - they're feral or becoming feral.
Anyway, just my story...it's a sad state of affairs.
They also eat food (mice, voles, etc.) depriving our other wildlife (coyotes, bobcats, etc.) of what they would normally eat.
I also volunteer at our local animal shelter and write the newsletter for them. For one of my articles, I did some research and wrote about the effects of the lack of spay/neuter and cats. Here's an interesting bit of non-trivial data: An unspayed female, her mate and their offspring, producing 2 litters per year, with 2.8 kittens surviving in each litter can produce 11,801 cats per year. http://www.spayusa.org/media/pdfs/Cats_ ... yramid.pdf
The farmers around here won't spay / neuter and think that their "barn cats" will just stay in the barn. Well, there are so many here now they are feral and the coyotes are catching them and the cats are preying on my flock of quail and my martins/bluebirds/tree swallows. ....and the shelter is full. Can't catch them anyway - they're feral or becoming feral.
Anyway, just my story...it's a sad state of affairs.
Last edited by KathyF on Tue Apr 27, 2010 9:05 am, edited 2 times in total.
"Sometimes", said Pooh, "the smallest things take up the most room in your heart."
2023 - 82 pair
2022 - 80 pair
2021 - 75 pair
2020 - 78 pair
2019 - 80 pair
http://kathyfreeze.blogspot.com
2023 - 82 pair
2022 - 80 pair
2021 - 75 pair
2020 - 78 pair
2019 - 80 pair
http://kathyfreeze.blogspot.com
-
Doug Martin - PA
- Posts: 1988
- Joined: Thu Mar 25, 2004 10:47 am
- Location: Pennsylvania/Fombell
- Martin Colony History: First pair in 2009 after 28 years of trying. 3 pairs 2010, 17 pairs 2011 and 35-45 pairs since. Many additional colonies are now springing up around mine in an area once completely void of Martins. I offer 50 compartments at my site consisting of primarily Excluder II gourds on Gemini racks. Also a wooden T-14. I utilize electric fence type predator guards on the base of the poles. Supplemental feeding is crucial in maintaining my colony. I platform feed throughout the season as needed. My site tends to be a stop over point for additional birds as they migrate further north.
I think cats can be a problem in initially attracting Martins. What do Martins seek in starting a colony? Safety number one.
I used to have a cat...... they are great pets and good at mousing. Also good at killing birds or anything else that moves. I personally did not think I could attract Martins because of owning a cat a few years back.
I think the sight of a a cat hunting would make Martins very nervous. I am sure some folks have both but I would say they do not mix.
That's my opinion.
I used to have a cat...... they are great pets and good at mousing. Also good at killing birds or anything else that moves. I personally did not think I could attract Martins because of owning a cat a few years back.
I think the sight of a a cat hunting would make Martins very nervous. I am sure some folks have both but I would say they do not mix.
That's my opinion.
Supplemental feeding plays a major role in Western Pennsylvania. Finally got my 1st pair in 2009 after 28 years of effort. The colony has grown quickly to 45 pairs that I care for. Many new colonies have now sprung up around me in the past few years as well. Where there was none.... there is many.
-
KathyF
- Posts: 3522
- Joined: Thu May 24, 2007 1:57 pm
- Location: Missouri/Licking
- Martin Colony History: Colony started - 2007 with one pair
As of 2018 - 84 cavities offered, max # of pairs hosted - 82.
RD - the same neighbor that has "all barn cats" has about 6 hummingbird feeders. The cats sit quietly in the yard and literally leap up and knock down hummers as they speed across the yard. It's very sad. 
"Sometimes", said Pooh, "the smallest things take up the most room in your heart."
2023 - 82 pair
2022 - 80 pair
2021 - 75 pair
2020 - 78 pair
2019 - 80 pair
http://kathyfreeze.blogspot.com
2023 - 82 pair
2022 - 80 pair
2021 - 75 pair
2020 - 78 pair
2019 - 80 pair
http://kathyfreeze.blogspot.com
-
Guest
We also have a stray. Our martins dive at it on occ. They don't seem bothered to much, it seems to be more of a sport for them to chase him. The cat takes off when the gang up on him, this makes them feel very important I think. I wouldn't worry. Shannon D
I would definitely worry about a cat around my colony, especially when Martins are gathering nesting material and when chicks are fledging!!!
I keep the area clear of anything that a cat can hide in and then streak out at my Martins. It really makes me sick to see them stalking. In NY we have laws for dogs but cats are allowed to do as they wish, wherever they wish and nobody except me seems to care...well, I got a have a heart trap and caught a few and gave them a good bath with the hose, which does some good, but I have "bathed" one more than a few times, guess it loves a bath as much as I love bathing it...or it likes salmon!!
The only good cat is an indoor cat and any responsible cat owner will do just that!!! 'nuf said
I keep the area clear of anything that a cat can hide in and then streak out at my Martins. It really makes me sick to see them stalking. In NY we have laws for dogs but cats are allowed to do as they wish, wherever they wish and nobody except me seems to care...well, I got a have a heart trap and caught a few and gave them a good bath with the hose, which does some good, but I have "bathed" one more than a few times, guess it loves a bath as much as I love bathing it...or it likes salmon!!
The only good cat is an indoor cat and any responsible cat owner will do just that!!! 'nuf said
-
Guest
Thanks to all that responded. I live way out in the boonies of east Texas. We were being over run by coyotes. You could go outside at night and hear them howling just about any night. There weren't many stray cats out here then. Coyotes seem to like the taste of cats. The local ranchers had a coyote hunt (trap or gun) and really thinned out the coyote population. Now we hardly ever hear them howling. Now we are seeing more cats.
-
Doug Martin - PA
- Posts: 1988
- Joined: Thu Mar 25, 2004 10:47 am
- Location: Pennsylvania/Fombell
- Martin Colony History: First pair in 2009 after 28 years of trying. 3 pairs 2010, 17 pairs 2011 and 35-45 pairs since. Many additional colonies are now springing up around mine in an area once completely void of Martins. I offer 50 compartments at my site consisting of primarily Excluder II gourds on Gemini racks. Also a wooden T-14. I utilize electric fence type predator guards on the base of the poles. Supplemental feeding is crucial in maintaining my colony. I platform feed throughout the season as needed. My site tends to be a stop over point for additional birds as they migrate further north.
To an established colony the cat may not pose a threat. To a single pair looking to start a colony it very well may keep them away.
It all depends if they see that particular cat as a threat. Some cats will lie around and are not interested in hunting. Others are the opposite.
Tough enough to pull a female to your site under perfect circumstances.
It all depends if they see that particular cat as a threat. Some cats will lie around and are not interested in hunting. Others are the opposite.
Tough enough to pull a female to your site under perfect circumstances.
Supplemental feeding plays a major role in Western Pennsylvania. Finally got my 1st pair in 2009 after 28 years of effort. The colony has grown quickly to 45 pairs that I care for. Many new colonies have now sprung up around me in the past few years as well. Where there was none.... there is many.