# Birdwatching, Fun or Frustrating?



## shlanon (Oct 16, 2003)

What do you guys think? We put up a bird feeder on our balcony and now the cats are fixated on watching birds. They chatter a lot.
Is this fun for them at all? Or is it just frustrating since they can't catch the birds? Will this increase the chances of them trying to get outside, since they want to bird hunt?
Anyone else have a birdfeeder up so that their cats can watch birds?


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## Mittoonces (Jun 23, 2004)

I just made a post about bird feeding. I have two cats that spend most of their time looking out the window, and they watch the birds on the deck. They seem to enjoy it and have never really tried to get outside. They get really upset when they see cats outside, though.


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## Misery (Oct 18, 2004)

I love to feed the birds. My cat is pretty used to it and doesn't get worked up at all now. It helps to sometimes put the feeder a little ways out from the house so they aren't real close.


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## spacemonkey (Aug 12, 2004)

I think it's fun for them. If you have Da Bird, and can use that to play with, then at least they'll get some of that hunting instinct out :twisted: :lol: 

But I figure my kittens like to watch TV and the computer screen, so at the very least, bird watching is easier on their eyes :roll:


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## Kittys Mom (May 7, 2004)

shlanon said:


> Or is it just frustrating since they can't catch the birds?


I have three birdfeeders at three different windows...all for the cats. I hate the birdfeeders; the weeds from the seeds, the bird poop, constantly refilling them. But my cats love them, so I keep them!  

I don't think they frustrate them at all. They never seem upset that they can't get out there. In fact, Thomas is determined to kill the birds from inside the house. The birdfeeders are really close to the windows and Thomas will stalk close to the window and, at exactly the right moment, bound onto the couch in front of the window and pound on the window with his paws. I'm pretty sure at least one of the birds has had a mild heart attack. I know it's given me one.


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## Tonkmom64 (Oct 2, 2004)

> I'm pretty sure at least one of the birds has had a mild heart attack.


LOL! Now I want to set one up


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## Gudewife (Jun 27, 2004)

Assumpta isn't much for birdwatching. She really likes watching squirrels and chipmunks, though (the woods are pretty dense around our house, so we see more furs than feathers here). She was very proud the morning she woke us up to let us know that there was a moose outside the bedroom window (with this look on her face like "yeah, I could take that down, just open the window!"). She likes watching deer, too. She hates the sound of the coyotes, though, is afraid of bears and fisher cats (and she _loathes_ the wound of owls), and wants to fight the neighbors' collies whenever they wander by, so not all furry critters are created equal.

The other day, a lost chicken from the farm down the road wandered through the yard, so I took her to the window, babbling like a moron "Look! A chicken! Look at the chicken, Assumpta." :roll: She just looked at me like I was nuts, gazed at the chicken for a while to shut me up, and sauntered off to take a nap.


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## Kittys Mom (May 7, 2004)

Gudewife said:


> The other day, a lost chicken from the farm down the road wandered through the yard, so I took her to the window, babbling like a moron "Look! A chicken! Look at the chicken, Assumpta."


Ha! I know exactly what you mean! I will grab Kitty and try to sneak up to the window, without scaring the birds, all the while say, "Look Kitty, Birdies, Birdies" She's usually too busy trying to figure out why I picked her up to even notice the birds. And I definately feel lame while I am doing it.


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## DesnBaby (Apr 18, 2004)

Baby loves those birdies! :lol: We got a feeder in the back for her & she'll sometimes make noises at the birds like a dog barking. She paws to the window for us to open it & then she'll listen to them.


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