# Bird or cat calls?



## Marmoset (Feb 18, 2014)

Since I've moved into my new house about two months ago I've met our local outdoor cats. I never see them at night- I think they are owned and assume their people bring them in at night- but occasionally I hear mewling close to the house outside. Of course when I go to look for them I don't see them. I don't even see fresh paw prints in the snow. Is it possible that it is an owl or some other bird calling at night? 

The last two places I lived had mockingbirds that would sing all night. I'm really hoping it is not one of them. I doubt it since those guys do not stop calling and this mewling is once or twice a night and then quiet.

Since I'm new to this property I worry a lot about these cats that are let outside on our very busy street and until I know they are all owned by someone- fed, fixed and vetted- I'm just going to be paranoid about their welfare. As long as I hear the mewling I'm going to run outside and investigate just in case but if it's a bird I'm just going to kick up the tv another notch and ignore it.


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## deanna79 (Aug 13, 2014)

Try trapping one. If it hiss its feral. Before I started the trapping I would hear meowing at night alot. After TNR 14 ferals I haven't heard anything. Now just dogs barking and I know they're coming home to eat. Plus some owners are irresponsible and dont neuter or spay their pets and you hear the fighting or meowing when its mating season. even if the cats are not ferals if the vet are in the TNR program they will fix the cat. So it doesn't hurt to trap the cat and bring to the vet to have it fixed. With TNR the cost could be free or $10-$25 depending where you live.


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## spirite (Jul 31, 2012)

Marmoset, I don't know, but I'm so glad I'm not the only one who stresses about this. When I was outside late at night feeding the stray last September, I heard what I could have sworn was a cat mewing. After that, I heard it a few more times. It was a little mew, then quiet for a few minutes, then another mew. I went around trying to figure out where it was coming from and trying to lure out the kitty. When I called softly, the mewing would stop. Then I'd hear it again. One time, it seemed to be coming from the ivy-covered ground just past my property in the neighbor's yard. But it was about 2 am, and I couldn't really go tromping on his land. Another time, it seemed to be coming from across the street. The stray didn't react to it at all, but then again, she was so emaciated and weak that she didn't react to much of anything other than food. And since she had shown up in that state, I was really worried that there were more kitties somewhere who were too weak to move. I never saw any kitties, though I did hear the mewing a few times after the kitty was no longer outside. I haven't heard anything in the past couple of months, so I'm hoping that it was maybe a baby bird. 

But I'd love to know for sure.


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