Tuesday 7 July 2015

PART IV: Cats as killers –the debate rages on

curious Daisy
I've been reading all of these studies, and listening to the cat haters (people who feed birds, while cats kill birds at their feeders). I've had to leave two purported 'bird lover' groups. They began cat-bashing and cat-hating rants. They cite the faulty studies (they lack reliability and validity- there are too many variables). I don't deny my cats kill, but mostly rodents, and mostly in spring. Daisy can climb a tree and act like a bird, but they spot her right away!

Red, my wise blog buddy, said it:
This is one of those situations where there is no middle ground. It's either one or the other ,when in reality it's somewhere in the middle. 

Cats are killers but their owners deny it, Exeter University survey reveals

The latest is a UK study in which they conduct an opinion poll, to determine if cat owners believe their cats kill critters. As I say, too many variables between age of cats, gender, overweight cats, and proclivity towards hunting.

Yesterday, Annie and Dorah found a young deermouse and cornered it in the kitchen. We have a few about the house. Somehow, they climb down the bricks from the attic and get into trouble. We're due for a bat, too. They get hot at night, and come down the chimney in the dawn, to sleep. That was an adventure!

Bats in my belfry? Nope. Bedroom - just 1 bat
Bat in my bedroom part 2 - the rescue –I took some Twitter advice on this one!

Back to the mouse

The field  mice jump up and bite at their noses. Dorah had a bite mark once! They grab the mice, bring them into the kitchen, and watch them run around the outside lip of the cat food tray. These silly bums, I had to capture it with the butterfly net. It works well, with a medium-sized handle, I can grab the mice.
Dorah inspects, looks at Annie, then she walked away, giving up.


OK. Dumb idea. I thought I'd put mousie out on the Hops bine, and she could wend her way down the vines. (It's a BINE, as it grows, dies, and regrows next year!)
The hops wasn't even up to the railing May 31st. July, it's grown considerably.
Minion, Issy, playing in the sandbox.



She was quite scared and would not budge. This was not a good place for her. I picked her up and carried her down onto the lawn. She began crawling up my arm. Cutest little toes!



Daisy came out to help. She went up the tree, inspected Guinevere, the dragon. She loves trees!


I had NO help installing a new gate handle. The old one was quite rusty. Yay, Lee Valley Tools! Daisy was too tired to even inspect my work.


Dorah, having done her job, spent the rest of the day on the couch. 

Annie was a great help, weeding and watering the garden. Moral support, but support, indeed.
The Trailcam has been noticeably unproductive with critters. All I managed to score was a fat, middle-aged woman on a lawn tractor, which needs some repairs. Sigh. We're all getting old and rusty!
Our backyard

4 comments:

Nancy J said...

Haha!!! You are so brave to catch the wee mouse, far more so to have it on your arm... I have a fear, a huge fear of them, since I was a child and when feeding the chooks, would have them in the tin drum of wheat. Early reply?? I was up watching the last set between Djokovic
and Anderson. Now 1.32 a.m. maybe some sleep. Lovely pic of lawn mowing, Hugh hasn't trusted me with the ride on mower yet!!! Take care in warm weather, hat, ear muffs and cold juice.

William Kendall said...

The little mouse is a cute critter, but he definitely belongs outside!

Yamini MacLean said...

Hari OM
what a little cutie - the deer mouse looks closer to a vole-like critter... good rescuing ma'am!

Out of botanical interest, what defines a bine versus a vine is the method of attachment (both die back and regrow)... bines actually 'bind' themselves with their growing stem whilst vines tie themselves on with tendrils. This is a nice article on it. Do you get hops that you can use? (I am thinking of hop pillow filling, like lavender, for aiding sleep!) Huggies for a very very very damp Scotland...sigh... YAM xx

Kay said...

That is the cutest little mouse. I just always wish they would stay outdoors.