Hint: This week it’s not Catbirds!
IT’S KITTENS!!! Three of them! I’ll bet you never thought you’d find a wild bird supply store owner blogging–and let’s be real, even bragging–about adopting kittens.
Meet the new (indoor) loves in our lives! Left-to-Right: Bob Marley, Stella Blue, Ruby Tuesday
Meet the new loves in our lives: Stella Blue, Bob Marley and Ruby Tuesday. These precious kittens were rescued from the Prince George’s County Animal shelter by Homeward Trails Animal Rescue. If you are even thinking about adding a cat (or dog) to your family please support them and visit their website. This wonderful group rescues animals from high-kill shelters then fosters and adopts out as many as possible.
We hope you’re sighing over the cute photo and clicking over to adopt kittens on the Homeward Trails website. However, if at this point you’re shouting “Have you lost your minds?!!! You own a wild bird supply store!!!!”, yes, we know… we know. But this doesn’t have to be an issue. After all, I’ll bet the majority of you who love your songbirds also have pets. In fact I know this, because I’ve had the pleasure to meet some of them here at the store.
The answer is simple: Cat Indoors, Birds Outdoors. Wild birds and cats just need separate habitats!
Keep your cats indoors, no matter what you think they’re telling you! They’ll be fine. You’re actually extending your beloved cat’s life. According to The American Bird Conservancy’s Campaign for Safer Birds & Cats, the average life expectancy of an outdoor cat is just two to five years while an indoor cat can live for 17 years or more. The math speaks for itself, but if you need how to keep your cat happy indoors, the Humane Society’s All Animals magazine can give you plenty.
Free-roaming cats are bad for birds. ( Therefore, bad for birders and bad for wild bird supply store business.) Hundreds of millions of birds are stalked and killed annually by cats who are allowed to be outdoors. These statistics come from Cats Indoors! The Campaign for Safer Birds & Cats created by The American Bird Conservancy. You can visit their website at www.abcbirds.org. This campaign is fully supported by The Humane Society of the United States and the American Humane Association. Next time you’re in The Backyard Naturalist shopping for your wild bird seed, be sure to ask us for a copy of their pamphlet. Or get an extra one for neighbors who may not be aware of the consequences, not only for the wild bird population, but for the well-being of their cats!
If you know you have free roaming cats visiting your yard, here are a couple of points to consider:
- Nesting birds are particularly vulnerable this time of year to cat stalkers.
- Locate bird feeders away from brushy vegetation that permits cats to hide and gives the birds a chance to flee. Read more on how to protect your songbirds from predators.
- Many cat owners are not aware of the staggering statistics. Give your neighbors a friendly heads up.
Let’s face it, if all cats were the size of tigers, we humans would take this situation more seriously. But for a helpless songbird defending her nest, that cat IS a tiger!
Fortunately for us, the domestic feline is perfectly sized to sleep in our arms, content to share our homes and A-HEM, readily available to adopt. And what a coincidence… It’s currently kitten season. All the shelters and no-kill rescue groups are full! Please help! We did our part! If you don’t like kittens (WHAT??!!!) there are many older cats desperate for a safe haven. The American Humane Association’s ADOPT-A-CAT MONTH® is on, baby! Consult the adoption checklist there to help you get ready.
Stella approves this posting!
As you adopt your new kittens or older cats and bring them home to share your lives, please, please keep them as indoor cats. And of course, please, please spay or neuter your pets.
Debi (on behalf of Mike, Bob, Stella and Ruby)
