furryfaces
Based on the info you provided about the bird feeder location and your yard, it doesn’t sound possible to move the feeder way from shrubs, so here are some additional ideas as it generally takes multiple methods to be successful:
1. Cover the metal shepherd’s pole with a plastic plumbing tube.
2. Place a conical disc around the sheperd’s pole…cats ‘can’t climb around it.
3. Plant thorny shrubs around the perimeter of where the ground feeding birds feast. 4. Purchase Costco sized black pepper and sprinkle it around the perimeter of where the ground feeding birds feast. After rain, you will have to re-sprinkle
5. Build a Chicken Wire dome, with some structural integrity and secure it over the ground feeding area—the birds will be able to get in, but not the cat.
6. Turn the hose on any stray cats that come into your yard….just don’t spray them in the face as it could cause injury
7. Suggestion for your neighbor: Outdoor cat enclosures are a relatively inexpensive way to give your cat safe access to the outdoors. Cats will have less exposure to disease, fewer opportunities to have accidents (1.5 million cats are killed by autos annually), vet bills are less and the coyotes won’t eat them. I have two enclosures and my cats love them!
By The Way—the biggest killers of birds are:
#1 Us. Human encroachment on the habitat so the migratory songbirds have not place to rest during their migration; our use of toxic pesticides and herbicides which also kills bees, fish and other creatures; storm water runoff. If we spent more time and energy working on how we negatively impact the bird population, we may very well see a resurge in the bird populations.
Good luck and thank you not trapping /killing the cat. Cheers, F3