Alison

From Birds, the Summer 2003 magazine.


*Although there is no evidence to suggest that domestic cats cause a
conservation threat to wildlife in the UK , cats do kill large numbers
of birds and other animals every year, many people contact the RSPB
for advice on how to reduce the impact of cats on wildlife in their
gardens. We have tested commercial products so that we can offer
better advice.

With the help of volunteers and their cats , we ran trials in winter
and spring/summer to test two types of device. Winter trials with
ultrasonic devices showed that fewer cats were seen in gardens with
ultrasonic devices. Cats seem to learn to stay away from gardens with
such a device. The device had no effect on squirrels and magpies, the
two other species that we asked volunteers to record.we are now
working with the manufacturer to design and trial an improved unit.

Summer trials indicated that devices on collars reduce cat kills , in
some cases by up to 53%. The trials ran during the breeding season
and tested whether bell collars and 'sonic' collars reduced the cat
kills. The 150 cats brought in more thyan 150 species, including
mammels , birds, amphibians, reptiles , insects, and fish. The field
vole was the most commonly caught. Fitting a bell to a collar reduces
its kill rate by 35% and a sonic collar reduces that rate by an
average of 44%.

The RSPCA and FAB , who confirmed before starting that cat welfare
was not jeopodised, approved all the devices. *

--
Alison

Photos of dogs needing homes and links to Rescues.
http://mysite.freeserve.com/AnimalRescueLinksUK

Links to animal information websites
http://mysite.freeserve.com/petinfolinks

James

Alison <alison22@xxxbtinternet.com> wrote on Thu, 17 Jul 2003:
>
>From Birds, the Summer 2003 magazine.
>
>
>*Although there is no evidence to suggest that domestic cats cause a
>conservation threat to wildlife in the UK , cats do kill large numbers
>of birds and other animals every year, many people contact the RSPB
>for advice on how to reduce the impact of cats on wildlife in their
>gardens. We have tested commercial products so that we can offer
>better advice.
>
>With the help of volunteers and their cats , we ran trials in winter
>and spring/summer to test two types of device. Winter trials with
>ultrasonic devices showed that fewer cats were seen in gardens with
>ultrasonic devices. Cats seem to learn to stay away from gardens with
>such a device. The device had no effect on squirrels and magpies, the
>two other species that we asked volunteers to record.we are now
>working with the manufacturer to design and trial an improved unit.
>
>Summer trials indicated that devices on collars reduce cat kills , in
>some cases by up to 53%. The trials ran during the breeding season
>and tested whether bell collars and 'sonic' collars reduced the cat
>kills. The 150 cats brought in more thyan 150 species, including
>mammels , birds, amphibians, reptiles , insects, and fish. The field
>vole was the most commonly caught. Fitting a bell to a collar reduces
>its kill rate by 35% and a sonic collar reduces that rate by an
>average of 44%.
>
>The RSPCA and FAB , who confirmed before starting that cat welfare
>was not jeopodised, approved all the devices. *
>
This is very interesting. I guess "Birds" is the RSPB magazine.
(Incidentally, I heard this morning that they have more members than any
other charity in the UK - please someone correct me if that's wrong).

A few questions: how do these sonic gadgets work (battery?)?, how heavy
are they when fitted to a collar? and roughly how much do they cost?
Are they on the market? Where do you get them from? Website to visit?
--
James

Alison

"James" <candlewick@nospam.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
news:E1J+4wCGLrF$Ew$O@skyscape.demon.co.uk...
>> A few questions: how do these sonic gadgets work (battery?)?, how
heavy
> are they when fitted to a collar? and roughly how much do they cost?
> Are they on the market? Where do you get them from? Website to
visit?
> --
> James

Hi James,
I dont know exactly what the gadgets are . They didn't say ! The
magazine is the RSPB one . It also has a very interesting long article
about the disappearence of sparrows from London . They're still not
plentiful.
I was in St James Park and Picadilly area a couple of months ago and
I didn't see one sparrow. It was eerie .
Alison

Jeanette

Alison <alison22@xxxbtinternet.com> wrote in message
news:bf7ah2$nuk$2@titan.btinternet.com...
> "James" <candlewick@nospam.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:E1J+4wCGLrF$Ew$O@skyscape.demon.co.uk...
> >> A few questions: how do these sonic gadgets work (battery?)?, how
> heavy
> > are they when fitted to a collar? and roughly how much do they cost?
> > Are they on the market? Where do you get them from? Website to
> visit?
> > --
> > James
>
> Hi James,
> I dont know exactly what the gadgets are . They didn't say ! The
> magazine is the RSPB one . It also has a very interesting long article
> about the disappearence of sparrows from London . They're still not
> plentiful.
> I was in St James Park and Picadilly area a couple of months ago and
> I didn't see one sparrow. It was eerie .
> Alison
>
As there is no shortage of sparrows on the estate I live on in Lancashire,
which boasts a population of at least one cat per household, I doubt it's
the cats that are causing the problem.

Jeanette

James

Alison <alison22@xxxbtinternet.com> wrote on Thu, 17 Jul 2003:
> I was in St James Park and Picadilly area a couple of months ago and
>I didn't see one sparrow. It was eerie .

That surprises me. I live in one of the most densely populated boroughs
in London and they're all around now - though not as many as a few years
ago. Perhaps they just don't like the posh part of town or maybe that
horrid cannibal pelican is swallowing them by the dozen :-(
--
James