Blue Tit nest being stalked by cats!!

Arequipa

Hi!
I have put up a birdbox against a wall in my garden.
The attached photo will show the situation: is about 9 feet up.
There i lots of cats in the area & i caught one stalking/ checking out the nest from an adjacent wall.
Any idea how to protect the nest from cats and/or magpies?!
I am trying to scare the cats away!

Thank you

meathstevie

Good old supersoaker watergun. You could also use a cage trap to catch and release the cats. A few short stays in a trap after having experienced the trap slamming closed behind them will quite quickly make puddycat change it's mind without causing long term harm.

Arequipa

Here is the nest: sorry is getting late: so is a bit dark!IMG_2494.jpg

Arequipa

Yea, splashed a glass of water in her direction!
Have a mini brown bin as well in back garden: will remove this for the next few weeks as it attracts them!

Gran Hermano

My concern would be that the cats would use the wire on the wall to climb up.
Could you clip the wire and roll it to the side until the nest is empty?

kapa

Do birds next in your box. I have one like your up on a wall for the past 2 years. Blue tits occasionally have a look in but never nest.

Arequipa

Yea, they appear to be nesting: is only 5/6 feet from my back door!
Good idea re the hose and the wire...
I could remove the wire for a few weeks or bend it back @ its halfway point to stop the cats climbing?!

Thank you!

Half-cocked

If cats are sitting on the ground below the box, sprinkle a little pepper around. They won't sit there again, it burns their backsides!

Arequipa

Ah yes; i hear pepper & chilli powder/flakes does the trick!

planetX

Had a look at your photo and can tell you as a cat owner that no cat could reach that box. Relax and enjoy them:)

Arequipa

Thank u Planet X!

Deer Hunter DL

i find a gun does the trick better for pesky cats that shouldn't be bothering wildlife , cats have a terrible affect on wildlife any cat with out a collar i see on my land gets the bullet .

Half-cocked

Deer Hunter DL wrote: »

i find a gun does the trick better for pesky cats that shouldn't be bothering wildlife , cats have a terrible affect on wildlife any cat with out a collar i see on my land gets the bullet .

True, and fine when you are out in the countryside, but illegal and dangerous in a built up area. I shot a couple of feral cats bothering a sand marten colony down on a freinds farm but its not an option in suburbia. Supersoakers and pepper are the way to go!

Deer Hunter DL

Half-cocked wrote: »

True, and fine when you are out in the countryside, but illegal and dangerous in a built up area. I shot a couple of feral cats bothering a sand marten colony down on a freinds farm but its not an option in suburbia. Supersoakers and pepper are the way to go!

Oh well thats true yea different story in built up area , garden centers do a few different things for to keep cats out of flower beds and that , not sure what it is but i have heard it is a good job