The anti-magpie lobby is hard at it again. They devastate our garden birds you are told. In fact, most damage is done to the birds by your friendly cat. Perhaps especially the so-called wild cats, often most handsome beasts with long silky fur and appealing white bibs. So gather together the scraps of fish from the lunch and steep some crusts in milk and put it out each night. Now and then the thought occurs that these same moggys have their rounds to make. Neighbours comparing notes in a Dublin suburb recently found that each was feeding what seemed to be the same tigerish beast, under the impression that it was living wild and in danger of starvation.
In two neighbouring suburban gardens, nesting blackbirds have been terrorised by these same animals, or their relatives. In one, a pair of blackbirds built three nests one after another. The first was vandalised before finished, the second was abandoned before the hen sat on it and the third had the same fate. Next door, a nest was built, the young came out and, not long after, they had been destroyed, not a bone left. Cats, not magpies. They were seen lurking around. What's the answer? There is a pepper substance you can, buy in garden centres, allegedly efficient in keeping not only cats away but also unwanted dogs. It is called Pepper Dust. It is being tried this year - if a nest can be found. One, started in a huge climbing jasmine, was abandoned as too frail to hold a loaded nest. A blackbird is occasionally seen diving about between the two houses, but the neighbours dare not explore farther in case they leave a trail for cats to follow. As to that machine which claimed to emit a mysterious sound on a wave length which repelled cats, well, maybe it has worn out. After some success, which kept the cats on top of the wall, they are now so easy in their mind about it, or so scornful, that, the owner claims, perhaps with exasperated overstatement, they deliberately excrete in front of it. Never mind the magpies. The cats are the danger. As to the Pepper Dust, it carries warnings. "Wash hands after use ... Store in original container tightly closed in a safe place. etc." What happens if your own dog ingests it?, Problems. Problems.