How can I prevent my cat from chasing birds?

If your cat chases songbirds, he probably learned very early in life that birds are appropriate prey. Kittens learn to stalk and kill prey from their mothers. Chances are, the behavior is probably fixed in your cat for life. You can try putting bells on his collar to scare the birds away, but cats tend to be very slow when they stalk, so it’s unlikely the bells will make any sound at all.

Don’t cut your cat’s whiskers either! Some people think this helps prevent a cat from catching birds because it makes them misjudge where to bite their prey. But cutting a cat’s whiskers is not good for his welfare. So the best solution – and the safest one for your cat – is to simply keep your pet indoors.

– Dr. Larry McDaniel, DVM for the “Purina® Animal Instincts” Podcast Series

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