If you are a regular reader, you know we talk about this issue from time to time. It seems that this winter, we have really received a lot of call about cats. I am a firm believer in keeping cats indoors. There isn't enough space here to go into details but let’s just say it is better for the cats and far better for birds. If you have a free roaming cat, I encourage you to talk to the owner or call animal control. In most municipalities there are leash laws that apply to cats (though rarely enforced). In the meantime, to protect the birds at your feeders, it is best to keep as much seed off of the ground as possible. Use trays and bird seed blocks. While we generally recommend keeping your feeders close to cover so birds can quickly fly to safety, these areas usually help cats to ambush birds.