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An elderly Black man in a knit cardigan fills a wooden bird feeder full of sparrows while a seal point Birman sits nearby. 12 / 32

Otis Filled the Bird Feeder at Dusk. Mocha Sat Below It, Suspiciously Still.

AI imagebirmanbird feederbackyard garden

String lights are glowing in the dusky garden, and Otis is sprinkling a pinch of seed into a little wooden bird feeder. A crowd of sparrows has already gathered, perched shoulder to shoulder on the tray and pecking away. Just below them, on the railing, sits Mocha. She is perfectly still, back straight, white paws together, blue eyes slanted sideways toward the feeder. It is the stillness of a cat trying very hard to look uninterested. Potted plants, a blue watering can, and the weathered fence frame the scene.

Cats and bird feeders can share a yard, but it takes some planning. Even well-fed, gentle cats keep a strong hunting instinct, and birds at a feeder are a tempting target. Placing feeders high and away from shrubs or ledges where a cat could hide or leap from gives birds a better chance to spot danger. Many bird lovers keep their cats indoors and let them enjoy the feeder through a window, which offers plenty of entertainment safely. If your cat goes outside, supervising her closely or using a secure enclosure protects both the birds and your pet. Mocha's calm Birman temperament helps, but instinct is instinct.

For now, she is behaving like a model citizen, and the sparrows are none the wiser. Otis seems to know exactly what she is thinking, and he is keeping one eye on her just in case.

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