"Disarming Cats"

In the free Audubon magazine (Jan/Feb 2008) I picked up at Wild Birds Unlimited there is an article about research into methods of deterring domestic cats from killing wild birds. The method being discussed? Placing a baby bib around the cat's neck. Apparently the studies show that "fastening bibs to kitty collars can reduce the number of birds [cats] kill by up to 72 percent. Researchers suspect that like a warning flag, the brightly colored neoprene bibs alert potential prey to the presence of an otherwise stealthy cat." Obviously keeping cats inside is the only way to reduce bird kills by 100%. Still, I think it'd be pretty hilarious to see a cat randomly stalking through the woods with a hot pink neoprene bib around its neck!

In the same issue there is an article about Sam the Seagull from Aberdeen, Scotland. He sneaks into a newsstand, after the door is open and the coast is clear. Once in the store he grabs a bag of Chili Heatwave Doritos, walks out the door, rips open the bag and enjoys a snack. Apparently he only steals this flavor. One employee speculates that its because of the color. I think he knows what he's getting, birds are smart. As funny as this is, it is rather unhealthy. Here's a YouTube video of him: