OkcPets Magazine September 2023

September / October 2023 • OKC Pets 33 enclosed area, and opening windows and allowing the cat to sit in front of a screen. Bells on collars do not seem to be effective; cat bibs might be a bit better. But nothing is better than keeping cats indoors. For cats that have been are dumped or are unowned, get them to a shelter so they can be rehomed to appropriate, responsible owners. The best solution with feral cats is a neuter/spay program. Provide Water and Food During migration season, offer water for birds. That can be as simple as putting out a birdbath or shallow dish of water. Mov- ing water seems to be especially attractive to wildlife, and you can purchase misters to add to birdbaths or dishes. That will attract many birds for bathing, includ- ing hummingbirds, which love the mist. Water-garden ponds and streams are also attractive to birds, squirrels, frogs, turtles, and other wildlife. Butterflies will appreci- ate shallow puddling areas. Provide food for birds too. Keep hum- mingbird feeders filled with nectar and bird feeders filled with a diversity of seeds and other nut and berry mixtures to pro- vide nutritional support. Better than bird feeders, however, is planting beneficial and native grasses, flowers, plants, shrubs, and trees. These provide everything that birds, insects, and other animals need. Planning and expense are required in creating a landscape that is friendly to birds, pollinators, and wildlife, but it generally requires little maintenance and water because the plants are native or are suited to the Oklahoma climate. Hummingbirds are attracted to coral honeysuckle, salvia, verbena, red buck- eye, Indian paintbrush, phlox, monarda, mimosa, and pineapple sage. Robins, cedar waxwings, thrushes, bluebirds, woodpeckers, and northern mockingbirds (and opossums, raccoons, rodents, foxes, and deer) will be attracted to fruit-bearing trees and shrubs such as beautyberry, Mexican plum, sand plum, pawpaw, red mulberry, blackberry, black cherry, pokeweed, sumac, viburnum, prai- rie crabapple, pecan, and persimmon. Advocate for Birds With the cumulative loss of 5 billion birds in the past 50 years, birds need help. You can help birds by speaking up for them. Inform neighbors, city councils, county officials, and local chambers of com- merce about the effects of light pollution and window strikes. Start a “Lights out for migratory birds” campaign in your community. Work with other animal advocates to mitigate the effects of cats on birds. And make a plan to plant more beneficial plants, shrubs, and trees in your yard, neighborhood, and parks to support birds during migration season and wildlife throughout the year. This little tyke is the first baby black-bellied whistling duck ever brought toWildCare Oklahoma.
 Photo courtesy of Inger Giuffrida, execu- tive director, WildCare Oklahoma. Want to have OKC Pets Magazine delivered to your door? Subscriptions are $27/year and we take checks, credit cards, and payment via PayPal. Contact us at (918) 520-0611 to subscribe. TWO DOGS DIVERGED FEMALE VETERAN OWNED REACTIVITY & PREVENTION Clarity, Consistency and Communication as a team. www.twodogsdiverged.com • 805-758-1878 twodogsdivergedbehavior@gmail.com