I'm a cat lover but I'm still protecting visiting birds from them with these simple and safe changes to our garden – just as David Attenborough recommends in his new series

I'll always follow pretty much anything David Attenborough does and says, so when I heard his new series Secret Garden starts tonight 5th April 2026, at 6 pm EST on BBC One, it immediately caught my attention. The series, which features five different UK gardens and helps celebrate his 100th birthday, is bound to get people talking because it feels far closer to home than his usual epics.

What I found out is that he highlights a stat that's hard to ignore. He says that pet cats are estimated to kill around 55 million birds a year in the UK. And while he's careful not to villainise them, he does suggest simple measures that could help reduce their hunting success, which might make some cat owners a little on the fence.

I own cats myself, and it immediately made me think about my own garden, because while I've spent a great deal of time putting up lots of cute little feeders and bird boxes after reading the things people who attract lots of birds to their garden have, creating what felt like a safe haven, I know the reality was a little different.

After finding feathers scattered by our deck, it became clear we'd accidentally made things far too easy for visiting cats. Since then, we've completely rethought our set-up, moving feeders higher and further from launch points, and switching to enclosed bird feeder designs, all in a bid to ensure the birds we've welcomed in aren't put in harm's way.

Every garden has its regulars, and ours happen to be two particularly bold and frankly smug neighbourhood cats: Merlina and Winnie. They stroll around like they own the joint while our cats sit behind the glass doors, watching in what I can only describe as pure outrage. And I can't quite blame our feline visitors, as unbeknownst to us, we'd basically created a veritable five-star bird buffet.

I thought I'd set up an idyllic spot for birds, but one morning recently, I was out on the deck and discovered feathers scattered on the ground. It didn't feel very idyllic anymore, and I felt guilty thinking we'd set up a bird trap without realising.

Although I enjoy cats visiting and don't have a problem with them acting on their natural hunting instincts or even pooping in my garden, if we were intentionally inviting birds in, I couldn't keep topping up feeders knowing we might be putting them at risk of a mauling.

So, here's what we've done in our garden to protect birds from our garden's cat fan club.

1. Raising feeders and nesting boxes well off the ground

In short, we moved everything bird-related higher, and I was pleased to know that David Attenborough recommends doing just that in the show.

And I mean, properly elevated so birds now have space to perch and scan for danger, rather than hopping around nearer ground level, where they're most vulnerable to an attack.

2. Positioning feeders away from launch points

We all know cats are clever and savvy hunters to boot. They use fences, decking, planters and basically anything that could be used as a springboard.

We've made sure our feeders are well clear of these, so there's no easy leap and pounce moments.

3. Switching to squirrel-proof feeders

Originally, I bought a squirrel-proof feeder, like this Supa caged fat ball feeder, £5.99 at Amazon, to, well, deter squirrels from pinching intact fat balls from our feeders, but they've had a brilliant knock-on effect.

The cage allows smaller birds in, but makes it much harder for anything larger, or even lurking paws, to get involved while birds are having a munch.

Shop squirrel-proof (and cat-proof) feeders

4. Creating safer cover (not hiding spots for cats)

Dense shrubs nearby give birds somewhere to escape to, but we've avoided placing feeders right next to them, so they don't double as ambush points from the furry hunters.

What else can you do?

While we've made a few simple changes to our own set-up, there are a few extra steps worth considering, especially if the culprit happens to be your own cat.

• Add a bell to your cat's collar (if they have one): As David Attenborough points out, something as simple as a bell can give birds a crucial warning and reduce the chances of a successful ambush.
• Install a baffle on a bird feeder or bath pole: If you have a standalone feeder or bath, a baffle (a dome or cone-shaped guard), like this metal wraparound baffle that should blend with any garden aesthetic, £18.99 at Garden Wildlife Direct, can stop cats climbing the pole and reaching for feeding birds.
• Bring cats in at key times: Birds are most active at dawn and dusk, which conveniently also happens to be prime hunting time for cats. It might be worth keeping your cat indoors during these periods.

Shop baffles for feeders and baths

So there you have it! None of this is about blaming cats because they are only doing what comes naturally (and I, for one, am a huge cat lover who believes they should be able to roam freely), but if we're inviting birds into our gardens with the promise of food, water and shelter, it only feels right to give them the best chance of staying safe once they arrive.

And David Attenborough feels the same way in his new series...