A perennial question for a cat owner and bird lover is "I love feeding wild birds but how can I make sure my cats won't hunt them?" One veterinarian advises to lock your cat inside the home while you feed the birds. Not great because once cats are used to using the cat flap, they become confused when it is suddenly and inexplicably locked. They might even harm themselves trying to force their way through it and damage the device. Image: MikeB Perhaps the best way to do it is to feed the birds when your cat is almost guaranteed to be asleep and/or have a bird feeder which cannot be accessed by a domestic cat. Asleep The question is based on the fact that we are discussing indoor/outdoor cats with cat flap access. These cats, being crepuscular and night-time hunters are going to be tired and sleepy in the middle of the day or whatever their personal body clock dictates. Their owner will know of these moments as cats are creatures of habit.  That's probably the best time...