DEAR JOAN: When we first hung our bird feeder in an elderberry last fall, it took a couple weeks before a couple birds found it. Now it is swarmed with birds from dawn to dusk. We seem to be attracting everything but vultures, hummingbirds and crows.

I would say at peak time there may be 40 birds on the feeder, hanging around on the elderberry or walking around kicking up husks.

My wife is diligent about refilling it and keeping it clean, but I am wondering whether it might actually be better for the birds if we occasionally let it run out for a day or so.

As a side note, the feral cats that have been plaguing us seem to be giving our yard a wide berth these days. Could the size of the flock be intimidating them?

Lance, San Jose

DEAR LANCE: I don’t really see a benefit for the birds of skipping a day or two, but it certainly won’t hurt them. Over time, you might lose some regular visitors as they look for a more regular food supply.

When you first start feeding, it’s important to keep the feeder full to attract the birds, but once they know where the food is, you can let the feeder go empty for a day or so without risking all the birds abandoning you.

Birds never know where their next meal will be coming from, so they tend to eat as much as they can, for as long as they can. This gets expensive for the person buying the bird food.

If you want to conserve the food but keep the birds coming, try filling a small feeder at dawn (or the night before). Birds usually start eating first thing. Once the feeder is empty, don’t refill it until the next day. The birds will move on to find food elsewhere, but they’ll be back at your house the next morning. You also can try bird seed blocks, which tend to last longer.

I’m not sure what’s keeping the cats at bay. Some of the larger birds will dive bomb the cats and chase them away, but hungry cats are hard to discourage for long.

DEAR JOAN: One of my indoor cat’s ears get extremely dirty, and the vet said it isn’t ear mites. I know not to use Q-tips but it is bothering him terribly. What can I do?

Claudia Pharaoh, Sevierville, Tennessee

DEAR CLAUDIA: Ask your vet for a recommendation for a cleaning solution. Using something that isn’t good for your cat’s ears can lead to deafness or balance issues.

The best cleaning tool is gauze squares, which you can find in any pharmacy.

Gently swaddle your cat in a towel and make a purrito — tight enough to keep him secure, but not so tight that he freaks out over the burrito-style restraint.

Sit in a comfortable position and hold your cat in your lap. Take the tip of the ear, gently pull it back and flood the ear with the solution. Use the gauze to clean the ear and then tilt your cat’s head to drain out the cleaning solution, if he hasn’t already shaken his head and sent any flying.

Next, use a clean, dry piece of gauze to gently dry the ear, reward him with some treats and move on to the other ear. Don’t expect everything to go perfectly the first time, but you’ll both get good at it the more you do it, and he should feel better with clean ears.

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