We have a semi-feral cat that lives outside. It won't even set foot in the house, runs off when I come near it but let's Mrs. Chuck E comb it. She feeds the birds and we had a critter of some sort burrowing under the compost pile until the cat showed up. Now we have a mini eco-system -she feeds the birds, the cat eats the birds and other critters. We have a sharp shinned hawk that comes thru and eats birds also. I just wish the cat would get tough enough to chase off the raccoons that come thru about three times a week. I didn't have cats in the house until I met my wife so I'm invoking the 'barn cat exemption' also.