Michael's Squirrel-Proof Cat Bird Feeder
Michael's Squirrel-Proof Cat Bird Feeder
🐝 Gives wild bees a safe nesting home
🌸 3× more pollination than honeybees
🪵 Solid, untreated cedar — built to last
☔ Copper roof keeps tunnels dry
🌿 Chemical-free, natural materials only
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Michael's Squirrel-Proof Cat Bird Feeder
Built in a garage in the Blue Ridge Mountains
Michael Brennan, 73, bent sheet metal in Hendersonville, North Carolina for 42 years. After eleven winters of losing to the squirrels, he built a feeder they slide right off. This is his last batch.
“They land on the roof, the roof tips, they slide right off. They try it three, four times. Then they go eat acorns, like squirrels are supposed to. And the cardinals finally get their breakfast.”
Michael Brennan · Hendersonville, North Carolina
What comes in the box
Copper-finish cone roof on a steel cable, height adjustable
Metal mesh seed basket, holds about 2 lb
Round perch tray with four water cups
Sturdy S-hook for a branch, post or shepherd’s hook
Six things a roofer solved that a store feeder never did
The 7.4-inch roof hangs loose on a steel cable. When a squirrel jumps on, it tips and the squirrel slides off before it can grab hold. After a few tries, most give up for good.
Set the gap between roof and basket yourself, so a squirrel hanging from the roof edge cannot reach the seed.
Named after the cat who watched the cardinals from Michael’s kitchen window for sixteen years. The birds pick seeds out one by one, so nothing gets dumped. A full basket lasts about a week.
The tray runs all the way around with a ring to sit on. Cardinals, chickadees and finches eat side by side instead of fighting over one perch.
Four small cups hold fresh water. In January, when every puddle is frozen, water matters as much as seed.
Four drain holes let the rain run out, so the seed in the tray stays dry and does not turn moldy.
“Winter is when backyard feeders matter most. Small songbirds have only a few hours of daylight to eat enough for a long cold night, and a feeder that is empty by mid-morning does very little for them. A baffle above the feeder, hung well away from branches, is still the most reliable way to keep squirrels off. Add a source of open water in freezing weather, and you have covered the two things birds struggle to find most in January.”
Dr. Carla Whitaker · Wildlife biologist, 19 years · Western North Carolina
Where people hang them
Why it holds up
- All metal. No plastic tube for a squirrel to chew through, no plastic parts to crack in the cold.
- Copper-colored finish. Weather-resistant coating that keeps its warm color through rain and snow.
- Easy to fill. Lift off the cat head, pour in the seed, put it back. About a minute.
- Easy to clean. Rinse with water and a brush, or wipe with a wet cloth.
- Made for the whole year. Seed and water in winter, water and fruit bits in summer.
If it is not right for your yard, one email to info@cedarandtinco.com is enough. No forms, no questions — Michael would rather have it back than have it sit in a garage.
How to hang it so it works. The roof protects from above, so hang the feeder freely, about 6 feet away from branches, fences, railings and roofs. Squirrels can jump about 5 feet sideways. Give them nothing to jump from, and the roof does the rest. The mesh suits sunflower seeds, peanuts, safflower and mixed seed; very fine seed like nyjer will fall through.
Product details
| Set contents | 1 feeder with tip-roof, cat-head seed basket, perch tray with 4 water cups, steel cable and S-hook |
| Material | Iron with weather-resistant copper-colored finish |
| Size | Approx. 7.4 x 7.4 x 7.8 in (19 x 19 x 20 cm) |
| Roof diameter | Approx. 7.4 in (19 cm) |
| Tray diameter | Approx. 6.1 in (15.5 cm) |
| Seed capacity | Up to approx. 2 lb (0.9 kg) |
| Suitable seed | Sunflower (black oil), peanuts, safflower, mixed seed |
| Hanging | Steel cable + S-hook; branch, post, bracket or shepherd’s hook |
| Care | Rinse with water and a brush; let dry before refilling |
| Made by | Michael Brennan, Hendersonville, North Carolina — final batch, 312 remaining |
| Sold so far | More than 900 since 2025 — first to neighbors and church friends, then online |
