Animals Around Norwich

Animals around Norwich

As you all know, Norwich is a more countryside kind of place and naturally, there would be lots of wildlife around. They can be really friendly and they might just make your day.

Cats (Meow!)

I’m not completely sure about your individual areas but there are many of these feline buddies around my area. Some of them gets really affectionate and comes over for a quick pat but there are a few which are really timid and would bolt once you enter their personal space. That is completely normal, it does NOT mean that you are not lovable.

If you do have a cat that comes to you frequently, check if they are owned before feeding them because you might not be helping if you are feeding them the wrong food. If they aren’t owned, you can start by laying out a bowl of water and some dry kibble separately (Cats do not like it if you place their food and water together, it would appear like an ambush to them and they won’t consume it) and gradually you would find them meowing at your door regularly during the day.

Within weeks, you would have a furry buddy who would be always waiting for you to get home from school!

This is McKenzie, she was a stray that came into our backyard and ever since we fed her and played with her, she no longer wants to leave! Her favourite past time is sleeping and she loves to do it on our hammock in the backyard.

After McKenzie, I wanted to adopt a cat to really make a difference and along comes Pixie! He is 5 months old as of now and is extremely adorable and really affectionate to whoever that gets close to him. If you are curious about the mismatch in name and gender, that is because when I got him, I was told that he was a she but when I brought him to the vet for a check-up, the vet surprised me by telling me she was a he and even showed the ‘evidence’. However, he has already imprinted on the name so I didn’t want to confuse him by changing it and voila! 

Hedgehogs

You might not have seen these little balls of spikes but they are definitely out there! I’ve had 2 of these little creatures scurrying in my backyard in the night. I was in my room and heard rustlings in the yard but because McKenzie was already in the house so I knew it wasn’t her. Bringing a spotlight and the broom (I was scared…), I went looking around the backyard for the origins of the noise. Then I saw it, the little hedgehog that was stealing the cat food! Poor thing, it must be famished! So I placed a box with snacks and water near it to provide some food and shelter for the little guy.

The best thing you can do for a wild hedgehog is to provide a warm box and some food for them and leave them to be because they get really scared easily and might never come back. It’s best not to touch them in the beginning because at any hint of a threat, they would curl up and not move a muscle. Let them be and if they feel comfortable, they might just come back for a second visit!

This is the little hedgehog that paid me a visit late at night. I didn't manage to get a nice photo because he was scared and refused to uncurl.

Rabbits

If you are an UEA student, you must have seen one of these furry things hopping across patches of green. They are everywhere and especially during dawn and dusk, colonies of rabbits can be seen feeding and just being playful. They are best left alone because they are not exactly stranger friendly. Regardless, it’s probably next to impossible to catch one of these little buggers because they are really quick.

You can throw small pieces of carrots or vegetables in their direction (Be careful not to hit them!) to feed them. As there are fences and some man-made structures in UEA near nests of rabbits, if you see them stuck or tangled, do help them out by freeing them gently!

This is a shot uploaded by the UEA Rabbits Twitter account and it truly reflects the amount of bunnies we have in our campus. 

Squirrels

They are cute and extremely fast. You will see them hopping around from tree to tree or on the ground, foraging for food. It's almost impossible to get a closer look at them because as soon as you are a tiny bit too close, they bolt off and climbs on to the first tree they find. 

Birds

This applies more towards summer but during the winter, there are birds flying about too. There are small birds that are usually palm sized and you will not see them often unless it’s time for them to eat.

You could make your very own birdfeeder and hang it outside your window to attract them! It’s not difficult to make and you can learn it right here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/radiofoyle/breathingplaces/bird_feeder.pdf (BBC). If you have a cat, it would be an excellent form of entertainment for your cat if they get to see wild birds using the feeder! However, do remember to close the windows, if not those lovely birds might just end up as a snack for your cat!

Seagulls

Norwich is relatively near to the coast so seagulls are not a rare sight. Occasionally you will hear seagull calls randomly during the day. If you do see them flying close to the ground or just walking around and not flying, it usually means that it is going to rain and it’s best to get under a shelter soon!

They do not require any particular care because they are pretty independent but if you do want to feed them, small pieces of bread or fish would satisfy them plenty. However, if possible do not feed them near your house because you are inviting more of them and it might get troublesome.

Everybody loves animals and we want the best things for them, just be friendly and provide the little things for them and sooner or later, you can be Snow White too. 

Eugene Zhang Yuting
Singapore Ambassador