Tomcat scaring fish?

I have a black tomcat that comes to drink from the pond. Now the
shubies in that barrel never come to the surface when I'm there. When I
first got them, they played in the filter outflow and were always
cruising the duckweed hunting for food. Now I put food in and it
disappears only after I walk away from the pond. Every now and again I
see a flash of color so I know they're alive.

Will bird netting stop a cat, or is there any way to "reassure" the fish
so I can actually see them and know they're healthy? Is the cat even
what's troubling the fish?

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html '__
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com