SOS! The cat has brought a bird in and I don't know if it's dead or not!

[SneakyGremlins]

It's down the side of the wardrobe and staring at me. What do I do? Poke it??

There's blood on the wall and carpet!

Ah crap. What kind of bird is it, do you know? Stroke it - if it's cold and stiff, it's a gonner. If it's still alive you need to get it to a vet pronto.

Managed to get my neighbour to help - young pigeon, still flapping around - sat on the vets now, I'm glad I live above one!

There was a tiny bit of blood on the wall and a few feathers but it wasn't badly bleeding as far as I could see.

It may have died of shock. Or be stunned. Put it in a shoe box, with air holes and leave it somewhere quiet to see if it revives?

Vets have put it to sleep apparently it had a necrotic wound on it's chest so was already in bad shape

Ooooh hang on, they won't charge me for it will they??

I shouldn't think so. I've taken a squirrel and a hedgehog into the vets and they've dealt with them free of charge.

Vets usually don't charge people for taking in wild animals but they may try and charge you as it was your cat who caught the bird. Just out of interest has your cat got a bell on his/her collar? You may wish to invest in one if not.

He's an indoor cat who only goes on one tiny bit of roof - I've bought him six collars in two and a half years and he loses them all May try again though...