Cat brought in a 'present'

[Hookedoncatnip]

My beast of a cat has just brought in her first 'gift'. It's a little baby bird. It's still alive. What should I do with it?

I've put the poor little thing in a shoe box on an old tea towel but what next? Help please!

Oh god. I don't know. Do the RSPB have a helpline?

Never accept a gifty from a cat...chase them back out and let them deal with their own presents.

it's really unlikely to survive, sorry.

It was all a bit stressful with lots of ringing around. My 3yo dd was overtired and having a meltdown during some of the calls.

Anyway the fluffy little fledgling opened its eyes and looked at me and I simply couldn't ignore it!

The local vet and Blue Cross advised leaving it under a bush so that its parent might find it. Not a single small bird could be seen in the garden!

In the end we (DD & I) drove for 30 minutes to hand the bird over to a London Wildlife Protection volunteer. I didn't think it would make it but 20 Mins into the journey & a lot of speed bumps later I could hear it cheeping away presumably asking its new 'mummy' for food.

When the volunteer opened the box the little bird was opening its mouth for food. She said this was a good sign. Fingers crossed.

It was a Goldfinch and not a sparrow as I had thought. Silly me!

I did what I could anyway. Big up to the London Wildlife Protection organisation. I shall be making a donation. Also the Wildlife Aid Foundation who gave advice and sent me in the right direction.

Dcat though technically in the doghouse has wangled her way onto my lap.

Bells on a collar are effective for birds. Not so much rodents - either they’re not frightened or just don’t react - but my previously bird-murdering cat hasn’t brought a feathered present in since we put bells on her. I know some people don’t like cat collars but it is a quick-release one.

She does have a bell colour (quick release) but I think this bird was just very young. Maybe fallen out of a nest. It wouldn't have had a chance. Poor thing.

Well done for rescuing a bird.

Years ago I had a similar predicament, no cat but came across a baby bird that had lost its mother and got injured.

I had to do something so boxed him up and tried to find a vet (this was abroad so not so many obvious other options). Sadly he died en route but l was pleased I tried.

Thank you @Frazzled2207 I'm sorry your rescue didn't make it. I'm in two minds about whether to follow mine up. It seemed so positive at the handover I'm not sure I want to know anything else!

Although I've just found another not-so-lucky 'gift' in the house. I think I'm going to have to become much less squeamish as I doubt I can deter dcat from her 'hunting'. ☹️

Cats hunt most successfully at dawn and dusk, a bit at night too. It’s when their prey are most vulnerable. I keep ours in for as much if this time as possible. She’s not brougt us anything for a long time. Even when we had nesting birds right by the back door.

@bonzo77 we keep dcat in at night too. She sometimes goes out early in the morning.

The two recent incidents have been during the day. I think it has been more to do with opportunity. Fledglings falling out of the trees.

I really hope (unlikely) she loses interest eventually. Im paranoid about finding more 'gifts' every time she comes in.

I gave up on collars with bells after my young cat brought in several birds culminating in a magpie. It was bigger than he was! How he got it in I don't know, thankfully he just left it instead of disembowelling it....

I gave up with bells on collars (and collars) for cats years ago... I think the only bell that would stop a cat catching birds/mice is a cow bell!!!