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Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

So upset with my cat

14 replies

wondering7777 · 22/07/2019 18:28

My cat has just brought an almost dead bird into the garden. I'm so depressed and feel so upset about it. He's killed mice before but never a bird. Just awful Sad

OP posts:
flapjackfairy · 22/07/2019 18:31

Well that's what they do I am afraid !

HuggedTheRedwoods · 22/07/2019 20:28

It is sad if they do that. Has he got a collar and bell? If not, maybe time to consider, if only for the summer months at least while the baby birds are out and about.

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 22/07/2019 21:15

They don't differentiate . They don't think " Mmm Kill rats good. Kill mice good . Kill birds bad"

Mine are after the magpies and squirrels , they don't care .
Some cats are more predator than others.

Personally I don't like colllars on cats .
Three of us are vegetarian but as a family we chose cats , so we accept their habits .
Our old cat brought a frog home (I managed to get it from her , I think they taste rank so she didn't harm it)

steppemum · 22/07/2019 21:27

despite how it looks, actaully mpst cats can't catch a healthy bird, birds caught by cats are almost always sick, old or injured.
It used to be thought that the bird population had suffered due to domestic cats, but the RSPB now says that cats don't and can't catch healthy birds and cats don't make any difference to the bird population.

Small consolation I know when presented with a half dead animal

Babdoc · 22/07/2019 21:31

Hmm. Either the RSPB have never met my psycho killer of a cat, or there must be one helluva lot of sick and injured birds flinging themselves into her clutches!
The ones I’ve rescued intact that she’s dragged indoors include a furious (and apparently perfectly healthy) massive adult wood pigeon!

Grumpyoldpersonwithcats · 22/07/2019 21:43

One of my previous cats caught a moorhen which he dropped after trying to get through railings. (Dozy cat hadn't realised that with a socking great moorhen in his mouth he was never going to fit).
The moorhen escaped back to the river unharmed.
When the cat came back in he was soaking wet under his belly and legs but was bone dry on top. We realised this little sod had actually gone into the river after his prey. Glad to say he never did it again.

wondering7777 · 22/07/2019 22:37

I had a Google after Steppemum’s comment and found this:

www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/advice/gardening-for-wildlife/animal-deterrents/cats-and-garden-birds/are-cats-causing-bird-declines/

OP posts:
Tavannach · 23/07/2019 00:28

There's nothing you can do. Cats are predators.

When I was a child one of our cats killed "our robin", the one that hung out in the garden all the time. My DB was terribly upset.
Just make sure your cat is well-fed to minimise the damage but you have to accept it's their instinct.

Fluffycloudland77 · 23/07/2019 08:32

A huge part of their brains is devoted to spotting movement so they virtually have to notice prey.

It’s not their fault.

Toddlerteaplease · 23/07/2019 08:39

@Fluffycloudland77 that's assuming they actually have brains. I don't think my three did/ have!

Binting · 23/07/2019 08:49

@Babdoc, my cat once brought in a healthy large pigeon too. I couldn't work out how he got it through the chip operated catflap. Anyway, the bird was ok. He has brought in healthy smaller birds too, plus mice, goldfish and a baby rabbit once (rabbit was fine, I took him/her to a wildlife place).

OP, unfortunately it's what cats do. It is upsetting when they bring home prey. My cat is 8 now and seems to be slowing down in terms of hunting. I still get really angry at him if he does catch anything, that's a human response too. We just have to learn to live with it. In America people often de-claw cats, which is a cruel solution.

Sparklingbrook · 23/07/2019 08:50

I get slow worms. Eeek.

But yes, they are doing what cats do.

LoafofSellotape · 23/07/2019 08:51

Hmm. Either the RSPB have never met my psycho killer of a cat, or there must be one helluva lot of sick and injured birds flinging themselves into her clutches!

Quite,my psycho manages to do ok!!

Sparklingbrook · 23/07/2019 08:53

.

So upset with my cat
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