Had a bit of a trauma at Chez Pondos last night - whilst relaxing in front of the tellybox, a pigeon came and had a look in through the glass doors. On investigation, the poor feller was in a bad way, missing feathers and with a gash across his back and neck, and on further investigation, the White Cat From The Houses Behind Us was watching from afar and hopefully waving his tail. We chased the cat off and put some water and seed out, hoping he'd perk up and do one, but he just stayed sat on the patio right in front of the doors, really not bothered about what we were doing, and uninterested in food or water. He tried having a bit of a flap, but couldn't even get onto the birdbath, so with night falling we lifted Pidge (as he was now called) onto the roof of the shed, hoping he'd be safe sheltering there. Alas, an hour or so later there was movement in the garden, and we shoo'd off Mr Fox - Pidge had either fallen or flapped his way off the shed and Mr Fox had been more than happy about that.
So - apart from unburdening myself of the trauma by sharing with you lot, if we find another pigeon that's suffered a cat strike, what should we do?
Ensure the same outcome - dirty little things they are.
But he looked so sad. 🙁
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Is that a pigeon dinner travelling at 88mph?
Any bird which has been attacked by a cat requires antibiotics to counter cat scratch fever and simular. IMO all injuries caused by cats to birds invariably result in infection. So if the fox hadn't got him he would almost certainly have died anyway.
..cats you mean?
We had the same unwelcome sight in out garden last year. Cat had 'played' with it and left it for dead. Unfortunately, there are bacteria on cats teeth than normally infect the blood of a bird resulting is septicemia without intervention. To be honest there's absolutely nothing you could have done differently other than take it to a vet for antibiotics - bit OTT for a pidgeon.
Domestic cats kill around 60 million birds a year. Never mind, they're great kid substitutes and for when you need something to sit on your lap whilst watching DIY SOS.
Hey, slowpuncheur, you should hook up with shib'!
..cats you mean?
No I mean fox, since it was a fox which apparently got him in the end.
Poor Pidge. 🙁 Ah well, good to know there wasn't anything obvious we'd missed.
proper pidge or feral pidge?
Couldn't see a ring on his leg, so think feral - he would try to run away if you got really close to him too, but he was a bit crap at that. Mind you, he'd had a rough day. 🙁
proper pidge or feral pidge?
What are you - a UKIP supporter ?
We had this last year- a sorry looking pigeon sitting in the rain on our fire escape, looking like a cat had been at it. It kept looking like it was about to drop dead and then rallying. There was another one (mate?) that wouldn't leave it, it was quite touching really!
At my wife's insistence I called the RSPCA, who told us to catch it in a box with a towel in if we could until they could come and get it. I was trying to find a box and figure out where we'd put a wet cardboard box containing a bleeding, $hitting pigeon in our small flat when it perked up and flew onto the roof where we couldn't reach it anyway. Dunno what happened to it in the end.
Any use?!
Ooo, it is - didn't know the RSPCA do knackered pigeon removals. Ta! 🙂
If it was a crow i'd nurse it back to health, so when I released it it would be my pal, meeting me from work and such.
Pigeon I'd just put it out of its misery to be honest.
What are you - a UKIP supporter ?
send em back to the woods!
A mate of mine is am RSPCA officer, if you asked for a pigeon rescue he'd laugh down the phone [edit] then come round and deal with it out of sight of the general public
Winged rats
A mate of mine is am RSPCA officer, if you asked for a pigeon rescue he'd laugh down the phone [edit] then come round and deal with it out of sight of the general public
They did give the impression it would be a long way down the list of priorities. I did actually expect them to just say they don't deal with pigeons. That was probably to keep me sweet while they got £5 out of me!