# Injured bird in Garden



## Purple (5 May 2009)

There's an injured bird in the garden which was attacked by a cat earlier and the kids are getting very upset about it.
What's the best thing to do?


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## Mauri (5 May 2009)

Purple said:


> There's an injured bird in the garden which was attacked by a cat earlier and the kids are getting very upset about it.
> What's the best thing to do?



Was told by a bird watch neighbour a couple of years ago, when we rescued a bird from our cat that birds pretend to be injured or dead so they will be left alone. They usually hide behind something and when things have calmed down they fly off as this one did. Are you sure its injured?


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## Brendan Burgess (5 May 2009)

This really is part of nature and let nature take its course.

If you could get the kids to understand this, great.

If not, go out and put the bird out of its misery.

Brendan


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## baldyman27 (5 May 2009)

Brendan said:


> go out and put the bird out of its misery.


 
I'd have to second this, quite often birds that I tried to rescue in the past became very distressed before eventually dying. I don't do it anymore. A stick or a rock is unfortunately probably the most humane thing to do.


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## Sue Ellen (5 May 2009)

Local vets will look after the birds free of charge.  I took one or two to the vets mainly because my daughter was getting more upset by the minute.  Both birds died so what Brendan/baldyman say is probably right.


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## purrfect (5 May 2009)

I concur with Brendan, I have two luvly fur balls who are sometimes too good at hunting and like to bring me small birds (and other things) as small pressies.  

I used to try and nurse them back, but after ohh 5 failed attempts, and the fact the poor things seemed to be as scared (or even more so) of me, I had to give up, now if the bird can't flap its wings and get away under its own power, I have to do the humane thing.


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## S.L.F (5 May 2009)

I also agree the best thing to do is put them out of their misery.

Not nice but better than the alternative.


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## Brendan Burgess (5 May 2009)

And you can put a little bell on your cat to limit the damage they do.


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## television (5 May 2009)

Brendan said:


> And you can put a little bell on your cat to limit the damage they do.


 
Or maybe let nature take its course!


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## Purple (6 May 2009)

Thanks for the replies. I suggested finishing it off but the kids would have reacted badly to me beating it to death with a shovel. In the end the bird did the decent thing and died.

It wasn't our cat that attacked it; I wouldn't have one of those disgusting cold eyed animals in the house. It belongs to the people in the house behind us (if a cat really ever belongs to anyone) so I threw the corpse of the bird, a fledgling blackbird, into their garden.


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## Smashbox (6 May 2009)

I think I would have had to tried to rescue it if it were me. I'd bring it to the vets rather than club it to death.


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## milan (6 May 2009)

Put a bell on your cat, its not nature taking it course, cats arent native, thats like saying my dog gets out and kills a few rabbits and squirrels in the park every nite and saying ot ok its nature !!!!!


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## Guest128 (6 May 2009)

milan said:


> Put a bell on your cat, its not nature taking it course, cats arent native, thats like saying my dog gets out and kills a few rabbits and squirrels in the park every nite and saying ot ok its nature !!!!!



No can do....from the OP:
"*It wasn't our cat that attacked it*; I wouldn't have one of those disgusting cold eyed animals in the house"


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## extopia (6 May 2009)

Talk to a vet, or the animal protection society.

We found an "injured" bird in the garden a few years ago and tried to nurse it back to health. Turned out there was nothing wrong with it - it just couldn't take off from the ground (can't remember the kind of bird). The advice was to take it to an open area and throw it straight up in the air. This we did. It started to plummet back to earth as the kids looked on nervously, then at the last minute flapped the wings and took off. It circled us a few times and flew away.

Of course, this might not be the solution for your bird. But you never know.


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## baldyman27 (6 May 2009)

Purple said:


> I wouldn't have one of those disgusting cold eyed animals in the house.


 
I didn't want to say it in case I upset the cat lovers.


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## Caveat (6 May 2009)

Don't have to have the fascinatingly ruthless, stubbornly feral, fanged gymnasts in the house though - just keep 'em in the garden and let the aloof, cool and unflappable killing machines just get on their clinical clean up campaign!


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## UptheDeise (6 May 2009)

television said:


> Or maybe let nature take its course!


 
I agree with Brendan, if people have cats they should put a bell on it. You would be amazed at the devastation cats are doing to our bird population.


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## shootingstar (6 May 2009)

our vet recommended *not *puttting a collar/bell on our cat because they love to climb trees etc and the collars can get caught in branches and choke them etc


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## baldyman27 (6 May 2009)

Caveat said:


> let the aloof, cool and unflappable killing machines just get on their clinical clean up campaign!


 
of



Purple said:


> a fledgling blackbird.


 
Shame on you Cav.


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## Purple (6 May 2009)

shootingstar said:


> the collars can get caught in branches and choke them etc


 So what's wrong with that?


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## baldyman27 (6 May 2009)

shootingstar said:


> the collars can get caught in branches and choke them etc


 


Purple said:


> So what's wrong with that?


 
They might inadvertantly break some new leaf buds, the killing machines that they are.


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## Purple (6 May 2009)

extopia said:


> Of course, this might not be the solution for your bird. But you never know.


 Nope; big gash down its side and lots of blood.


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## Purple (6 May 2009)

baldyman27 said:


> They might inadvertantly break some new leaf buds, the killing machines that they are.


Small price to pay


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## baldyman27 (6 May 2009)

Purple said:


> Small price to pay


 
Agreed.


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## Caveat (6 May 2009)

baldyman27 said:


> Shame on you Cav.


 
What?! C'mon - are you serious??

They're just doing their thing. OK it was a baby bird in this case - could have easily been an adult rat.  I'm not gloating about 'the kill', I just find their hunting/killing prowess impressive - just as I do with the big cats on wildlife programmes.  Birds kill worms (even baby ones), cats kill birds...It's just nature and I am an interested observer.  Birds of prey even kill other birds and if a cat tried it on with an owl - and lost, well that's just nature too IMO.


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## baldyman27 (6 May 2009)

Caveat said:


> What?! C'mon - are you serious??


 
Sorry, should have put a big grin after that one. No, not serious, even though I don't see why cats, domestic or feral, need to kill birds. I like birds, I detest those other vain, stuck-up, spiteful creatures. My comment was borne of prejudice.


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## UptheDeise (6 May 2009)

You can get collars that will snap off it they snag on something. 

Personally cats annoy me and more so their owners. They have a terrible habit of fouling up the garden and uprooting plants.


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## UptheDeise (6 May 2009)

Caveat said:


> What?! C'mon - are you serious??
> 
> They're just doing their thing. OK it was a baby bird in this case - could have easily been an adult rat. I'm not gloating about 'the kill', I just find their hunting/killing prowess impressive - just as I do with the big cats on wildlife programmes. Birds kill worms (even baby ones), cats kill birds...It's just nature and I am an interested observer. Birds of prey even kill other birds and if a cat tried it on with an owl - and lost, well that's just nature too IMO.


 
But cats are not native to Ireland and young birds are at a serious disadvantage if they can't fly yet when it comes to cats. If my dog was to kill a farmers sheep, would it be ok because the dog is being natural?


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## Caveat (6 May 2009)

baldyman27 said:


> Sorry, should have put a big grin after that one


 
I was wondering!



UptheDeise said:


> They have a terrible habit of fouling up the garden and uprooting plants.


 
Just doing their thing ... literally 

I actually think dogs are much worse for this as it happens.



UptheDeise said:


> If my dog was to kill a farmers sheep, would it be ok because the dog is being natural?


 
The sheep are the property of the farmer - big difference.



> ... young birds are at a serious disadvantage if they can't fly yet when it comes to cats.


 
I'm not sure what point you are making - is it that it is not a 'fair fight'? Animals don't think like that and they will just go for the easier option - like the way lions will target an injured or old gazelle or whatever.  I think you are being too emotional about it TBH.

Plenty of flora/fauna is not native to this country, I don't really think it's an argument. We just have to deal with what we have.

Have to say though, it never ceases to amaze me the widespread revulsion and mistrust of cats.


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## baldyman27 (6 May 2009)

Caveat said:


> Have to say though, it never ceases to amaze me the widespread revulsion and mistrust of cats.


 
It's because they are



baldyman27 said:


> vain, stuck-up, spiteful creatures.


 
Horrible things. My aunt dumped one on us a few months ago. It steals my dogs food, bullies them(it's about twice their size) and this morning I awoke to a mangled magpie dumped outside the front door. Now, don't get me wrong, I hate magpies too (it's the songbirds I like) but why the hell did he have to bring it to the front door? Presumably trying to curry favour with me to displace my dogs, showing off how good he is, blah, blah, blah. It'll be the river for him soon.


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## UptheDeise (6 May 2009)

Caveat said:


> I was wondering!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## Caveat (6 May 2009)

(In response to Baldyman)

I really think a large part of the problem is that invidious comparisons are made with dogs. Are you a dog lover or a cat lover? etc (as if it were mutually exclusive)

They are really very different animals. IME people who traditionally have been dog lovers, whether they realise it or not, seem to expect similar traits in cats e.g. almost 'human like' facial expressions/emotions, unconditional loyalty, general eagerness to please etc. 

Our feline friends just don't do these things.



Upthedeise - are you OK?!  You seem to be getting very worked up there!


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## Purple (6 May 2009)

Cats are like furry lizards; with a less emotional response. 
A guy I know keeps pigeons. He has traps set for cats and if he catches them he kills them (just as he does with rats). I see no real problem with that; if their "owner" can't keep them out of other people’s homes then they've no one to blame but themselves if their bird-killing vermin gets killed.


Was that a bit strong ?


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## Smashbox (6 May 2009)

Deise, shoot them?


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## baldyman27 (6 May 2009)

Purple said:


> Cats are like furry lizards; with a less emotional response.
> A guy I know keeps pigeons. He has traps set for cats and if he catches them he kills them (just as he does with rats). I see no real problem with that; if their "owner" can't keep them out of other people’s homes then they've no one to blame but themselves if their bird-killing vermin gets killed.
> 
> 
> Was that a bit strong ?


 
Not at all strong, although I regard pigeons as 'flying rats'. Same thing really, just with wings.


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## runner (6 May 2009)

Brendan said:


> This really is part of nature and let nature take its course.
> 
> If you could get the kids to understand this, great.
> 
> ...



I agree , put him out of his/our misery - if it Charlie?


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## baldyman27 (6 May 2009)

runner said:


> if it Charlie?


 
Who's Charlie?


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## Smashbox (6 May 2009)

I don't understand that part either


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## Caveat (6 May 2009)

I think it may be a reference to Charlie _Bird _the reporter?

Don't know if it has significance in the context of this thread though - unless runner thinks he should be put out of his misery too?!  








(cats rule BTW )


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## Smashbox (6 May 2009)

Ah!


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## baldyman27 (6 May 2009)

Caveat said:


> (cats rule BTW )


 
You say that so meekly, very un-catlike


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## runner (6 May 2009)

baldyman27 said:


> Who's Charlie?



Charlie Bird (RTE)  of course!


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## Smashbox (6 May 2009)

Runner, you wanna shoot Charlie Bird?!


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## baldyman27 (6 May 2009)

Couldn't be, he gets attacked by a different sort of domestic animal.


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## S.L.F (6 May 2009)

Get a mouse like this one


[broken link removed]​ 



 [broken link removed]


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## shootingstar (8 May 2009)

Purple said:


> So what's wrong with that?



Shocked beyond belief PURPLE ! Bow your head in shame...


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## Purple (8 May 2009)

shootingstar said:


> Shocked beyond belief PURPLE ! Bow your head in shame...



Why? They are creatures of the devil.


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## shootingstar (10 May 2009)

ahhh purple, they're very loving animals. give me a cat over a dog anyday


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## baldyman27 (10 May 2009)

shootingstar said:


> they're very loving animals.


 
Tosh, they only love themselves.


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## Caveat (10 May 2009)

baldyman27 said:


> You say that so meekly, very un-catlike



It was supposed to imply sneakiness - _very_ cat-like I'm sure you'll say...


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## baldyman27 (10 May 2009)

Caveat said:


> It was supposed to imply sneakiness - _very_ cat-like I'm sure you'll say...


 
Touche!


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## Caveat (10 May 2009)

Look, for those who need enlightenment, this Eddie Izzard classic tells you all you need to know about cats.


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## shootingstar (10 May 2009)

Caveat said:


> Look, for those who need enlightenment, this Eddie Izzard classic tells you all you need to know about cats.



very good 

cats rule dogs drool...


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## Bluebells (11 May 2009)

Birds in the wild have to be tough to survive, those who get caught by cats are not tough enough, and some other predator/ circumstance would eventually get them anyhow. Best thing to do is to put it out of it's misery.

Putting a bell on a cat is a thoughtless thing to do. Its natural instinct is to hunt, a bell prevents it doing that, as well as depriving it of the ability to hide when it feels threatened. It would be like putting something on your shoe that would squeak every time you walked. Its all very well trying to save the birds, but the cat has as much right to it's lifestyle as the bird.

 Cats are not 'cold'. They have fewer muscles in their faces than dogs, thats why they they seem cold. They can't adopt all the expressions a dog can.  Cats express themselves with purring, whether with pleasure or pain.


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## milan (11 May 2009)

Puts me in the mood to go shooting....Wheres my rifle, time to stand up to those furry gymnasts !


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## Purple (11 May 2009)

Bluebells said:


> Birds in the wild have to be tough to survive, those who get caught by cats are not tough enough, and some other predator/ circumstance would eventually get them anyhow. Best thing to do is to put it out of it's misery.
> 
> Putting a bell on a cat is a thoughtless thing to do. Its natural instinct is to hunt, a bell prevents it doing that, as well as depriving it of the ability to hide when it feels threatened. It would be like putting something on your shoe that would squeak every time you walked. Its all very well trying to save the birds, but the cat has as much right to it's lifestyle as the bird.
> 
> Cats are not 'cold'. They have fewer muscles in their faces than dogs, thats why they they seem cold. They can't adopt all the expressions a dog can.  Cats express themselves with purring, whether with pleasure or pain.


 Cats are not native a animal and as such wreak havoc on the avian ecosystem. Putting a bell on a cat limits the damage they do. As they are not a native animal it is irresponsible not to put a bell on their collar. Suggesting otherwise would be like saying that dogs have a natural instinct to hunt so it’s OK to let them out at night to kill sheep.

Cats are solitary territorial animals whereas dogs are pack animals so they do not have the instinct to develop a connection to its owner beyond them being a source of food and shelter.


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## Bluebells (11 May 2009)

Putting a bell on a cat is wrong. It torments the animal. Anyone who would think of doing that lacks empathy. How can you be so concerned for one creature and so unfeeling for another.  Same as putting a bird in a cage. 

The habits of Cats versus Dogs have nothing to do with it. Just because an animal doesn't develop a connection to its owner or another human, is no reason to handicap it. 

 The Dog/Sheep argument is not valid here - Sheep are not animals in the wild.. They have no defence and no escape. Birds are swift and intelligent, equipped with wings and can flee the awful cat. 
I think its a fair fight.

Donkeys, Rabbits and Potatoes are not native either, and each in their own way affect ecosystems. If the avian ecosystem is robust enough to adapt to urban life,  I think it should be able to survive, despite those cats.


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## baldyman27 (11 May 2009)

Bluebells said:


> Putting a bell on a cat is wrong. It torments the animal.


 
Surely you are contradicting yourself here.


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## Purple (11 May 2009)

baldyman27 said:


> surely you are contradicting yourself here. :d



lol


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## Purple (11 May 2009)

Bluebells said:


> Putting a bell on a cat is wrong. It torments the animal. Anyone who would think of doing that lacks empathy. How can you be so concerned for one creature and so unfeeling for another.  Same as putting a bird in a cage.


If you don't want to put a bell on your cat then keep it in your house/garden. It's nothing to do with empathy, it's to do with people letting their pets kill wild animals and thinking it's ok because they are their little kitties and sure that's just the way they are.


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## television (11 May 2009)

Purple said:


> If you don't want to put a bell on your cat then keep it in your house/garden. It's nothing to do with empathy, it's to do with people letting their pets kill wild animals and thinking it's ok because they are their little kitties and sure that's just the way they are.


 
Cats have a natural instinct to kill.  Unless they are going to kill a bald eagle or a panda then I dont see the problem.  If they enjoy killing a crow or a robin then I say let them at it.  In the wild animals get killed with a gruesome savagery every day.


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## baldyman27 (11 May 2009)

television said:


> Cats have a natural instinct to kill. Unless they are going to kill a bald eagle or a panda then I dont see the problem. If they enjoy killing a crow or a robin then I say let them at it. In the wild animals get killed with a gruesome savagery every day.


 
So its ok for them to kill one animal and not the other? Twisted logic.


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## television (11 May 2009)

baldyman27 said:


> So its ok for them to kill one animal and not the other? Twisted logic.


 
Well I was taking the proverbials a bit. But seriously one is a indangered species and well there is millions of crows and robins out there. But if for the sake of argument a cat did take down a panda I would say fair play to the pussy.


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## baldyman27 (11 May 2009)

And could robins not become an endangered species if those horrible kitties keep killing them for sport? BTW, they can kill all the crows they want, AFAIK they're considered a pest anyway.


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## television (11 May 2009)

baldyman27 said:


> And could robins not become an endangered species if those horrible kitties keep killing them for sport? BTW, they can kill all the crows they want, AFAIK they're considered a pest anyway.


 
Humans play sport.  Animals kill out of instinct.  Seriously doubt that the robin population will be killed by cats.  The effects of Global warming might be thier biggest danger.


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## Purple (11 May 2009)

In the UK cats kill around 55 million birds a year. That's about 20% of all birds killed. There's no reason to suggest that the figures differ greatly here.
Cats are not wild animals; they are domestic pets. If people didn't feed them, house them and being them to the vet then I'd accept the "It's a fair fight; they are all wild animals" argument but that's simple not the case. If they are indeed wild animals then there shouldn't be an issue with people trapping and disposing of any they catch in their garden.  

BTW, Dogs have a natural instinct to kill as well but they are smart enough to be trained to act otherwise. Cats are like hairy lizards in both temperament and intellect.


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## shootingstar (11 May 2009)

for what its worth (and im nearly always right as most posters would agree  ) Cats can be loving yet cold, i agree. As can ALL animals. We have a cat & 3 dogs. Each have they're own little personalities... our cat just happens to be a softie and our dogs are lunatics. We wouldnt have it any other way though. None of them are collared as we took advise from our Vet. 

If I walk one of the dogs ill collar & lead him. All animals have the right to live their lives as nature intended. however, I do believe a human should step in if another human is in danger of that animal or if an animal is in pain after an attack or illness etc (just example). 

As we have once again gotten off the topic - the OP would do well to kill the bird immediately. The most humane thing to do. Yes the cat got it as intended but sometimes a little help goes a long way. We just need to pick and choose the right kinda help... (if that makes any sense)


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## Purple (11 May 2009)

The bird died about three pages ago


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## shootingstar (11 May 2009)

LOL did it? oh ok... blonde moment


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## jdwex (11 May 2009)

If you  have a pet cat and die in a room with just it for company you'd better be found quick or tabby will not take too long to have a few nibbles..


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## television (12 May 2009)

Purple said:


> In the UK cats kill around 55 million birds a year. That's about 20% of all birds killed. There's no reason to suggest that the figures differ greatly here.
> Cats are not wild animals; they are domestic pets. If people didn't feed them, house them and being them to the vet then I'd accept the "It's a fair fight; they are all wild animals" argument but that's simple not the case. If they are indeed wild animals then there shouldn't be an issue with people trapping and disposing of any they catch in their garden.
> 
> BTW, Dogs have a natural instinct to kill as well but they are smart enough to be trained to act otherwise. Cats are like hairy lizards in both temperament and intellect.


 
A cats going to do what a cats going to do. Cats have been domesticated by humans. They have natural instincts which derive from/through evolution. 

ON a broader note why do pet lovers constantly attribute human qualities to animals? Dogs do not love like humans do. They do not care like humans do. Dogs cats or pet gerbles do not have intellect.

[broken link removed]


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## Bluebells (12 May 2009)

......


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## Bluebells (12 May 2009)

Purple said:


> In the UK cats kill around 55 million birds a year. That's about 20% of all birds killed. There's no reason to suggest that the figures differ greatly here.
> Cats are not wild animals; they are domestic pets. If people didn't feed them, house them and being them to the vet then I'd accept the "It's a fair fight; they are all wild animals" argument but that's simple not the case. If they are indeed wild animals then there shouldn't be an issue with people trapping and disposing of any they catch in their garden.
> 
> BTW, Dogs have a natural instinct to kill as well but they are smart enough to be trained to act otherwise. Cats are like hairy lizards in both temperament and intellect.



There is a huge feral cat population in the UK, because too few people bring their cats to the vet, or feed and house them. Not all of those birds are killed by domestic cats. How are the other 80% killed?

Classifying an animal as ' wild ' does not confer an automatic right to kill or trap it. 

Dogs are indeed smart, smart enough to convince humans that they can be trained to forget their natural instincts. 

I didn't mean to start a debate on cats and dogs - all I'm concerned with is the welfare of a small animal. All it is doing is doing what nature intended - hunting for food.
 Nature never intended birds to sit munching on peanut feeders in back gardens. Thats why so many of them get killed - they are too easy prey for the cats.


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## DavyJones (12 May 2009)

Now I have an injured bird in my garden, I don't have the heart to beat it to death. hopefully it gets better and or goes into neighbours place.


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## Caveat (12 May 2009)

Ah can we not just start posting the same stuff all over again?


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## DavyJones (12 May 2009)

Caveat said:


> Ah can we not just start posting the same stuff all over again?






Gonna ask the wife to kill it when she returns, so hopefully it will be over soon


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## baldyman27 (12 May 2009)

Spread poison on its feathers and then stand in the garden puss-pussing to all the neighbourhood rotten-horrible-mean-evil-disgusting-cold-did-I-mention-horrible cats and have a good laugh while they all perish for their unnecessary instinct. Plus you don't have the conscience of having killed the bird. Unless its a crow, then take a hurley to it.


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## MandaC (14 May 2009)

Purple said:


> The bird died about three pages ago



Funniest post in ages.


Seriously cant believe the amount of people who dislike moggies


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## Caveat (14 May 2009)

MandaC said:


> Seriously cant believe the amount of people who dislike moggies


 
These poor simple lovers of slobbery, clumsy, eager to please omnivores who can turn on you in a second just don't _understand_ cats Manda.


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## Sherman (14 May 2009)

Caveat said:


> These poor simple lovers of slobbery, clumsy, eager to please omnivores who can turn on you in a second just don't _understand_ cats Manda.


 


Reminds me of the following scene from _Meet the Parents_:

*Jack*: Greg, how come you don't like cats? 
*Greg*: I don't not like cats. I-I just-- I just prefer dogs. I mean, I'm just more of a dog kind of, you know--Come home, wagging their little tails, happy to see you kind of-- 
*Jack*: You need that assurance? You prefer an emotionally shallow animal? 
*Greg*: I-- 
*Jack*: You see, Greg, when you yell at a dog, his tail will go between his legs and cover his genitals, his ears will go down. A dog is very easy to break, but cats make you work for their affection. They don't sell out the way dogs do. 
*Greg*: Huh.


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## Smashbox (14 May 2009)

DavyJones said:


> Now I have an injured bird in my garden, I don't have the heart to beat it to death. hopefully it gets better and or goes into neighbours place.


 
Thats the spirit! I can't believe this topic has expanded so much!


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