What to do when one finds a bird, or any other animal, in one's house, with one's cat in attendance?

[ericmark]

5 am and noises downstairs, rushed naked to see what it was, and found my cat was fighting with a bird at the bottom of the stairs, rushed to the bird's rescue, got it in an open box, and deposited it outside. Lucky, no one around to see me. And the bird ran away, it was half the size of the kitten, so I am not sure if she could have got it in through the cat flap, as it would have been in front of her, so not sure the chip would have been read with the cat's head so far from the cat flap tunnel.

So the bird may have entered the house through an open window, likely without the cat, would have exited it the same way. But windows only cracked open, and a fan running on the window sill, so would not have thought a bird or bat would have flown in. It put a reasonable distance between me and it as soon as released, and my other cat, twice the size of our female, looked at the bird, but decided to come in the open door and not to chase the bird.

It seems it is the female who is the violent cat. But how she could have got the bird through a cat flap, I don't know, but should the animal be simply evicted, or should something else be done?

 

[Mottie]

Mrs Motties sisters cat tried to drag a full size quacking duck through their cat flap.

 

[ericmark]

Mrs Motties sisters cat tried to drag a full size quacking duck through their cat flap.

Was that a microchip controlled one as well? I can't see how she got close enough to release the flap, with a bird in tow? Their head needs to be quite close to the flap, she was clearly having a problem getting the bird upstairs, as so big.

 

[Mottie]

No, it was just a normal cat flap.

 

[Mrs Ten Names]

Not likely that the cat caught the bird during the hours of darkness.
Birds might start singing about half an hour before sunrise, but they don't normally start flying until sunrise, except for migrating.
Although artificial light might confuse them.

 

[ericmark]

Three upper story windows open around 3" so birds could fly in, but at 5 am, yes light, but seems unlikely they would fly in. But cat flap rather high, the door panel was rather high, so have bricks as stepping stones for cats, they stick their heads in, then wait until flap releases, then continue, she is still a kitten so to get a bird through that flap is no mean task.

 

[Ihavenojob]

Not likely that the cat caught the bird during the hours of darkness.
Birds might start singing about half an hour before sunrise, but they don't normally start flying until sunrise, except for migrating.
Although artificial light might confuse them.

How would a cat catch a bird in flight?

 

[ericmark]

Being in its flight path, I would assume. I know the cats can climb trees, but would have thought unlikely a bird would be silly enough to get caught. I remember a record bought me as a child, Peter and the Wolf, and the cat saying "It's a very tall tree, and by the time I climbed to the top, the bird will have flown away." Can't remember what instrument the cat was, many years since I have listened to it.

 

[Munroast]

5 am and noises downstairs, rushed naked to see what it was, and found my cat was fighting with a bird at the bottom of the stairs, rushed to the bird's rescue, got it in an open box, and deposited it outside. Lucky, no one around to see me. And the bird ran away, it was half the size of the kitten, so I am not sure if she could have got it in through the cat flap, as it would have been in front of her, so not sure the chip would have been read with the cat's head so far from the cat flap tunnel.

Are you sure it was a bird ? did it have wings or may be 4 legs?

Owning a cat is a sort of 'i don't understand or careless' about wildlife

 

[ericmark]

It was black, and had feathers which it left behind at the bottom of stairs, and did not quack, so not a duck, so seems likely a bird.

 

[Mrs Ten Names]

Being in its flight path, I would assume. I know the cats can climb trees, but would have thought unlikely a bird would be silly enough to get caught. I remember a record bought me as a child, Peter and the Wolf, and the cat saying "It's a very tall tree, and by the time I climbed to the top, the bird will have flown away." Can't remember what instrument the cat was, many years since I have listened to it.

Clarinet or Oboe at a guess (and maybe a distant memory).

Peter and the Wolf, a Virtual Education Program - Musical Zoo 2021

The Friends of the Symphony presents Peter and the Wolf for the Musical Zoo 2021 Education Program. Meet the instruments of the orchestra.

fcsymphony.org

For the music

 

[Mrs Ten Names]

How would a cat catch a bird in flight?

 

[Mrs Ten Names]

It was black, and had feathers which it left behind at the bottom of stairs, and did not quack, so not a duck, so seems likely a bird.

If it was small and the feathers had a dark blue hue, it would have been a swallow, and they do have a tendency to fly into gaps to get into buildings. But I would have thought that a 3" gap would be too small for them. Maybe not.

 

[Odds]

More likely a House Martin than a swallow. A small gap is enough for them to squeeze through. Used to see 'em in t'old Barn a mile from where i grew up...til the Estate yobbos burned it down. Surprised one of our smoking gang didn't tbh. A swallow's tail has a longer fork and you must never mistake the African from a European swallow lest ye be cast from a bridge to an untimely doom.

 

[noseall]

Mrs Motties sisters cat tried to drag a full size quacking duck through their cat flap.

When we were sprogs, our cat brought a (small) live pet rabbit in through the window, when she had a litter. At the time, our old house had sash windows and it was the top sash (small gap at the top) that was open.