16 replies to this topic

[exitrealworld]

I live in Washington state, and my cat brought in this tiny little bird. Her wing is hurt, and I'm trying to figure out what she is so that I know what to feed her for now. She makes a cute short chirping sound

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[JimBob]

Kinda looks like a young Pine Siskin. Give the bird to a wildlife rehabber. . .

[fisherman1313]

And keep your cat in the house.

[exitrealworld]

I have 5 cats, so keeping them inside isn't an option However, after spending a full night and day with her (named Noelle now), I believe her wing is actually not injured.. I think she's just too young to know how to fly? I'm not sure at what age Pine Siskins leave the nest, but I'm thinking maybe she fell from the nest and that's why my cat had her. Her back tail feathers are still really short, and she's started flapping her wings and she tries to fly, but she can barely make lift off.
Also, I think she's young enough that she doesn't know that she's supposed to fear humans, because I hold her when I feed her, and she casually sits on my finger when I'm walking around with her. I took her outside and had her in my palm, not restraining her in any way, and she just chirped along happily to another Pine Siskin in the tree.. she didn't even try to leave my hand!

[hawkhenries]

Sometimes tact and empathy goes further than commands....

Re-reading my own post I realize I wasn't too tactful either. Guess I was a little reactionary....

Constructive advice on how to care for the injured bird is what they're after. I suspect they felt bad enough that the cat brought home this bird. I know I would if one of my cat's did however being advised to keep the cat in is not helpful in this situation. I think I am not doing a good job of explaining my reaction so I best stop before I dig a hole too deep....

[exitrealworld]

Sometimes tact and empathy goes further than commands....

What do you mean..?

[fisherman1313]

Sometimes tact and empathy goes further than commands....

If your talking about what I wrote earlier, I do empathize. With all of the birds, reptiles and other small animals in the area. Domestic cats kill more species than any other, except man. I don't want to start another debate but cats should be kept indoors! And I'm am curious why keeping five cats indoors is not an option.

[hawkhenries]

What do you mean..?

I was trying to say that you did not need someone telling or suggesting that you keep your cat's indoors. You came for advice to help the bird. No matter ones opinion about indoor/outdoor cats ( I have 2 outdoor cats) you came for help not debate.

[exitrealworld]

If your talking about what I wrote earlier, I do empathize. With all of the birds, reptiles and other small animals in the area. Domestic cats kill more species than any other, except man. I don't want to start another debate but cats should be kept indoors! And I'm am curious why keeping five cats indoors is not an option.

They're all used to being inside/outside cats, so it wouldn't be fair to lock them up all day. HOWEVER, my cats usually don't pay any mind to birds, but it was my kitten (who has recently been introduced to the outside) who nabbed this birdy. And like I said, upon further inspection, there is nothing wrong with the bird other than her foot is hurt and she's too young to fly. And the kitten is no longer outside, haha.

[exitrealworld]

I

I was trying to say that you did not need someone telling or suggesting that you keep your cat's indoors. You came for advice to help the bird. No matter ones opinion about indoor/outdoor cats ( I have 2 outdoor cats) you came for help not debate.

[hawkhenries]

Fisherman I agree that this could be quite a debate and one that would go well beyond the scope of birds and birding....I also don't want to involve myself in that debate so I will respectfully disagree with your assertion that cats "should" be kept indoors.
Having said I don't doubt at all your concern for the "natural" world. I think this concern is, in part, what brings us here (forum) to share and learn. I value this concern in the participants here...

[fisherman1313]

Exitrealworld; It would not be "fair" to your cats to keep them indoors? HA, I could go on and on about how unfair it is to all the fauna in your neighborhood to let the cats roam, but I see it would be pointless. Anyone who thinks their cats do not go after birds, and anything else they can get their little claws into, just does not see all the poor, unfortunate creatures the cats kill. As far as the bird being uninjured, the stress of a cat attack alone can be enough to kill a songbird. I guess the poor little defenseless siskin, who was probably just sitting in the grass minding it's own business and not planning to do anything but grow up to entertain and delight birders and anyone else who happened to see it, was lucky your kitten had not yet perfected its killing technique.

Hawkhenries; You have your opinion and I have mine. Yours is wrong.

[hawkhenries]

Fisherman Seriously got a good chuckle Thanks for that!!! You did mean it to raise a smile to diffuse tension to signal truce right? It sure (after not feeling well for the last few days) raised my spirits. Thank You~

[fisherman1313]

Fisherman Seriously got a good chuckle Thanks for that!!! You did mean it to raise a smile to diffuse tension to signal truce right? It sure (after not feeling well for the last few days) raised my spirits. Thank You~

You can take it that way if you want to.

[exitrealworld]

Wow, I just saw these. Fisherman,theres no need to be rude to either me OR hawk.
You can think that Noelle is going to die or be unhappy for her whole life now that my cat brought her to me, but in actuality, I have been taking her outside with me and she sings along with the other pine siskins, and she sits on my hand while I watch tv or am on the computer and falls asleep there. She seems pretty happy to me.

[fisherman1313]

You call it rudeness, I call it honesty. My opinion will never change. Cats do not belong outside! There are several parks in my area that no longer have any ground nesting birds because locals think it is "unfair" to keep their cats indoors.

By the way, Pine Siskins are protected by the Migratory Bird Act and keeping one, unless you have a rehab licsence, is a federal offence.

We're done now.

[Bigfoot]

This forum is now closed. There is no reason to be disrespectful to new members seeking help. Opinions about cats will not be solved in this or any Whatbird Forums.

Extrarealworld Welcome to Whatbird. The forums usually are not this controversial

Bigfoot