Espy gets a bird (happy ending)

I have a small fenced in backyard so the cats can go out. We were
watching the French Open final when the Significant Other yells that
Espy has a bird, and sure enough he's heading upstairs with a small
bird in his mouth. I grab some paper towels and head up after him.

I coax him out from under the bed and gently take the bird from his
mouth. Much to my surprise, it's making some chirping noises but looks
in a bad way with some blood around. I take it outside and rub it's
little head while mustering the resolve to step on it and put it out
of its misery. Instead, it jumps up, and flies right up into one of
the trees and disappears from sight.

So, a happy ending for the bird and me. Espy, not so happy, is
upstairs looking for the bird. Eventually he comes out, goes into his
favorite hiding place (just under the steps leading down from the
deck) and sits patiently waiting for the next bird that comes within
range.

"dgk" wrote in message
...
I have a small fenced in backyard so the cats can go out. We were
watching the French Open final when the Significant Other yells that
Espy has a bird, and sure enough he's heading upstairs with a small
bird in his mouth. I grab some paper towels and head up after him.

I coax him out from under the bed and gently take the bird from his
mouth. Much to my surprise, it's making some chirping noises but looks
in a bad way with some blood around. I take it outside and rub it's
little head while mustering the resolve to step on it and put it out
of its misery. Instead, it jumps up, and flies right up into one of
the trees and disappears from sight.

So, a happy ending for the bird and me. Espy, not so happy, is
upstairs looking for the bird. Eventually he comes out, goes into his
favorite hiding place (just under the steps leading down from the
deck) and sits patiently waiting for the next bird that comes within
range.

It's an aspect of cats I find difficult because I love birds. When KFC &
Boyfie adopted me I stopped having a birdtable as it was a trap.
I am, however, very happy if he gets little ratties and sometimes I ask why.
They have a right to live, after all.
But I am required by law to control them.
He caught five recently but the ones who escaped I saw today. Time for the
terriers.
I have to make sure Boyfie is in the house when they come otherwise they
will kill him. They kill everything in their path.

On Mon, 06 Jun 2011 20:42:11 +0100, Judith Latham
wrote:

In article ,
dgk wrote:
I have a small fenced in backyard so the cats can go out. We were
watching the French Open final when the Significant Other yells that
Espy has a bird, and sure enough he's heading upstairs with a small
bird in his mouth. I grab some paper towels and head up after him.

I coax him out from under the bed and gently take the bird from his
mouth. Much to my surprise, it's making some chirping noises but looks
in a bad way with some blood around. I take it outside and rub it's
little head while mustering the resolve to step on it and put it out
of its misery. Instead, it jumps up, and flies right up into one of
the trees and disappears from sight.

So, a happy ending for the bird and me. Espy, not so happy, is
upstairs looking for the bird. Eventually he comes out, goes into his
favorite hiding place (just under the steps leading down from the
deck) and sits patiently waiting for the next bird that comes within
range.


Well done for saving the bird.

This reminds me of one occasion when Sweep (RB) had got a bird in the
garden. i made her drop it and brought her inside. I watched the bird for
about 15 minutes but it didn't move. I went out to check it and it was
still alive. i considered but it into a plastic bag and suffocating it but
wimped out and let sweep out to finish the job. She knew I was watching
her from the window and although she wanted to get the bird, she also knew
that I didn't like her to get birds. (She always tried to please me.) So I
went upstairs to watch. She circled the bird from about two feet way for
about 5 minutes. Then the temptation was too great and she pounced. the
bird had obviously recovered by then and just as Sweep pounced it flew
away. sweep was so angry. I don't know if it was because the bird got away
or that she'd done something I didn't like.

Judith

I'm betting it's because the bird got away. They like and respect us
but I think that they're just hard-wired to go for birds.

On Mon, 6 Jun 2011 21:08:55 +0100, "Christina Websell"
wrote:


"dgk" wrote in message
.. .
I have a small fenced in backyard so the cats can go out. We were
watching the French Open final when the Significant Other yells that
Espy has a bird, and sure enough he's heading upstairs with a small
bird in his mouth. I grab some paper towels and head up after him.

I coax him out from under the bed and gently take the bird from his
mouth. Much to my surprise, it's making some chirping noises but looks
in a bad way with some blood around. I take it outside and rub it's
little head while mustering the resolve to step on it and put it out
of its misery. Instead, it jumps up, and flies right up into one of
the trees and disappears from sight.

So, a happy ending for the bird and me. Espy, not so happy, is
upstairs looking for the bird. Eventually he comes out, goes into his
favorite hiding place (just under the steps leading down from the
deck) and sits patiently waiting for the next bird that comes within
range.

It's an aspect of cats I find difficult because I love birds. When KFC &
Boyfie adopted me I stopped having a birdtable as it was a trap.
I am, however, very happy if he gets little ratties and sometimes I ask why.
They have a right to live, after all.
But I am required by law to control them.
He caught five recently but the ones who escaped I saw today. Time for the
terriers.
I have to make sure Boyfie is in the house when they come otherwise they
will kill him. They kill everything in their path.



I have a birdbath out all summer, and in winter I have a feeder as
well as a heated birdbath. The cats aren't out that often in the
winter but there are some times that the birds wait for a few hours
for the cats to be called inside.

With four cats, the odds are pretty good that at least one bird gets
nailed during each year. That is about the average I'd say; it is a
fairly rare event. Still, I keep lots of them alive all winter so it
more than balances out.

I do have an issue with the bird groups who are attacking TNR (trap,
neuter, return) as a way to handle the cat population. They have no
guts. The real problem for birds is the habitat destruction caused by
the overwhelming growth of the human population, not the toll that
cats take. But the bird groups don't want to attack human
overpopulation so the gutless cowards go after those of us trying to
humanely handle outside cats.

On Tue, 7 Jun 2011 13:26:53 -0700 (PDT), hopitus
wrote:

On Jun 7, 7:41*am, dgk wrote:
On Mon, 6 Jun 2011 21:08:55 +0100, "Christina Websell"





wrote:

"dgk" wrote in message
.. .
I have a small fenced in backyard so the cats can go out. We were
watching the French Open final when the Significant Other yells that
Espy has a bird, and sure enough he's heading upstairs with a small
bird in his mouth. I grab some paper towels and head up after him.

I coax him out from under the bed and gently take the bird from his
mouth. Much to my surprise, it's making some chirping noises but looks
in a bad way with some blood around. I take it outside and rub it's
little head while mustering the resolve to step on it and put it out
of its misery. Instead, it jumps up, and flies right up into one of
the trees and disappears from sight.

So, a happy ending for the bird and me. Espy, not so happy, is
upstairs looking for the bird. Eventually he comes out, goes into his
favorite hiding place (just under the steps leading down from the
deck) and sits patiently waiting for the next bird that comes within
range.

It's an aspect of cats I find difficult because I love birds. *When KFC &
Boyfie adopted me I stopped having a birdtable as it was a trap.
I am, however, very happy if he gets little ratties and sometimes I ask why.
They have a right to live, after all.
But I am required by law to control them.
He caught five recently but the ones who escaped I saw today. *Time for the
terriers.
I have to make sure Boyfie is in the house when they come otherwise they
will kill him. *They kill everything in their path.

I have a birdbath out all summer, and in winter I have a feeder as
well as a heated birdbath. The cats aren't out that often in the
winter but there are some times that the birds wait for a few hours
for the cats to be called inside.

With four cats, the odds are pretty good that at least one bird gets
nailed during each year. That is about the average I'd say; it is a
fairly rare event. Still, I keep lots of them alive all winter so it
more than balances out.

I do have an issue with the bird groups who are attacking TNR (trap,
neuter, return) as a way to handle the cat population. They have no
guts. The real problem for birds is the habitat destruction caused by
the overwhelming growth of the human population, not the toll that
cats take. But the bird groups don't want to attack human
overpopulation so the gutless cowards go after those of us trying to
humanely handle outside cats.

Here in MileHigh there is a ton of local money behind the TNR
"groups" who never mention *birds* at all...they also keep adoptable
ferals
in the huge shelters here, backed financially by some of the biggest
names
in MileHigh society (such as it is) and NFL owners, etc. So maybe I
would
call them TN, not TNR groups.All about cat welfare, not birds.
I dunno what the bird groups are saying where you are; not disagreeing
with
what you say at all. Only birds I like are owls and parrots, neither
of which
cats are likely to consume as prey snacks.

Oh, I'm pretty partial to birds. But yes, parrots and owls are most
unlikely to be a snack for a cat. More likely the other way.

On 6.6.2011 22:42, Judith Latham wrote:


Well done for saving the bird.

This reminds me of one occasion when Sweep (RB) had got a bird in the
garden. i made her drop it and brought her inside. I watched the bird for
about 15 minutes but it didn't move. I went out to check it and it was
still alive. i considered but it into a plastic bag and suffocating it but
wimped out and let sweep out to finish the job. She knew I was watching
her from the window and although she wanted to get the bird, she also knew
that I didn't like her to get birds. (She always tried to please me.) So I
went upstairs to watch. She circled the bird from about two feet way for
about 5 minutes. Then the temptation was too great and she pounced. the
bird had obviously recovered by then and just as Sweep pounced it flew
away. sweep was so angry. I don't know if it was because the bird got away
or that she'd done something I didn't like.


Nikki was an avid hunter, and she also caugfht birds. At first, I'd tell
her off each time she brought me a bird. She stopped bringing them, and
I wondered if she'd really stopped catching them. Then I found her stash
of dead birds, whole and half-eaten. She'd just stopped bringing them to
me. Deep down, I'd known that there's no point trying to ward a cat off
its natural prey.

Birds (and small rodents) are cute, but I think we can console ourselves
with the knowledge that they are about in the middle of the food chain.
They reproduce in huge numbers for the very reason that a large part of
them will become food for others who are higher on the food chain. This
is just how ecology works. And where there are humans, they have most
probably displaced the birds' natural enemies, so it's just as well that
these humans have cats who take care of the culling of birds and rodents.

--
Marina, Miranda and Caliban.
In loving memory of Frank and Nikki.

On Thu, 09 Jun 2011 06:46:11 +0300, Marina
wrote:

On 6.6.2011 22:42, Judith Latham wrote:


Well done for saving the bird.

This reminds me of one occasion when Sweep (RB) had got a bird in the
garden. i made her drop it and brought her inside. I watched the bird for
about 15 minutes but it didn't move. I went out to check it and it was
still alive. i considered but it into a plastic bag and suffocating it but
wimped out and let sweep out to finish the job. She knew I was watching
her from the window and although she wanted to get the bird, she also knew
that I didn't like her to get birds. (She always tried to please me.) So I
went upstairs to watch. She circled the bird from about two feet way for
about 5 minutes. Then the temptation was too great and she pounced. the
bird had obviously recovered by then and just as Sweep pounced it flew
away. sweep was so angry. I don't know if it was because the bird got away
or that she'd done something I didn't like.


Nikki was an avid hunter, and she also caugfht birds. At first, I'd tell
her off each time she brought me a bird. She stopped bringing them, and
I wondered if she'd really stopped catching them. Then I found her stash
of dead birds, whole and half-eaten. She'd just stopped bringing them to
me. Deep down, I'd known that there's no point trying to ward a cat off
its natural prey.

Birds (and small rodents) are cute, but I think we can console ourselves
with the knowledge that they are about in the middle of the food chain.
They reproduce in huge numbers for the very reason that a large part of
them will become food for others who are higher on the food chain. This
is just how ecology works. And where there are humans, they have most
probably displaced the birds' natural enemies, so it's just as well that
these humans have cats who take care of the culling of birds and rodents.

Well, then I can report that none of my four mostly indoor cats has
nailed a bird recently except for Espy. However, on Wednesday I found
a large dead bird on the walkway leading to my house. Most assuredly
it did not die of old age and instead got nailed by Baby or one of the
other outdoor cats.

Then yesterday there was a small dead bird (also not from old age) by
the garage door. I suspect that Baby is showing her appreciation for
my feeding her and providing her nice box home. So, within a few days,
Espy nails one (that lived) and Baby and her outside friends nailed
two more.

A bad week for the birds around my house. This is really unusual.
Maybe the heat is causing the birds to become disoriented or
something.

"dgk" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 6 Jun 2011 21:08:55 +0100, "Christina Websell"
wrote:




I have a birdbath out all summer, and in winter I have a feeder as
well as a heated birdbath. The cats aren't out that often in the
winter but there are some times that the birds wait for a few hours
for the cats to be called inside.

With four cats, the odds are pretty good that at least one bird gets
nailed during each year. That is about the average I'd say; it is a
fairly rare event. Still, I keep lots of them alive all winter so it
more than balances out.

I do have an issue with the bird groups who are attacking TNR (trap,
neuter, return) as a way to handle the cat population. They have no
guts. The real problem for birds is the habitat destruction caused by
the overwhelming growth of the human population, not the toll that
cats take. But the bird groups don't want to attack human
overpopulation so the gutless cowards go after those of us trying to
humanely handle outside cats.

I am on a bird group and it's very difficult to defend my position about
having a cat.
Yes, Boyfie has killed birds but mainly he kills the baby ratties around my
chicken huts which is more than useful.
He has not killed a bird since he was hunting for Kitty Farmcat, those
collared doves were all she would eat.
He does bring in little rodents for me to eat.

dgk wrote:

I do have an issue with the bird groups who are attacking TNR (trap,
neuter, return) as a way to handle the cat population. They have no
guts. The real problem for birds is the habitat destruction caused by
the overwhelming growth of the human population, not the toll that
cats take. But the bird groups don't want to attack human
overpopulation so the gutless cowards go after those of us trying to
humanely handle outside cats.

And they're wrong. TNR helps to keep feline populations *down* - that'd
be the "N" part of TNR. That's better for birds, not worse. Whereas if you
just kill all the ferals in an area, other cats will eventually come along
and fill that niche. A stable population that continues to occupy that
space would prevent that.

It's typical for people to go after the group that has the least power.
Let's see... real estate developers? Or a few cat ladies?

Joyce

--
Whenever you feel anger, you should say, "May I be free of this
anger!" This rarely works, but talking to yourself in public will
encourage others to leave you alone.

"Christina Websell" wrote:

"dgk" wrote in message
...

I am on a bird group and it's very difficult to defend my position
about
having a cat.
Yes, Boyfie has killed birds but mainly he kills the baby ratties
around my
chicken huts which is more than useful.
He has not killed a bird since he was hunting for Kitty Farmcat, those

collared doves were all she would eat.
He does bring in little rodents for me to eat.





Did you watch Sprinwatch last night? There was a study by the BTO which
said feeding birds, even where cats lived, gave no rise to predation.
I've noticed myself on the rare occasions Baggy catches birds he gets
them next door where they aren't fed.

--
Adrian