I think I've saved a life today

[Kleiber]

My young cat, Cleo, came in this afternoon with a baby bird in her jaws! K. Jnr and I managed to get it away from her, with no apparent damage, apart from shock (poor little thing!). At first, I thought it was a baby siskin, but it was soaking wet and very bedraggled, so it was difficult to tell. Anyway, I popped it in a little box and put it on top of the Rayburn to warm up and try to get it over the shock, and after a few minutes, it started to flutter and turn its head. I left it a wee while longer and then I took it outside and put it under the bird feeding station and it flew on to a twig by the dry stone wall. I've been going out to check it and now that it's drying out and fluffing up a bit, I can see that it's a baby blue tit. It's now in a little hollow in the wall, sheltered from the weather and from predators (hopefully! All the cats are now in, btw), and its parents are around, so I'm hoping it'll make it. It seems to be OK, so hopefully it'll go up higher tonight & be safe. Just thought I'd share this with you. K xx

[Kleiber]

Update ; 7.05p.m. Just been out to check on the little guy and he's come out from the wall and flown on to the fat ball feeder, mum & dad and the rest of the family are there too, and they've now gone off into the trees. I'm SO chuffed!!!

[puddicat]

well done like u love watching the birds and would have done the same!

[alfieblue]

Dear Kleiber - what a lovely message. Am so pleased the wee baby has recovered - what a happy ending!! :o) xxxx

[bensmum]

Well done Kleiber - I love watching the birds too and I expect you were back and forth making sure he was alright. You must be relieved that its parents are with it now.

[Kleiber]

Oh, yes, I was back & forth all right!! Anyway, the latest is that he's back with his family and there's a lot of tweeting going on up in the ash tree! Funny, I went out just now and there were 3 baby blue tits on the feeder, 2 of them flew away when I got close but one stayed. He looked a bit tatty and bedraggled and he just looked at me, but didn't fly away for a few moments. D'you think he was saying "thanks"?

[bensmum]

That is really lovely - I should take that as him saying thank you!

[BillySugger]

You might have pi$$ed your cat off though, bringing you little pressies is her way of saying thanks

[Kleiber]

No, Billy, they just want to bring things indoors so's another predator won't steal their prey from them. Cleo's not too worried, she's asleep on a chair at the moment! I'm so glad the little fella made it after his traumatic ordeal.

[josaphine32]

It is lovely when you manage to save something, our little monster brought home a baby rabbit, we managed to save it and kept it in a box in the dark for an hour to get over the shock, we then released it in the field behind our house, we did give the little chap a good frontline first, and he raced off

[Jugglering]

Wow Kleiber, that's brilliant news ! I am amazed the wee thing didn't die of shock and that the parents didn't abandon it, phew ! If Cleo doesn't have a bell on her collar, it's time to attach one (or three !).

[Kleiber]

Josaphine, I think it's lovely when you can save something's life. Just by keeping it warm & quiet, it helps it to get over the shock, doesn't it?
Oh, Jugglering, i wish I could put a collar on Cleo (when we lived in Surrey, my cats always had collars with bells attached), but where we live now it would be too dangerous for her. When we first moved here, Cassie & Romy had collars, but then Cass got hers caught up in a stock fence and got very upset when she couldn't get free. I know they're supposed to be easy for the cat to get out from, but I've found they're not. I just keep the young'uns in when I'm at work and only let them out for an hour every morning and every evening while there are baby birds about - it lessens the risk to the birds. The 3 older girls aren't interested in catching anything (well, maybe the odd mouse!) but the youngsters are little devils, especially Cleo - she just spends hours sitting under the bird feeder!!