Urgent: Mauled Pigeon

LSainsbury · 18-09-2008, 18:25

Hi all,

Sorry about the urgent tag!

I've just got home to find next doors kitten playing with a pigeon that it has obviously been at eariler in the day.

Mr pigeon is on the ground looking very sorry for himself...any ideas what to do with it?

Yes I know it's vermin....

Cheers

Lee

joglynne · 18-09-2008, 18:29

How about giving your local RSPCA a ring? At the very least they will be able to give you some advise.

Oh forgot to add. Best take it away from the kitten. A cardboard box with some paper in the bottom will act as a holding pen, putting a cover over it so that the pigeon is in the dark should also reduce the amount of stress the bird is under.

WHISTLED · 18-09-2008, 18:29

If its badly injured hold its body firmly in one hand, hold it upside down with its head facing the floor,

Hold the bird round its neck with you finger and thumb in a ring and pull firmly in down in a single motion.

papa smurf · 18-09-2008, 18:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by WHISTLED

If its badly injured hold its body firmly in one hand, hold it upside down with its head facing the floor,

Hold the bird round its neck with you finger and thumb in a ring and pull firmly in down in a single motion.

then remove the breasts and gently pan fry in butter ,leave it a little on the pink side

brundles · 18-09-2008, 18:38

If you don't have a local RSPCA you could give the local vets a ring. Ours is quite good at taking in birds and things and then either patching them up before passing them on to the RSPCA or alternatively (if it's the best thing) putting them down.

At least the pigeon is outside the house. We woke up a few weeks back to find a scene like an exploded pillow and a seriously cheesed off pigeon sitting on the ceiling fan with 5 cats on the ground looking up at it.

LSainsbury · 18-09-2008, 18:40

Sick buggers....

Think I might just let nature take it's course and then hopefully the cat might get it when it's dead and then poison the thing!

WHISTLED · 18-09-2008, 18:57

Sort it out if its wrecked dont just leave an animal to suffer like that.

Mal · 18-09-2008, 19:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by LSainsbury

Sick buggers....

Think I might just leat nature take it's course and then hopefully the cat might get it when it's dead and then poison the thing!

Whistled wasn't being sick in my opinion. If you cannot do anything for it, it might be better to end it now, instead of letting lie there.

LSainsbury · 18-09-2008, 19:40

Well I think it's dead already by the looks of it....pussy must have had it early in the day.

Halcyon · 18-09-2008, 19:53

RIP Mr Pigeon.

Anonymouse · 18-09-2008, 20:31

The RSPCA or a vet will treat it - if it can be treated - even though pigeons are classed as vermin. But after that, you'll have to see to it, as they aren't allowed to release vermin. I had a similar experience with a grey squirrel I found in the road. It must've been hit a glancing blow by a car, as it was still alive. I wouldn't have bothered, as grey squirrels are also vermin (as well as being an introduced species that shouldn't have been), but it was clearly a fighter, so I thought the poor thing deserved a chance.

The next day, I had to pick it up from the vet and release it in a nearby park; off it scampered, apparently little the worse for wear. Job done.

But if the pigeon has been bitten and the cat's saliva has entered its bloodstream, the most a vet will do is put it down, as that'll be all s/he can do. Birds mauled by cats have a very low survival rate owing to infections from cat bites.

**Kymmy** · 18-09-2008, 20:38

I recently had the next door neighbour knock on the door asking if I can deal with a bird he found in his back yard. He's a really nice guy and couldn't harm a fly.

The bird in question was a female blackbird that had hit his shed and had broken it's neck, the poor thing wasn't dead and calling in the rspb/rspca would have been a waste of time and just meant the bird would have suffered more so I dispatched it quickly with a sharp cleaver by removing it's head as I gently held it

First time I've ever killed something that I wasn't gonna eat and it did shake me up a bit but I had to do it than watch it suffering

DaiNasty · 19-09-2008, 16:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kymmy

First time I've ever killed something that I wasn't gonna eat and it did shake me up a bit but I had to do it than watch it suffering

Sometimes it's all you can do. I remember years ago finding a rabbit in the late stages of 'mix'. A swift whack wth a big stick was probably the kindest thing one could do but it was a hard decision for a lad of 15 to make at the time.

handyman · 19-09-2008, 17:02

Our cat must bring in 4 bunnies a week with us living next to a big field. More often than not they are missing a head by the time we get to them so the vet is not an option. Had one the looked like it was taking its last breaths the other night but a swift smack on the wall sorted that.

papa smurf · 19-09-2008, 17:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by handyman

Our cat must bring in 4 bunnies a week with us living next to a big field. More often than not they are missing a head by the time we get to them so the vet is not an option. Had one the looked like it was taking its last breaths the other night but a swift smack on the wall sorted that.

your all heart