Goldfinch -help!

[Lily]

Hi guys,

My cat managed to pounce on one of the goldfinches which frequents our garden last night. I quickly took it from him and the bird was surprisingly lacking in obvious injuries (no blood around the mouth or otherwise, wings not obviously broken). Anyway, the bird was obviously stunned so I put it in an old cage over night with some straw etc and this morning it seems very perky and hops around the garden but it still can't fly!
I know if the cats have maimed a bird the kindest thing to do is put it out of it's misery but this one just seems so perky. What is normal to do in this situation? Could I just take it and leave it with my local vet because it's a wild animal?

Any advice would be great, thanks.

[Za]

Hi Lily, have a look here and try to find somewhere local to you that may be able to take it and look after it

UK WILDLIFE CENTRES

Good luck!

Za

[AshLee]

Do you have a wild animal rescue centre within traveling distance? They should be able to help.

[Lily]

Thanks, I've found somewhere. I just need them to answer their telephone now!

[Chas]

Shame that you allowed your cat to take the bird in the first place. It always amazes me when it's just taken for granted that cats take birds and owners don't appear to take any responsibility or blame whatsoever. I hope you can find a way of stopping your cat in the future.

[Lily]

I ALLOWED my cat to take it? I don't find this very fair actually. I am a zoologist and I fully understand that domesticated animals have a huge negative impact on the wild fauna. If my cat was bringing in animals left, right and centre then I'd most certainly be having more of an ethical dilemma about whether or not to keep cats in the future.
However I do own a cat, it's worn a bell in the past which has not seemed to have an effect and it still managed to catch birds from time to time, equally it caught this bird in the mid afternoon so keeping my cat in at dawn and dusk as is sometimes recommended wouldn't have helped.
Additionally I am taking responsibility for this, if I weren't I would surely have let the cat kill the bird or not looked after the birds welfare after rescuing it and posted on this board asking for more help. I didn't post on here to be attacked for trying to help.

[Chas]

I am not going to get in to an argument about this, your cat took a bird, just one of the possibly millions every year, who cares? Well I do. As usual you, as a cat owner will always find an excuse and justification. As a zoologist you should know that cats eat birds and perhaps resisted the temptation to own one if you cant control it. I am personally sick and tired of dealing with injured and dead birds in and around my garden, taken by neighbours cats who always take the line that it is natural behaviour. I watched a cat take 3 newly fledged Robins only last month and it sickened me, not for the first time. Please don't try and justify it. Just control your animal.

[posie]

..Hi Lily, have you had any luck finding somewhere for the bird..I quite agree with what you have said in your last post, don't let the comments of the minority put you off WAB, it happens all the time, the comments on cat V bird problems, but only from a few... As I said in a previous thread, there should be a warning for people in your situation when coming onto WAB...'''Make sure you say it was somebody else's cat''' ...Posie..

[Lily]

Thanks Posie. I guess if I'm clutching at straws I can say that its my parents cat anyway and we did get it before I'd gained any real knowledge on the subject (I was only 15 after all!)
I didn't come on here to condone anything about my cat taking wildlife. I know it's wrong and I know it's not natural because they are domesticated animals but what's done is done and I now have to deal with the consequences.
I rang the vets yesterday but all they said is that they'd probably only put it down anyway. I found a rescue centre locally (I don't have a car so it needs to be bus-able) but I've been calling and calling and can't get a reply. The next nearest is ages away. I'm going to keep trying today but I'm kind of at a loss now! The bird is eating and drinking so I hope it's not under too much stress but I'd like to get it sorted today really for it's sake.

[Jonners]

Lily, Well done you for caring enough to rescue the bird, for coming on here to try and find some help, and for trying your best to do what you can. I hope you manage to get through on the phone.