ID help

[valleyfarmman]

Hi all,

This is a bit of a grizzly first ever post (I've been on the site many, many times - tons of great info), but would appreciate any advice...and apologise in advice if photo is a little yuk.

Whilst watering the garden this lunchtime, I found the following around the edge of the garden. My initial thought was 'dog mess' (as that's the size it is), but then I realised that there are no dogs nearby (but plenty of cats, including a couple of my own who in a barn on the farm). It looks like a foetus of some kind, attached to entrails/ umbilical. In the last couple of weeks, I've found a couple of dead moles in exactly the same area - these have been completely intact, and I'm guessing that one of my cats has been the culprit. But this is an entirely different matter - too big (thinking about the entrails) for a mole pup, surely? Pretty sure it's a mammal, though. Could it be a kitten? Any thoughts appreciated and I promise my future posts will make nicer viewing (I've a covey of red leg partridges on the farm)


17may.jpg picture by dunnyboycheese - Photobucket

[nightshade]

Kitten and placenta?

[Burko]

My first thought was rabbit guts.

[valleyfarmman]

Thanks, Nightshade.
I wondered that, too. My female cat has been spayed, so it'd have to be a stray...though on a farm on the edge of town, those are fairly common.
Whatever it is, terribly sad.

[valleyfarmman]

maybe on the rabbit guts...but I'm sure I can see a leg in there (and the shape of a head)? My photo is a bit rubbish, I know.

[werdnal]

I would say definately rabbit guts. When our cats were younger and used to hunt rabbits, we quite frequently found these bits left outside. They don't eat them because the contents can make them sick.

[valleyfarmman]

thanks for the responses.
I dug a pair of latex gloves out and got someone to take this snap later...still distinctly unpleasant. Based on what you guys have said, it's sounding as if it's the innards of a rabbit complete with baby, placenta and umbilical.

Nice photos will follow as the summer progresses, I promise

17thmay2.jpg picture by dunnyboycheese - Photobucket

[Kayleigh]

Could it be mole guts and mole foetus..

[werdnal]

Looking at the size against OP's hand in the latest photo, I think that would be a pretty large mole!

[Burko]

Still looks like rabbit guts.
You could always remove the foetus and take a photo to confirm.