Conference misery::feline_v1

    Perhaps you could call the vet? They might know where to take it.
    Pookie catches mice, shrews, birds, voles and moles. YUK. I hate it
    and I want her to stop. I have tried bells on her collar. I have 
    even tried reading cat psychology books - no good ideas there either.
    The ONLY solution is to not let her out.
    
    Lisa plus Pookie and Rolf.
    

    Call the vet.  Also, in the U.S. there are organizations like
    Wildife Rescue that help wild animals;  perhaps there is a counterpart
    in the U.K.  Or call the local humane society.  But I would call a vet
    first.
    

Thanks for your replies.  Unfortunately, by the time I had returned home it had
passed away, peacefully and undisturbed in a little box in the corner of our 
lounge.   In a way I am relieved because the poor thing seemed so badly hurt 
that he was in agony.  I just hope he didn't have to suffer long, and that the
Sophie doesn't do it again for a while.

The worst part of all was when I buried it in the garden.  10 minutes later I
see Sophie rolling around with it on the grass, and pitching it up 3 feet in
the air!!  I SCREAMED at her in my horrer and ended up having to wrap it up and
throw it in the rubbish bin.  WHile I went to get a bag, Henri had picked it up
and started playing with it.  

It's so awful, but I know it's just their instinct and nothing can really be 
done about it.  I'll just have to keep my fingers crossed.  Next time I'll
contact the vet.  I was wondering about the RSPB, whether they are involved in
this sort of incident?

[Ruth and the two bird killers :-(]

    Hi Ruth,
    
    I've been away a few days & only just saw your note. 
    
    Sorry the bird died especially when it was your first experience
    of this. My two have had birds, mice, shrews, baby rabbits, goldfish
    (someones very expensive carp!) next doors guinea pig.......the
    list is endless. Sometimes they kill them, sometimes they just play
    with them & other times (especially if I'm around) they deposit
    them, live at my feet.
    
    A year or so ago I read a book that attempted to explain why cats
    who are otherwise well fed seem determined to bring their human
    owner such "presents". The theory was that cats see humans as simply
    other (large & somewhat stupid) cats. Mother cats in the wild teach
    their kittens to find food in a systematic way. First they bring
    dead prey to them. Then they bring half dead prey to them for them
    to finish off for themselves. Then they bring live prey etc etc.
    The state in which your cat brings its prey depends on how advanced
    he/she thinks you are. He or she is training you to catch your own
    food! Consequently no cat will ever understand being told off for
    catching something & bringing it to you. He/she will just think
    you're even more stupid!
                            
    I'm not really sure if I believe all this but I will say that by
    not punishing or telling off my cats when they brought something
    dead (or half dead) they did seem encouraged to bring things in
    live. This means I can catch them & let them go again. My biggest
    problem was a fish which one cat carefully brought home still alive!
    (It was raining that day). It lived for nearly four days in a bucket
    while I tried to find someone with a pond to take it as I had no
    idea where it had come from!! I almost went knocking on neighbours
    doors "excuse me is this yours??" but I couldn't summon up the courage
    as it was an expensive carp.
    
    Anyhow I hope you don't get too many poor creatures half dead deposited
    at your feet, but if you do, my advice is to make a fuss of your
    cat anyway.
    
    Rosemary, Pip & Domino (still hiding from the neighbours who lost
    their guinea pig)
    

	On one of the rare occaisions that my cats brought in a bird, I
	took it to the wildlife rehabilitation centre.

	They said that if the bird was small (it was a sparrow) there's nothing 
	that can be done for them if thier skin has been pierced.
	They are too small to recover from the infection and fright. The best 
	thing to do for the bird is to break its neck - this is kinder in the 
	longrun, as they won't suffer a lingering death.

	If the bird is larger - pigeon size - it has a much larger chance of
	survival, and it's worth trying to save.
    
	You are not going to stop the cats from trying to catch them if they're
	that way inclined.

	I am thankfull that my two concentrate on catching garden worms, 
	spiders, elastic bands and leaves.

	Heather