Our cat "Tom" killed another pigeon about 2 weeks ago.
I was going to let him out side to play around in the garden as he likes to do whilst supervised by me.
He had not been out in the garden since the incident with Two-Tone, the last pigeon he injured and was put down.
I still cant believe what happened it all happened so fast.
The garden was clear of pigeons, but as I opened the back door one of the newest babies "Jonny" landed on the path about 10 feet from the door just as I opened it and Tom dashed out at him. Jonny just made it into the air in time to escape as Tom leaped into the air and just touched Jonny as he took off. But Jonny came down again about 8 feet away and Tom was on him in an instant. I rushed over and got tom off Jonny, Jonny flew off in a mad dash and crashed into the fence at full speed, fluttered to the ground and lay dead. It was so quick, I believe Toms first bite must have been so hard it punctured right into Jonny's body and lungs as there was blood coming from his beak. He must have died more or less instantly and the short flight into the fence was reflex.
Its natural for a cat to hunt these birds, but I still feel to blame for opening the door to let Tom out.
Jonny's sister "Baby Grace", named after her mother "Grace" as she looks so like her mum, is still around and doing well.
Stevie is still around and tries hard to land on your hand when ever we are in the garden, as well as the other surviving pigeons who have been born on our garden.
Most if not all of the interlopers have dispersed since I have not been feeding them on a regular basis.
All feeding has stopped and the 2 bird houses have been closed off for some time now but George and Grace, and Ivory and Ebony are still guarding them jealously.
I feel its a pity we cant let them continue to use the bird houses I made, where they built their nests and made their home, seeing them there saddens me. But seeing them injured by Tom is worse so I need to encourage them to all go.
Having a wild life friendly garden and keeping cats do not go together.
Mike
I was going to let him out side to play around in the garden as he likes to do whilst supervised by me.
He had not been out in the garden since the incident with Two-Tone, the last pigeon he injured and was put down.
I still cant believe what happened it all happened so fast.
The garden was clear of pigeons, but as I opened the back door one of the newest babies "Jonny" landed on the path about 10 feet from the door just as I opened it and Tom dashed out at him. Jonny just made it into the air in time to escape as Tom leaped into the air and just touched Jonny as he took off. But Jonny came down again about 8 feet away and Tom was on him in an instant. I rushed over and got tom off Jonny, Jonny flew off in a mad dash and crashed into the fence at full speed, fluttered to the ground and lay dead. It was so quick, I believe Toms first bite must have been so hard it punctured right into Jonny's body and lungs as there was blood coming from his beak. He must have died more or less instantly and the short flight into the fence was reflex.
Its natural for a cat to hunt these birds, but I still feel to blame for opening the door to let Tom out.
Jonny's sister "Baby Grace", named after her mother "Grace" as she looks so like her mum, is still around and doing well.
Stevie is still around and tries hard to land on your hand when ever we are in the garden, as well as the other surviving pigeons who have been born on our garden.
Most if not all of the interlopers have dispersed since I have not been feeding them on a regular basis.
All feeding has stopped and the 2 bird houses have been closed off for some time now but George and Grace, and Ivory and Ebony are still guarding them jealously.
I feel its a pity we cant let them continue to use the bird houses I made, where they built their nests and made their home, seeing them there saddens me. But seeing them injured by Tom is worse so I need to encourage them to all go.
Having a wild life friendly garden and keeping cats do not go together.
Mike
