Help! My cat hurt my bird!

[zebrafinch13]

I have two Zebra Finches. One is older, around eight years old and the other is five years old. Earlier this morning, around six in the morning, they started to fly around the cage frantically for no apparent reason. I checked on them and they were fine. At that moment, my cat was asleep on my dresser. I checked on them a few more times during the next half hour, they were still both in the cage but occasionally getting frantic for no apparent reason. My cat wasn't really concerned with them.

At six-thirty in the the morning, they became frantic again. I got up to check on them again, and my cat was standing around six inches from my older zebra finch. She was on the ground. I grabbed the cat, and my sister picked up my bird and put her back in her cage. I have no idea how my bird got out of my cage. The doors of the cage were shut, and she couldn't have gotten out through the bars. My cat isn't allowed in my room anymore, but I am very worried about my bird. My cat didn't bite her, but he did scratch her.

She remained on the cage floor for around a half hour, and then went to one of the lower perches. It has been a few hours since she was wounded, and I have been able to identify where her injuries are. She has a wound on her chest, two small ones on her back, and a small injury on the underside of her wing. There was some blood on the perch where she was sitting, and now my bird has once again gone to the floor of her cage.

I put some food and water on the floor, and she has eaten. I am very worried about her, is there anything else I should be doing? Will she be alright?

[lovezebs]

zebrafinch13

Oh dear, that's not good.

If you have an avian Vet, my first advice would be to take her in.

If however you don't, it might be a battle to save her life.

The first issue, is the injuries themselves, and if she's still bleeding, then how much ? (as in, might she bleed out).

Second issue, is shock. With the attack and these injuries, and the loss of blood, she may very well go into shock and die.

Thirdly, one has to worry about infection, that will set in.

Ok...

Get some supplies ready.

Clean Warm water, clean gauze (clean make up pads will do as well), hydrogen peroxide, polysporin, q-tips, kleenex, small scissors.

Pick up your bird very gently (remember she's terrified and hurting like hell). As gently as you can, assess her injuries.

Where is she bleeding from, and how much? If she's bleeding profusely (an arterial bleed), then just keep her warm and comfortable and let her go in peace (there's nothing you can really do).

If she's just spotting a bit, then it's not so bad.

[lovezebs]

zebrafinch13

Mix a bit of hydrogen peroxide with warm water (50/50), and very gently clean the cuts (they will bleed a bit). With kleenex, dry the wounds.

With q tip, apply a bit of polysprin to each wound.

Place your bird in a small cage if you have one, with a warm light over her. A desk lamp with a 40-60 bulb will do.

[lovezebs]

zebrafinch13

Keep a close eye on her in the next little while.

Offer a very shallow dish of water close to where she can readily reach it.

[lovezebs]

zebrafinch13

If she's still with us after a couple of hours, cover one half of the cage with a small towel to offer her some shade if she wants it.

Place some of her favorite food near by, but don't panic if she doesn't eat for a while.

Good luck my friend, and I hope she pulls through .

[zebrafinch13]

She was actually injured six hours ago, almost seven hours. Since she is a Zebra Finch, there really isn't much a vet can do for her. She has stopped bleeding, and doesn't appear to be in shock anymore, is there any way to prevent her from having an infection without scaring her more?

She has eaten something, but is sitting on the bottom of her cage. I lowered one of her perches so she could climb up off the ground, which she did. But she only stayed on the perch for around an hour, before returning to the ground. One of her legs is splayed, but since she hurt her side and wing, she may just be trying not to use that leg and stay balanced.

[Flight Feathers]

Oh no! Zebra finches are very delicate birds I find, I have lots heaps of zebra finches in this past year but I hope that yours recovers. Best of luck!

[lovezebs]

zebrafinch13

The wounds need to be cleaned and treated with some sort of antibiotic cream to prevent infection from setting in.

The only other way to prevent infection, is to get antibiotics from a Vet.

Sadly, without some treatment, infection will more than likely set in, causing death.

[zebrafinch13]

Is there anyway to prevent infection without touching her? She is very easily frightened, and I don't want to cause her anymore stress. She has gone back onto a perch, and I have changed the cage floor, in case she decides to sit on the floor again.

It has been fifteen hours since the attack. I have installed a lock on my door to prevent my cat from entering my room. Now he is sleeping in one of my bookshelves.

[lovezebs]

zebrafinch13

Well, good luck.

Hope she makes it.

[Sally]

Warmth is always good for a sick or injured bird. You can supply heat with a heat lamp, which can be as simple as a gooseneck desk lamp with a 60w bulb pointed at one end of the cage. Make sure that the bird can get away from the heat if she needs to.

The cat likely pulled the bird through the bars, it happens.

Good luck, but cat bites are pretty serious for little birds.

[zebrafinch13]

She's still alive and it's been 27 hours. we are going to buy some medication for the inevitable infection and although she perched throughout the night she has gone back down to the cage floor this morning.

[lovezebs]

zebrafinch13

Strong little girl.

Good luck!

[Fraza]

zebrafinch13 hope she keeps doing well and indeed elena she sounds like a right warrior

Has she got plenty of food and water source near that lower perch so she doesn’t have to worry about moving to much

[wilkifam]

Cat Paws can fit through 3/8" bars.........