# Cockapoocat?



## weez74 (Feb 9, 2011)

Rosie disappeared into the garden yesterday lunchtime and didn't come back for ages, so I went out to see what mischief she was getting into. I could see her in the middle of the kid's bit of the garden, going a bit crazy and playing with something, flipping it up in the air and chasing it. When I called her, she wouldn't come, so I knew it was something exciting/illicit and presumed it was maybe some clothes off the washing line or something the kids had left outside by mistake. 

When I got closer, I could see it was a freshly killed bird - an adult starling! There were no feathers lying around and the bird didn't look damaged in any way (apart from being dead, poor thing), so it didn't look like Rosie had disturbed a cat attack (my neighbours cats are thugs). I couldn't imagine that she would be that excited by a dead bird that she just found on the floor so my only explanation is........................Rosie is a bird killer.

But I can't imagine her being quiet enough or sneaky enough to be able to catch a bird. She's such a big clumsy ball of fluff! She regularly chases birds and gets very excited by them, but generally she can't get within about 20 ft of them before they fly away. She also sometimes comes into the house carrying bits of birds, but it's usually quite clear that they've been dead a while and so were probably killed by the cats next door and then found by Rosie. What do you reckon?


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## wilfiboy (Sep 18, 2010)

Can just imagine her lol... not sure, like you say you would nt think she'd be able to sneak up on it. I would assume that she found it dead but maybe she did catch it ... there 'll be mice next


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## caradunne (Nov 29, 2010)

I wouldn't think it is impossible for her to catch it, my very old cat still managed it sometimes. Some birds get so involved in what they are doing they make themselves targets. However, we found a decapitated black bird in our garden and the thought that Izzy had killed it crossed my mind briefly. Later we saw a sparrow hawk catch one and fly off with it, so I think it had been dropped into our garden - do you have sparrow hawks around you? It is amazing to watch, they just sit on the stone wall and suddenly swoop and catch/lift off/steal a bird. xx


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## weez74 (Feb 9, 2011)

I've never seen a sparrowhawk, Cara, but we're in a little village in the country, so it's possible I guess. Would it have no marks on it - how do they catch them? I guess if it's with their feet, then they would die without being too mangled, wouldn't they? Because this little fella didn't have any visible sings of anything! Despite Rosie mauling him!


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## wilfiboy (Sep 18, 2010)

Abit like Mable and her ickle rabbit :bunny3:


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## Mez-UK (May 4, 2011)

Its more than likely Rosie mugged the cat from next door! the cat had probably caught it (they don't always do damage) and crossed your garden only to be greeted my Rosie who said woof give me your dinner!!! so no Bird killer just a Cat Mugger........


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## parapluie (Dec 22, 2010)

cat mugger ahahahah :laugh:


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## tessybear (May 1, 2011)

My cav caught a pigeon once. He was so shocked he didn't know what to do with it. He also caught next door's rabbit and just played with it although the poor thing was absolutely terrified although it survived the experience!


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## caradunne (Nov 29, 2010)

I love the cat mugger idea! The sparrow hawk just swoops down in flight and grabs the bird with its feet - all in one movement without landing, quite amazing to watch them. I guess you will never know unless you regularly find Rosie with a bird! xx


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## francesjl (Mar 24, 2011)

Maybe the bird flew into a window and killed itself - we've had the odd one accidentally fly into a window and do just that !


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## wilfiboy (Sep 18, 2010)

francesjl said:


> Maybe the bird flew into a window and killed itself - we've had the odd one accidentally fly into a window and do just that !


Possible suicide


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## weez74 (Feb 9, 2011)

Heh, all good possibilities! Rosie went hell for leather up the garden yesterday after one of the neighbour's cats. so I think the cat mugger idea might be the right one. We live in an old house with small windows, it would have to be one heck of a stupid bird to fly into those!


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## Mrs Stevo (May 2, 2011)

parapluie said:


> cat mugger ahahahah :laugh:


How funny although I did come home today to find a mouse having taken refuge in the empty dog crate as the cats were unable to get it I love my cats but they are a pair of thugs!!!! I have them on NI food now as I hoped it might cut down on the local wildlife losses but doesnt seem to have worked


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## weez74 (Feb 9, 2011)

Mrs Stevo said:


> How funny although I did come home today to find a mouse having taken refuge in the empty dog crate as the cats were unable to get it I love my cats but they are a pair of thugs!!!! I have them on NI food now as I hoped it might cut down on the local wildlife losses but doesnt seem to have worked


Ah, it's all part of nature, I guess. I'd just rather not have to deal with the mess afterwards....


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