RSPCA: What the cat brought in

Friday, 29 July 2011 2:36 PM

Bella, a five-year-old tortoiseshell cat, deposited the nest in Vikki and Wesley Spencer’s house in Taunton just before midnight last Tuesday, July 5.

It was completely intact with a baby goldcrest sitting inside it.

Vikki said: “The nest just looked like a bit of tumbleweed lying on the floor, we didn’t know what it was. While we were all looking at it Bella had gone out again and she came back with the two other birds in her mouth and just dropped them on the floor.

“She looked at Wesley as if to say: ‘that’s my nest, what are you doing with it?!’ I couldn’t believe it.”

Vikki placed the nestlings in an airing cupboard overnight to keep the birds warm and took them to RSPCA West Hatch Wildlife Centre near Taunton the next morning.
Peter Venn, manager at RSPCA West Hatch, said: “Two of the birds sadly died but one of them is doing very well. I’ve not heard of a cat doing anything like this before but that’s not to say it hasn’t happened!”

The remaining goldcrest will be cared for at RSPCA West Hatch until it is old enough to be released into the wild.

The goldcrest is the UK's smallest songbird, with adults standing just 9cm high. These birds are dull green above and buff white below with a distinctive orange or yellow crown stripe. It is found almost wherever there are trees and bushes, especially conifers.

Notes to editors

— For images, interviews and more information please contact the press office on 0300 123 0244/0288

 

RSPCA, Wilberforce Way, Southwater, Horsham, West Sussex RH13 9RS
Press office direct lines: 0300 123 0244/0288 Fax: 0303 123 0099
Duty press officer (evenings and weekends) Tel 08448 222888 and ask for pager number 828825
Email: press@rspca.org.uk Website: www.rspca.org.uk

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• animal welfare
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• rspca