and for the waxe part....

on a similar vein , mrs bhd and i were walking last weekend and came across a rabbit ( promptly named Andy ) without the use of his hind legs. we shuffled and stalled trying to think of what to do when it became clear said rabbit was heading for a burrow. so we , or rather i , picked him up and placed him near the entrance ...he shuffled along a couple of inches and slid into burrow on his own.
probably not the best thing , but at least he was home and among his own kind.not covered in pastry baking on a low heat , with roast pots , peas , carrots and gravy.or outside , frightened and being devoured by a fox.

Well, that was just giving him a death sentence, because while birds do not really mind the smell of humans, rabbits do! Afraid Andy will now be rejected.. Poor Andy..

So, there I was ironing away and my cat, having been resting on the terrace in the sun, came running in, quick as a flash. She then started chasing what looked likes a baby sparrow (although the colouring is not quite that of a sparrow).

I managed to get the bird back out onto the terrace out of the reach of my cat and from what I can see, the bird is unharmed. But I am now in a dilemma as to what to do. I've left some food and water out and there is plenty of shade for the bird to rest, but I am concerned that as it's likely to be a youngen, it wont quite have the skill to fly out. I live on the top floor, with a long drop below. The terrace is fenced off with wire mesh (to stop the cat getting on the roof).

Any suggestions?

start boiling some water with some stock cubes??

it will be unable to feed itself or fly, so will unfortunately die.

Return the bird to your poor cat.

highly tempted... just to shut my cat up. i've not heard her meow as much and scratch to get at it.

last time this happened, it was a bird of prey and ive never seen my cat so frightened. she cat hid under the sofa til the bird flew back out!

update on the bird is that it's trying to "fly" up to the edge of the flower pots. if it can get high enough, it might have the sense to flit onto the wire fencing and hopefully escape that way. we'll see.

Why don't you bring that bird outside? You know put it under a tree or somewhere protected. I know another cat could find it ... still it is an idea isn't it. It'll only exhaust itself trying to fly out that balcony.

Thanks Sada, I would have done that for sure, but as it is... Success..

So, it managed to hop up to a window basket and jump through the hole in the fencing. I watched at it made it's way to the edge of the roof. it waited for a few mins and then flew off. well, i say flew off, it took to the air. i didnt see it land, but i did see it hopping on the path far below. it then hopped off into the undergrowth. i just hope a cat doesn't have it for dinner!

fingers crossed it makes it to adulthood.