Reserve Cat is amazingly soft-mouthed. At least that's the only explanation I have for his ability to bring home large birds, unwounded.
Fortunately, this one was a grackle, a "trash" bird that I particularly detest.
Unfortunately, he turned it loose in the house. Again. There may be a better cardiovascular work-out than chasing a grackle around the kitchen with a dishtowel for five minutes, but I can't think of one.
Little Grey Bungalow
When my oldest son was in grade school he brought home a wounded pigeon (rats with wings) one day that we kept for awhile. It used to get loose sometimes when we fed it or cleaned it's box. The easiest way to catch them, that we found, was to watch where they land in a room. Then turn out the lights and catch them. Birds seem to get a little stupefied by the sudden darkness.
ReplyDeleteI read your comment and it was kind of a "duh" moment...the darn thing kept flying into the window, if this happens again I'll pull the shades and prop the back door open.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tip.
My mother was a nurse in the 1940s (and later) and during the war she was doing night duty on the ward, all by herself, and a bat flew in. She turned all the lights out and rang for the lighted service elevator. Bat flew in. She sent him down to the hospital basement.
ReplyDeleteHow delighted the janitor must have been!
That's some workout you got. The adrenalin rush alone must have burned off enough calories for a well-deserved extra cookie or two.
Clever woman, your mother. I tend to think of these things once the crisis has passed.
ReplyDeleteMy sister is an RN and I admire her cool head. Does nurse's training do this for you, I wonder, or does the profession just naturally atract people with the attribute....