No rest for the wicked

I'm utterly pooped, but it's been a very productive day!

1) Early this afternoon I saw Namibia, Arizona's sister, in the street near my house as I was coming back with some groceries. So I made a trail of biscuit crumbs right up to and into my open front door, and laid in wait behind the door. When she came in, BINGO!
She's been freed of the string and released.

Here she is just before being released, minus string:






2) I caught Mac!!!! At last! Your crossed fingers did the trick!
His injuries are pretty serious, including the fact that they cost him the back toe of his left foot over the last 2 days. The first toe of his right foot is infected and may not have a future, but the rest is fine now. This one is staying here (very much against his will) for a full course of Baytril. But he'll be fine, he's very strong and feisty.

Mac after capture, and the state of his feet. (When I can, I'll start another thread on the problems of treating serious string injuries, and include the more graphic material there).





3) Last, but not least, the promised photos of baby Charlie on the roof with the flock:

A thread on sting injuries would be appreciated, Teresa.

I'm so relieved you caught the most recent two....loved the crumb trail.

As always...the pictures are top notch.

YOU are good!!!
A trail of crumbs leading right into the house.

Namibia is a little beauty. I'm so glad she was able to be released.
Looks like human hair or very fine thread that was removed from her foot.

on catching Mac. He is also quite a beauty.

Although the string did enough damage, his feet look like they have good circulation.
He may be there under protest, but deep down I bet he's ever so grateful for being under your care. Bless his heart.

LOTS!!

LOVE the photos of Charlie.
What a little darling.
You have quite a flock up on the roof.

Charlie is hanging around with Sweets and Boss now. They're all the same age, and they're all very clever and competitive.

This is Charlie chasing away the competition...
(Please click on this pic to see the video. Don't know why photobucket are now showing the videos in such a way that they look like photos! )



Yesterday I caught another two string-bound pigeons: the blue-bar female I'd spotted 3 days ago (that was a difficult job, 3 types of nylon string and a long, plastic bit attached) and a larger blue-bar with a very recent string. Both were released. (I'll upload photos soon).

No string injuries today. About blooming time, I think!!! I hope they've stopped trying to knit their nests now...

Mac is much better. The swelling has gone down a lot, and the yellow, infected area is less than half the size it was. He hates being in captivity but he's no longer scared.
He is a very handsome pij, with big dark eyes and a lovely colouring. His name, Mac, is short for MacRuairidh, because I believe he is Ruairidh's son. Mac is a little smaller and paler, but he has the same markings and eyes and their territories are very close.

Teresa..........You are amazing

You have been so busy and have saved so many. I wish I was able to get my ferals to interact with me the way you do.

I love all your pictures and videos.




Louise

Jackie's Mom wrote:

Teresa..........You are amazing

You have been so busy and have saved so many. I wish I was able to get my ferals to interact with me the way you do.

I love all your pictures and videos.




Louise

I couldn't agree more.

Matilda wrote:

Jackie's Mom wrote:

Teresa..........You are amazing

You have been so busy and have saved so many. I wish I was able to get my ferals to interact with me the way you do.

I love all your pictures and videos.




Louise

I couldn't agree more.

Nor can I.

Count me in too

I'm so very glad the pigeons have such an observant & big heart care taker! You are a true inspiration Teresa!

I love the photos too

Teresa - your photos are so gorgeous - I could look at more more more....
And boy - you have your hands full again - haven't you? Love those stories with a happy end! to you!!!!

High drama -- and another cat!

This morning, I heard an awful rumpus coming from a nearby building site, it sounded like a dog in distress. I got there just in time to see a stray dog drop his prey -- a silver tabby cat.
She was paralysed, but there was nothing wrong with her front claws... On the third attempt, and with my hands and arms well protected, I managed to slide her carefully onto a platform covered in foam and then plastic, then slide that inside the large carrier.
I didn't expect her to make it to the vets, but I was wrong. Madam is a fighter.
An hour later, the vet phoned with the result of the X-rays and preliminary tests. Nothing's broken, but there's an abnormally large space between two vertebrae, consistent with having her tail yanked.

There's no feeling in her tail, the anal sphincter and one of her legs, at least. Her lungs aren't good, indicative of asthma or an old respiratory infection. But they aren't punctured and neither is the diaphragm, said by the vet to be the most common serious injuries from biting.
The evidence so far indicates that her injuries may not be life-threatening, but she stayed in for observation and more tests, including an abdominal scan, and starting, of course, with pain management. They will phone tomorrow, and I will keep you posted.
The vet said that if she survives, she may well have very limited mobility and be incontinent.

She will need a home, but I can't keep her in a limited flat with 3 other (territorial) adult cats and a large dog (the dog wouldn't harm her, but she'd be terrified after her ordeal). Nevertheless, I told the vet that if the injuries were not life-threatening, then the option of euthanasia was off the table. So I have absolutely no idea what I'm going to do next, and I hope that He Upstairs helps me make the right decisions and takes pity on her.

Your positive thoughts and prayers for pretty Persephone would be much appreciated.

PS. Freed 2 more string injuries too, in the last 3 days...

PPS. Sorry about the edits, my daughter keeps changing her mind about the name. But now it stays like this!

Poor kitty. Thank goodenss you heard her cries. Does the vet think she is older?

Are there any cat rescues or sanctuaries near you?

Good job with the string feet. By the end of summer...you and you alone will be responsible for keeping all the pigeons up and on their feet.

She's a young adult. When I saw her I thought between 8-12 months, but it's hard to tell. Maybe the vet will have a clearer idea tomorrow.

No cat rescues or sanctuaries here. There's an animal shelter, but they don't usually take cats (let alone mobility-challenged ones), just the small number of kittens they know they can home.
That's why I kept Kali. And Lawrence. At times like this I feel so very far away from anyone who might help...

But meanwhile I feel the greatest joy watching the string releases stomping about the roof like it never happened!

Persephone is a very lucky kitty! Teresa you are not only a Pigeon Angel it seem as though you are a Kitty Angel too!

I'm so very sorry to read that there aren't any sanctuaries that would give this kity a forever home.

We will be adding dear Persephone to our prayers in hopes that you can find her a loving home.

Persephone didn't make it.

The vet has just phoned to say there was, after all, a slow-leaking haemorrhage from the lungs, which built up very gradually during the night. Mid-morning, when her breathing became more laboured, they picked her up to take another X-ray, and as she hissed in protest she started haemorrhaging severely and her heart stopped and couldn't be restarted.

Thank you for your kind thoughts. I'd asked God for guidance and help, and it seems He wanted that little angel up there with Him.
Run free, little Persephone, and say hello to the other little angels from me.

Oh Teresa I'm so very sorry to read this Poor sweet kitty

Now she will be able to run, jump & climb all the treesshe wants & never, ever have to worry about another scary dog because in summerland all who live there are friends

Bless her heart.

And now for the good news and lots of pictures:

The last 3 string injuries:

1) Mr. Attitude came from the park, and I called him Slap:



His toes before treatment:



2) Assan got caught the very first time he came to my roof, trailing tightly wound yellow string. His legs were tied together and he had a lot of difficulty in landing. Two toes were black -- that injury was weeks old, and he was over the worst, just needed to regain his mobility.



After string removal:



Two of his toes don't have a future, but they'll fall out in their own time, so I removed the string but not the callous material. There was no infection and very little swelling, so after putting on some antibiotic cream, I let him go.

3) This young blue-bar female looked like she had a drinking straw attached to her foot, so I called her Daiquiri. The injuries were minor, but removal was complicated, as there were 3 types of string involved, including fishing line.



Part of the mess:



A very suspicious Daiquiri gets released:

Last but not least, Mac has been released:

His set-up:



His mood:



And well-healed toes:



So I left his cage and the window open, and let him do his thing. First he went to annoy Hercules, who was on nest duty:



Then he had a good stretch:



Thought about it, climbed over Piper and Hercules' s cage (who were amazed!) , considered how to get round the edge of the window, and took to the air:



Two hours later he was eating on the roof with the others!

Teresa wrote:

Persephone didn't make it.

The vet has just phoned to say there was, after all, a slow-leaking haemorrhage from the lungs, which built up very gradually during the night. Mid-morning, when her breathing became more laboured, they picked her up to take another X-ray, and as she hissed in protest she started haemorrhaging severely and her heart stopped and couldn't be restarted.

Thank you for your kind thoughts. I'd asked God for guidance and help, and it seems He wanted that little angel up there with Him.
Run free, little Persephone, and say hello to the other little angels from me.

Teresa - I am so sorry to hear this

So sad the story with the kitten but so wonderful and happy your releases. The photos are wonderful - i love especially the first one with Slap - this looks so funny!!!

You are the true

Thanks, Petra! Yes, Slap is a character and a half!
This afternoon I saw Mac foraging in the pedestrian precinct, walking really well, and then in the evening he came over for dinner!
Charlie comes over twice, for breakfast and dinner!

Got a new rescue -- an adult pigeon with a slightly droopy right wing, very light with extensive muscle tissue loss, starvation poops and no desire to eat or drink. All he wanted to do was get back to his nest across the road, where another pigeon waited for him on the ledge. He tried to fly up there, but couldn't.
There are no breaks or visible injuries. GI tract infection very likely, possibly Salmonella. Internal canker and/or cocci too. Rasping sound could be air sac inflammation, but there are no discharges/sneezing. The vet said to quarentine him, feed him well and put him on Flagyl+Synulox, wormer later.
You know how it goes: gotta be prepared for the worst, but hope for the best.
I called him Amber. Photos tomorrow.

Got a photocopy of Tigga's preliminary necropsy results -- poor little thing! What didn't he have!? Pneumonia, hepatitis, anemia and various lesions would have been enough, without the damaged intestinal mucosa with necrotic tissue... I'll post a translation soon.

Oh my goodness!! It sounds like Amber has a lot of possibilities going on, Teresa.
I sure hope she gets to acting and feeling better real soon. Bless her heart.
Wil be looking forward to the photos.
Please keep us posted.

And poor little Tigga did have a lot of things going on.
We appreciate the update on the necropsy.