I'm sad and exhausted, only one baby robin left

[The Rock's Laura]

Several weeks ago a robin layed three bright blue eggs in the nest she built in the large juniper outside my front door. Last year she built one on the right side of my door in the twin juniper and the eggs didn't make it somehow. This year we watched daily until the June 24th when three baby robins were moving around with their little bald heads looking for mom with their mouths wide open.

Every morning before I went to work I'd come out and check the babies and mom would be up in the tree carefully watching me. Every night we'd check several times to see if they were still there and they were all getting big and healthy....until this morning. When I saw nesting material on my front porch I was sick, the next was overturned and there was one dead baby in the mulch. The robins were yelling when I was out there so I knew there had to be another baby or two somewhere but I was crying so much I couldn't see straight. I picked up the dead baby robin and carried it into the garage. My husband offered to go outside and see if he could find the others and believe it or not one baby was on the ground on the edge of the grass/mulch. Even when he showed me where it was it was hard to see and I can't believe I didn't step on it. He picked it up and put it back in the nest. We knew it was the cat next door to us who frequents our front stoop. Damn cat, I'm sick of finding dead animals and cat sh** in my yard. I had a cat for 20 years and it stayed indoors and didn't harm another living creature.

At about 8:00pm I heard the robins screaming again. Even though I put deterents around the bush when I opened my front door that damn cat ran off with 4 adult robins screaming. Even though the cat was gone the robins were still agitated so again I knew the baby was still there. Poor thing, once again I picked it up screaming with that yellow mouth wide open and put it back in the nest. This time I put mesh screening all around the tree except for the top and back where mom usually enters. I also asked (as nicely as I could control myself) to keep their freakin' cat indoors and explained the situation. I told them I'm really tired of finding dead critters and grandma (who runs the show) say "well, that's what cats do". Had she not been pie-eyed from backyard celebration I would have explained some things to her but instead I asked her to please keep the cat indoors at least for another 5 days until the baby fledges. Fat chance she will but I had to ask.

So, if the cat did not puncture the baby and stays indoor for several days I'm thinking there's a chance, small chance but a chance. Say a prayer for my baby "Hope". I am surprised at how upset I have been all day about this. I'm exhausted from crying and felt sick all day. I am a firm believer in letting nature take it course and know that these things happen but we've been watching since the eggs were first layed and I'm heartbroken. I buried the one dead baby and earlier today we found the remainders of the second dead baby in my driveway. One baby left, please God let it make it !!

PEOPLE.............KEEP YOUR CAT(S) INDOORS...........PLEASE ?!?!?

[The Rock's Laura]

We are actually planning on doing that. My sister has a Hav-A-Heart trap that I will borrow. The cat will be relocated to a shelter far from here so the owners can not find it. I've had enough. For over one dozen years I've had a Certified Wildlife Backyard Habitat. It takes a lot of work and money but I love it. It's become a killing field for this cat and I've had enough. Goodbye kitty. Now I'm angry.

[The Rock's Laura]

I spoke with a bird rehabilitor and the Raptor Trust today. After speaking with them and explaining the situation we all agreed the best thing to do is pack up baby, nest and all and bring it to the Raptor Trust. I just got back. I feel bad that the parents are looking for their little one but it would have had no chance of survival once the neighbor's cat escaped and made a B-line for my front porch.

What a fabulous place this Raptor Trust was! I got to see Bald Eagles, all kinds of owls, Golden Eagles all kinds of hawks etc. It was a gift.

I think the little robin will make it now. Let's keep our fingers crossed.

[Pam]

I agree with everyone. i just got rid of a cat that has been terroizing my squirrels i feed every day. i have 9 feeders in my yard for the squirrels. i had talked to neighbors, about their cat, they said they wuold keep it locked up. yeah right. they told me they had the cat to keep away chipmunks, how sick is that. i had a trap outside for racoons, but the cat was too curious, so he got into trap, i just relocated him didnt hurt him. good thing is now my squirrels can relax

[Moca]

It's become a killing field for this cat and I've had enough. Goodbye kitty. Now I'm angry.

How I wish people would keep their cats inside and all the homeless ones could be rounded up and sent to a galexy far-far away....

[Moca]

i just relocated him [/b]

But this does not solve the problem..He's still free to rip through the lives of helpless mammals and birds unimpeaded....
Taking him to a pound in another county would have been a better choice.
I know they make rat zappers...What a shame they don't have cat zappers.

[Leah]

What a shame they don't have cat zappers.

The REAL shame is that they don't have irresponsible-cat-owner zappers...

[Katie]

How true, Leah.
Katie