Help please! My cat just caught a bat.

cats will beat up their prey with their paws, causing it to go into a state of shock that may last hours, like 5 or 6 even.
so the bat may recover and fly away ok.
but if you want to test your cat for rabies they'll probably want to test the bat as well.
so you might want to catch it.
...decision time.
i hope this post is helpful to you.

reply to post by paradisepurple


Use something to transport it to a higher location off of the ground away from harm. If it's there tomorrow, call the batline.

Another great little creature btw, at dusk I go for a smoke and watch them fly about..super cool .

Originally posted by SecretKnowledge

if its still there now, its injured.
get out there and put it out of its misery. now.
go. do it. and then report back here. we'll wait for you

Exactly.
It's internal organs will have been crushed by the cat, thats why it cant fly. Put it out of it's misery. Put it in a box and put it in the freezer. It'll fall asleep and never wake up.

Originally posted by boymonkey74
Do not kill it please you can get into a lot of trouble even prison time.

Really?! Are you serious? I thought bats were invasive pest species. I have never heard of this before. Care to clarify this point for me?

Thanks.

reply to post by boymonkey74


Phew indeed.. I've never even seen any bats around here until the last month or so and then they're just flying around at a decent height, I have no idea how she caught it, she's still only a baby after all and she's also really small...

Really?! Collar with bell not effective? Why not?

reply to post by paradisepurple

Any advice would be appreciated, thanks in advance...

Lock the cat and leave the bat alone,I guess he is okay and he will fly until tomorrow,and this way everything will be okay.

I agree with other posters that putting the bat out of it's misery would be the right thing to do. But and that is a big but, in the UK we have very rare bats and to disturb them or any other bat is a big serious crime.

Might not be a good idea to be associated with the death of it. monkeyboy speaks a lot of truth about trying to give it a chance to fly by elevating it in some way.

Have you tried contacting RSPCA here is their 24h hotline 0300 1234 999 maybe they can help, after all it is a protected species in distress.

Amazing critters bats, I currently have some living in my loft. Had to create some "bird holes" when the guttering was all re-done.

I wonder how the cat caught it? I had a dog once that could jump in the air and catch birds... safe to say I had a bloody shovel those days.

reply to post by boymonkey74


Indeed BM, smoking may be bad for us but if I didn't smoke then I wouldn't have been out the back and I wouldn't have known the bat was even there...

I need to find out where it came from, I wonder if there's a nest in my roof somewhere.... I don't want this happening again, my nerves won't be able to take it

I think a trip to the vets is in order for tomorrow, I hope there's enough money on my credit card

And do let me know about the collar with a bell, why it isn't such a great idea?

reply to post by paradisepurple


I have had cats all my life and I have tried and tried with them and they still bring the mice, birds back.
They know that the sound of the bell scares things away so they just move slower, you are training them to be better killers like ninjas.
It's their nature If you own a cat you gotta except it is a marauding killer

Originally posted by RAY1990
in the UK we have very rare bats and to disturb them or any other bat is a big serious crime.

Ah, I see. Thanks for clarifying. I had no idea there were protected bat species in the UK (or anywhere!) That clears it up.

reply to post by paradisepurple


I really wouldn't waste your money on a vet for your cat, the rabies our bats carry isn't like the normal rabies virus and the chance the bat has it is very very small, 23 bats in the last 17 years have tested positive for it.

www.bats.org.uk...

reply to post by boymonkey74


Ah nightmare, I hadn't thought of it like that... I've always had cats and we've never used collars, I think we've been lucky in my cats have all be lazy, spoilt little brats who couldn't possibly get off their butts to go catch some prey... Seems like I'm going to have my work cut out with Liberty... I'm scared

And I love bats, I think they're so cute and pretty. I wouldn't be happy if she brought back a vole or a little bird but a bat... just really upsetting, you know..?

reply to post by NarcolepticBuddha


No problem, in fact every bat in the UK is protected by law.

I agree with posters above me who say watching bats is a great pass time, the hunting accuracy is astounding and they can turn in the air on a whim... That's what UFO's are giant bats in clever disguise hunting space dragonflies.

reply to post by paradisepurple


We used to have a cat flap but after when my cat Jake walked into my bedroom jumped onto my bed and dropped half a bloodied mouse on my chest the cat flap is locked.
He only eats the heads of all he brings me..odd maybe he likes the crunch lol

reply to post by boymonkey74


Really? That's a great relief...

She has a massive cob-on now because all the windows and doors are shut and she's captive in the house while her prey has made a great escape The little witch

reply to post by tinhattribunal

but if you want to test your cat for rabies they'll probably want to test the bat as well.

I am sure the cat is alright,I guess you should see the foxes in London at night,they are such a beauty walking in packs an they are more healthy than a human.

reply to post by paradisepurple


I have a cat mint plant in the house when I need my Jake to stay in, he soon forgets whatever is outside when I bring it down.
(although a third of cats just don't care fro cat mint/nip so you may be unlucky)

But be proud that you have a cat like that, she sounds like a good un.

reply to post by paradisepurple


My huge Maine Coon wore three velvet collars all at once, all with bells on, and still regularly brought home birds, mostly largish, alive and flapping round my house while I screamed and tried chasing them out windows, they never got that idea, window = outside + freedom.

reply to post by paradisepurple


Bat is my totem, perhaps bat is coming into your life as well, and very glad it flew away!



interesting as bats just came up on another one of my threads today