Chick attacked by my cat

[workindog]

So i dont know the age of my chicks but if i had to guess maybe about 3 weeks old.

I have a very old indoor cat who has been around my pet birds (had a macaw and still have a very old cockatiel) and around mice, rats years ago and now recently bunnies.And we breed our bunnies so she is around the babies ALL the time. Never in all of her years has she ever shown any urge for hunting any of our pets.

Today i was sitting on the floor, leaning into my brooder to offer my baby chicks a treat of crumbled ritz crackers from my hand, my sweetest, most friendly chick hopped on my forearm then fluttered onto the side of the tote so she could be closer to me. A second later as im trying to reach my arm further in to offer some of the shyer chicks their treat, i heard a flutter, as i was casually turning my head to see where she landed, i seen she didnt flutter down. My cat grabbed her!!!!!!!!

I didnt even notice my cat near me but honestly had i seen her near me i still wouldn't have been worried. My old cockatiel walks by her and my cat doesnt care AT ALL.

My cat wouldnt let my chick go. I literally had to pry her mouth open with my hands!!!! She grabbed the chick from the front, basically my cats teeth were in the breast area. Under my baby chicks wings, her skin is torn and there are 2 teeth puncture wounds on each side.

I immediately warmed some peroxide in a double dish with hot water, cleaned the spots with a qtip, dabbed triple antibiotic ointment and also lightly dusted her wounds with wonder dust. She hasnt eatin anything, not even treats from my hands. I do dab water on her beak and after a few seconds she does swallow the drop. This happened earlier today.

I have her by herself with her own light, food and water. In not too worried about the other chicks picking her wounds as they are under her wings so they cant see it. I just dont want them to jump on her or bounce into her and cause more pain.

She is my favorite baby chick, she follows me around my kitchen..

i know cat mouth bacteria is so bad for any bird. Her skin is ripped and i have no idea if there is damage internally from my cats teeth. Anyone ever have anything similar happen with good results????

I am so broken hearted. I do realize at the end of the day, my cat is still a cat so no matter what, its MY fault but had i ever thought in a million years she would do this, i would have been more careful.

 

[Fishkeeper]

You should start looking into suitable oral antibiotics. Cat wounds on small animals are the only situation where I'd advise using systemic antibiotics BEFORE signs of infection appear. Many injectable antibiotics can also be given orally, and that's the route you should take with such a small bird, though I'm not sure what I'd use on a baby chick or in what dosage.
Don't use any more hydrogen peroxide. It's acceptable as a first-use cleaner, but destroys new cells, and is therefore not at all good on a healing wound. Stick with a topical antibiotic.
You should be sure to put her where she can see the others.
How is she acting? Does she try to move around?

Cats will reflexively grab at things that set off their instincts. You really shouldn't let the cat anywhere near any small animals, including your cockatiel, for exactly this reason. I'm not blaming you, I can see why you wouldn't think it would be an issue, but this is what cats do. This is why those "cute" internet videos of cats with prey animals aren't cute at all. All it takes is a tiny scratch from a tooth, a nick from a recently groomed claw, even a lick on a patch of thin skin.

 

[workindog]

Hi fishkeeper, i have no clue what antibiotic to use. I used to have a bottle of Baytril from my vet but it was so outdated i tossed it last summer. I no longer live in my home state otherwise im sure the vet would hook me up with more.

As for how she is acting, she hasnt moved much, only a couple times. Theres no way i can let her see the other chicks, the tubs are blue and grey.

 

[SurferchickinSB]

Hi fishkeeper, i have no clue what antibiotic to use. I used to have a bottle of Baytril from my vet but it was so outdated i tossed it last summer. I no longer live in my home state otherwise im sure the vet would hook me up with more.

As for how she is acting, she hasnt moved much, only a couple times. Theres no way i can let her see the other chicks, the tubs are blue and grey.

Can you just keep her in the same brooder, but just put up some hardware cloth or wire of some sort?

 

[ChickNanny13]

The chick is probably in shock ... Keep it warm & see if you can get some Nutri Drench or Rooster Booster (vitamins & electrolytes), keep it hydrated & warm. Fishkeeper gave good advice. You may want to keep it separated for the night or two for observation. SurferchickinSB has a good idea, maybe in a smaller clear plastic container or get some hardware clothe & block off a corner, if it starts to perk up.

Could you take a picture of the wound? Is there only one puncture or more? Do you know what tooth punctured through? My concern is it hit the liver...

 

[SurferchickinSB]

Hi fishkeeper, i have no clue what antibiotic to use. I used to have a bottle of Baytril from my vet but it was so outdated i tossed it last summer. I no longer live in my home state otherwise im sure the vet would hook me up with more.

As for how she is acting, she hasnt moved much, only a couple times. Theres no way i can let her see the other chicks, the tubs are blue and grey.

 

[SurferchickinSB]

Maybe find an aviary vet. The type of antibiotic that they would prescribe would be for the specific bacteria involved and dosage would depend on the weight and type of animal.

 

[Bamabexchicks]

You should start looking into suitable oral antibiotics. Cat wounds on small animals are the only situation where I'd advise using systemic antibiotics BEFORE signs of infection appear. Many injectable antibiotics can also be given orally, and that's the route you should take with such a small bird, though I'm not sure what I'd use on a baby chick or in what dosage.
Don't use any more hydrogen peroxide. It's acceptable as a first-use cleaner, but destroys new cells, and is therefore not at all good on a healing wound. Stick with a topical antibiotic.
You should be sure to put her where she can see the others.
How is she acting? Does she try to move around?

Cats will reflexively grab at things that set off their instincts. You really shouldn't let the cat anywhere near any small animals, including your cockatiel, for exactly this reason. I'm not blaming you, I can see why you wouldn't think it would be an issue, but this is what cats do. This is why those "cute" internet videos of cats with prey animals aren't cute at all. All it takes is a tiny scratch from a tooth, a nick from a recently groomed claw, even a lick on a patch of thin skin.

X2

So i dont know the age of my chicks but if i had to guess maybe about 3 weeks old.

I have a very old indoor cat who has been around my pet birds (had a macaw and still have a very old cockatiel) and around mice, rats years ago and now recently bunnies.And we breed our bunnies so she is around the babies ALL the time. Never in all of her years has she ever shown any urge for hunting any of our pets.

Today i was sitting on

You should start looking into suitable oral antibiotics. Cat wounds on small animals are the only situation where I'd advise using systemic antibiotics BEFORE signs of infection appear. Many injectable antibiotics can also be given orally, and that's the route you should take with such a small bird, though I'm not sure what I'd use on a baby chick or in what dosage.
Don't use any more hydrogen peroxide. It's acceptable as a first-use cleaner, but destroys new cells, and is therefore not at all good on a healing wound. Stick with a topical antibiotic.
You should be sure to put her where she can see the others.
How is she acting? Does she try to move around?

Cats will reflexively grab at things that set off their instincts. You really shouldn't let the cat anywhere near any small animals, including your cockatiel, for exactly this reason. I'm not blaming you, I can see why you wouldn't think it would be an issue, but this is what cats do. This is why those "cute" internet videos of cats with prey animals aren't cute at all. All it takes is a tiny scratch from a tooth, a nick from a recently groomed claw, even a lick on a patch of thin skin.

X2

 

[workindog]

So i read the replies and tended to her. I put her back in with the other chicks, she seemed a little happier, well more content would be a better word. In the other tote she just laid in one spot. She has moved a little now that shes back with the other chicks and is even standing more.

I dont have the nutri drench or rooster booster but i do have save a chick electrolytes. I got her to take about 1ml of it, from using an oral syringe. Id put a drop on her beak and wait til she swallowed it or shook it off. But she swallowed most of it.

I could get a pic but id feel so bad holding her wing out of the way to do so. How often should i clean it? Or should i just keep dabbing the neosporin on it a few times a day?
As for what teeth did the damage, pretty sure it was my cats canine teeth.

 

[workindog]

She is alive, i gave her more of the save a chick. Sucks i have to go to work today.. and i did some research, found a good website that gave meds they can have and dosing info while laying in bed and got out of bed to give her some penicillin. so as of late last night (well earlyyyyy this morning) she is on it.