Cat brings entire goldcrest nest, with chicks, into house

Another illustration o fthe damage cats can do to wildlife

August 2011: Most cat owners are used to their pets bringing home the odd bird, frog or other late-night catch. But Bella, a five-year-old tortoiseshell cat, deposited a whole nest - complete with three baby birds - in Vikki and Wesley Spencer's house in Taunton. It was intact with a baby goldcrest sitting inside it.

BELLA'S CATCH: The goldcrest nest and chicks brought home by a cat.

Vikki said: ‘The nest just looked like a bit of tumbleweed lying on the floor, we didn't know what it was.

‘While we were all looking at it Bella had gone out again and she came back with the two other birds in her mouth and just dropped them on the floor.

One of the birds has survived
‘She looked at Wesley as if to say, "That's my nest, what are you doing with it?!" I couldn't believe it.'

Vikki placed the nestlings in an airing cupboard overnight to keep the birds warm and took them to RSPCA West Hatch Wildlife Centre near Taunton the next morning.

Peter Venn, manager at RSPCA West Hatch, said: ‘Two of the birds sadly died but one of them is doing very well. I've not heard of a cat doing anything like this before but that's not to say it hasn't happened.'

The remaining goldcrest will be cared for at RSPCA West Hatch until it is old enough to be released into the wild.

The goldcrest is the UK's smallest songbird, with adults standing just 9cm high. These birds are dull green above and buff white below with a distinctive orange or yellow crown stripe. It is found almost wherever there are trees and bushes, especially conifers.