Purrs In Our Hearts - Cat Forum UK

Cat General => General Cat Chat => Topic started by: Mark on June 29, 2009, 07:41:47 AM

Title: Will a seagull attack a cat?
Post by: Mark on June 29, 2009, 07:41:47 AM
The seagulls keep coming in the garden after cat food. We were out in the garden this morning having coffee and cigarettes and one kept landing right next to the sun lounger where Kylie was lying. It was quite brave and came back within seconds of us moving away. If was on the flat roof next door ready to come back. I didn't want to hurt it but threw a damp rolled up piece of paper at it. OH was annoyed with me but I said if Kylie gets it, she will hurt it a lot more than a wad of paper will  :scared: - or wi;l it hurt her?  :scared: - they are massive close up  :scared:
Title: Re: Will a seagull attack a cat?
Post by: bonnielass on June 29, 2009, 07:49:30 AM
A solitary one on its own is unlikely but if there are several then yes its possible they will attack :scared:
Title: Re: Will a seagull attack a cat?
Post by: Mark on June 29, 2009, 07:56:50 AM
There only seems to be one coming in the garden - probably a mum trying to feed her babies - we are only about 150 yards from the beach so why can't she make do with fish?  :evillaugh:

I took a picture the other day. I kept going round the side bit of the house and it was back within seconds. I got the camera and caught it retreating. Then it stayed on the fence waiting for me to go again.

This morning, it was about a foot away from Kylie and she didn't respond. We're not sure if she is under the weather again or just being wise  :scared:
Title: Re: Will a seagull attack a cat?
Post by: bonnielass on June 29, 2009, 08:09:11 AM
Hopefully she is just being wise :)
Title: Re: Will a seagull attack a cat?
Post by: Rosella moggy on June 29, 2009, 13:03:25 PM
On hot days our Gandolf RIP used to lie in middle of our driveway under monkey puzzle tree and magpies nesting in that tree used to come and peck him.  He used to just get up and move under the hedge.  Didn't seem to bother him at all and he never tried to go for them.  I assume magpies are not quite as big as seagulls so think Kylie just knows her place Mark :shify:
Title: Re: Will a seagull attack a cat?
Post by: tasha on June 30, 2009, 23:25:09 PM
Me and the dog got chased round the streets one time by a Seagull.  Think it had young but never seen the baby otherwise would have went in the other direction.  So I think it could attack your cat if it thought the youngsters were going to be threatened.

There is a breeding pair come back every year to the flats opposite me to raise their babies.  Two every year they have and make soem noise!  The cats hurl abuse at them from the safety of the spare bedroom. ;D
Title: Re: Will a seagull attack a cat?
Post by: Michelle (furbabystar) on June 30, 2009, 23:47:18 PM
and cigarettes

you cant hide the word Mark !
Title: Re: Will a seagull attack a cat?
Post by: MooCat on July 01, 2009, 04:16:13 AM
why hide it at all?
Title: Re: Will a seagull attack a cat?
Post by: Mark on July 01, 2009, 07:17:53 AM
It was after Kylie's food again this morning. It only went away when it saw me. I ended up giving it some of its own at the end of the garden  :evillaugh:
Title: Re: Will a seagull attack a cat?
Post by: Wibblechick on July 01, 2009, 15:34:07 PM


I ended up giving it some of its own at the end of the garden  :evillaugh:
Oh, Mark ! :evillaugh: 

What are you going to do when you have baby seagulls in your garden (Remember the pigeons?!)  :hug:
Title: Re: Will a seagull attack a cat?
Post by: Judecat (Paula) on July 01, 2009, 22:35:33 PM
We have one called Cheeky. (wonder why?) He even comes into the kitchen in a quest for the food in the cats bowls!
Title: Re: Will a seagull attack a cat?
Post by: Mark on July 02, 2009, 16:11:21 PM
This is spooky - I went out to get wine a loaf and saw the headline of one of our local papers that came out today.  :Crazy:

She claims the cat was lifted about 4ft off the ground before it was dropped.

It wasn't one of her own cats.

Quote

"If it happened to one of ours, my husband would go mad. He would shoot me before he would shoots our cats"  :Crazy:  :evillaugh:

Lou Beale lookalike?  :evillaugh:

Title: Re: Will a seagull attack a cat?
Post by: Mark on July 02, 2009, 20:07:22 PM
Found the article online http://www.thisiskent.co.uk/whitstable/Seagull-flies-cat-beak/article-1124971-detail/article.html

Silly to complain about the noise seagulls make if you live by the sea?   :Crazy:

I love this comment (click on photo to see comments)

"I think the editor may have made a mistake with the first like of this article. I believe it should read : "A stoned grandmother..."

If it were even possible for a seagull to lift a cat (which I doubt) what on earth do you imagine it intended to do with it? Fly up to its nest and feed it to its chicks?
"  :evillaugh:

There is also a comment from Rosemary, our branch treasurer, saying her cat was attacked. I think I will have to start scaring it off.
Title: Re: Will a seagull attack a cat?
Post by: Wibblechick on July 02, 2009, 20:18:37 PM
Dunno about you, but Im having REAL problems believeing this story ......

The largest gull in England is the Great Black Backed

This from Wiki ....

The Great Black-backed Gull, Larus marinus, is a very large gull which breeds on the European and North American coasts and islands of the North Atlantic. It is fairly sedentary, but some Great Black-backed Gulls move further south or inland to large lakes or reservoirs.

The Great Black-backed Gull was one of the many species originally described by Linnaeus in his 18th century work, Systema Naturae, and it still bears its original name of Larus marinus.[1]

This is the largest gull, much bigger than a Herring Gull and is often described as the King of Gulls.[2] It is 71–79 cm (28–31 in) long with a 1.52–1.7 m (5-5.7 ft) wingspan and a body weight of 1.3-2 kg (2.9-4.4 lb), though large males regularly exceed this weight.[3] It is bulky, and has a powerful bill. The adults have black wings and back, with conspicuous white "mirrors" at the wing tips. The legs are pinkish, and the bill yellow with a red spot.


Could a bird of that weight really take a cat 4 feet into the air .....  Remember its got to take off carrying a struggling cat .....

And why take it .? .... they DONT eat cats!!!!

The photos show the cat in question isnt exactly small..... (It was, allegedly, the black-and-white cat)

I think we are being "gulled"  ;)

Title: Re: Will a seagull attack a cat?
Post by: Judecat (Paula) on July 02, 2009, 20:22:49 PM
I don't see a Seagull could pick up a cat in it's feet, they they are not taloned like a hawk. If the cat was picked up in the beak I could understand it as the beak is the main weapon for catching prey. The feet are webbed. Not designed for grasping.
Title: Re: Will a seagull attack a cat?
Post by: Wibblechick on July 02, 2009, 20:30:11 PM
Marion Clements, of Green Lane, Whitstable, says she almost choked on her tea when the bird picked the frightened feline up with its BEAK and attempted to fly away.

Thats what she claims ...... :tired:
Title: Re: Will a seagull attack a cat?
Post by: Millys Mum on July 02, 2009, 20:33:00 PM
Quote
I ran outside because I wanted to get my two cats inside. They're both 15 and probably would have died if it had happened to them.

"My husband Barry would have gone mad. He'd shoot me before he'd shoot the cats."

Since the attack on Friday morning Marion has kept a close eye on treasured pets Abby and Nicky.
She said: "They're terrified now. When they go out in the garden they walk around the edge and hide behind the plants

Her 2 cats must have read the paper to be that scared as they werent the victims!
Bad when the news is that slow  :evillaugh:

A seagull could mob a cat like magpies sometimes do, i very much doubt a gull could carry a cat off tho
Title: Re: Will a seagull attack a cat?
Post by: Wibblechick on July 02, 2009, 20:43:43 PM


The photos show the cat in question isnt exactly small..... (It was, allegedly, the black-and-white cat)

I think we are being "gulled"  ;)



Oooops!  :-[

I made a mistake about the cat - it wasnt the one in the picture  :shy:

But I still think the story isnt true .... ;)
Title: Re: Will a seagull attack a cat?
Post by: Mark on July 02, 2009, 21:47:47 PM
I agree, no Seagull - just a daft old bat  :evillaugh:
Title: Re: Will a seagull attack a cat?
Post by: Bazsmum on July 02, 2009, 21:57:16 PM
 :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

Title: Re: Will a seagull attack a cat?
Post by: Rosella moggy on July 02, 2009, 22:19:51 PM
Love this thread  :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: