Strange title! I am sure you are wondering where this is going. Every time I see new kittens I always mention the need to keep them inside until they are grown. People are surprised by this comment because they are not thinking that birds of prey may “prey” on their small kitten. I tell people with small dogs that they need to be cautious when outdoors with their pet. Do not leave them unattended day or night. Owls are known to swoop down at night and snatch up small pets as well as birds of prey during daylight hours. This is not something that anyone wants to think about, but it happens and it is tragic if it happens to your pet. I had a man who told me his chihuahua was outside with a light on at night. He went inside just for a moment and heard the dog screaming. By the time he got out the door the dog was in the owl’s talons and being lifted off the ground. The dog was struggling and he started hollering and racing toward the owl and it dropped his dog from about 10 feet up. She had only minor wounds from the talons and he was lucky he did not lose her that night.
Meet Pip, a male 3-month-old shorthaired kitten and his sister, Pepper. Pip survived an attack by a bird of prey only because his sister came to his defense. The owners had stepped away for a short moment and in that time frame he was attacked. Both kittens presented with a closed and inflamed left eye. The owners were not interested in a referral so we told them we would treat him for shock and infection for the first night. If he made it through, we would plan to suture the wounds. The first photos are the wounds he received in the attack. The rectal area was impacted the most. The other two lacerations were a result of the talons used to hold the kitten down. Certain birds of prey enter their victims in areas that are soft such as the rectal area and underbelly. Sad to think that they are still alive during this process, but nature can be harsh and cruel at times. We suspect he was screaming and that is when his sister came to his aid. She most likely got pecked in the eye as did he while attempting to fight off the bird. At some point the bird lost interest and released the kitten and flew off. The owners found the kitten alive and walking but in need of veterinary care.
Pip was started on high doses of corticosteroids for shock along with fluids for support and blood loss. He was given an antibiotic injection and his eye treated for infection as well. Pepper’s eye was treated and she stayed with him for moral support through the night. Since we are not a 24-hour emergency facility they knew there would not be anyone present during the night. They understood the risks but would take their chances since they did not have the funds to go to an emergency facility in the Des Moines metro. To our amazement both kittens’ eyes were open normally the following morning. He had urinated, which made us extremely happy. She was very affectionate and eager to eat and drink. Pip’s color had returned to normal and there was no more hemorrhage from the lacerations.
He was sedated and the long process of repairing his wounds began. The blessing was that the talons had not entered the abdominal cavity. The rectum and penis were intact. The testicles had been removed at the time of the attack. No need to neuter Pip in the future. All wounds were shaved and cleansed and flushed to remove debris. Sutures were placed to close both lacerations of the thigh and abdominal skin. We then began reconstructing the skin around the rectum that had been badly torn away. There were areas that had a lot of tension but with him being only 3 months old he had a lot of growing to do yet. That was in our favor. The last 3 photos are from his most recent visit. He is starting to play with his sister again. He is eating and drinking and peeing and pooping without any issues. He may have scar tissue that will not allow hair to regrow in the future. He should be able to live a normal life. Certainly, he will have fear of birds of prey for life, but since he will grow larger than 10 lbs he should never have to worry about an attack like this again.
I share these situations to make people know this is a thing to be aware of. It does happen and as I mentioned if it happens to you, your pet may not be as lucky as Pip. He definitely used up one of his nine lives!
I am writing this on the first sunny day of September I feel. The amount of rain we have received is making it difficult to get any fall work done outside. Hopefully by the time this is posted we have turned the corner, and the earth is drying up. Farmers are ready to get into the fields. We look forward to the annual Bridge Festival coming up Oct 10-11, 2026. Get outside and enjoy the fall weather before another change occurs!
