Tui Season: Why Cats Are Our Biggest Challenge

It's Tūī Season — and the Cats Know It

Every spring and summer without fail, our intake fills with baby tūī. Lots of tūī nestlings being brought in by cats this season — and sadly, cat bites are one of the most serious injuries a small bird can receive.

Why Cat Bites Are So Dangerous

It's not just the physical injury. Cat saliva carries bacteria called Pasteurella that is almost always fatal to birds without immediate antibiotic treatment. A bird can look completely fine after a cat attack and still die within 24-48 hours without treatment. Cat bites, unfortunately, often prove fatal — even when we do everything right.

From Tiny Nestlings to Fledglings

We receive tūī at every stage — tiny pink nestlings on their very first day, wide-eyed fledglings learning to perch, and juveniles just starting to find their feet. Each one needs a slightly different approach, different food, and different housing. It's a labour of love that runs around the clock.

What To Do If Your Cat Brings In a Bird

Please get in touch with us as quickly as possible — even if the bird looks okay. Keep it warm, dark, and quiet, and don't offer food or water until you've spoken to us. Speed genuinely saves lives. You can reach us at flockwellington@gmail.com or 0211955509.

And if you can, keeping your cat inside during the spring and summer fledgling season makes an enormous difference to the birds in your neighbourhood. 💕

For the science behind why these attacks are so deadly, read our explainer on air sac injuries. And for a happier ending, meet the silvereye who survived a cat bite.

Related reading: what happens when a cat attacks a bird and our guide to Wellington's most searched bird rescue questions.