What Happens When a Cat Attacks a Bird - Air Sac Injuries Explained

A Medley of Christmas Babies — And a Warning About Cats

Over the last couple of days we've had a real medley of baby birds come into our care: sparrows, finches, tūī, starlings, and even a tiny 6g quail. As Wellington's only DOC-permitted independent bird rescue, we care for both native and introduced species — and sadly, quite a few of these little ones arrived with ruptured air sacs from cat bites.

What Is an Air Sac Injury?

Birds have incredibly thin skin. Just beneath it sits their air sac system — a series of delicate, balloon-like structures that help them breathe and stay light enough to fly. A single cat tooth or claw can easily puncture these intricate layers, letting air leak under the skin. This causes the bubbly swelling we often see on intake.

The Good News: Most Air Sac Injuries Can Heal

There is a silver lining. With prompt antibiotics, warmth, cage rest, and gentle TLC, most air sac injuries can heal well. These tiny patients are often tougher than they look. The key is speed — the sooner a bird gets treatment after a cat attack, the better the outcome.

What To Do If Your Cat Brings In a Bird

If your cat brings in a bird and it is not critically injured, please get in touch with us quickly. Even if the bird looks fine, cat saliva carries bacteria that can be fatal to birds within hours without antibiotic treatment. Don't wait and see — early treatment makes all the difference.

As Wellington's only DOC-permitted rescue, we are equipped and authorised to receive both native and introduced species. Contact us at flockwellington@gmail.com or call 0211955509.

Read about the silvereye who survived a cat bite, or see why cats are our biggest challenge in tūī season.

Related reading: our guide to Wellington's most searched bird rescue questions and the silvereye who survived a cat bite.