In an example of how predatory and aggressive seagulls can be, it is thought that an encounter between a domestic cat and a seagull ended up with the cat losing part of her tongue and undergoing a difficult operation to repair it.
Cleo looks like a dark tortie and one day her human guardians noticed blood around her mouth and that she was drooling constantly.
Kim Washbourn and Callum Hedley said that Cleo is a great hunter. They have decided that she had gone for a seagull who had bitten her back and caught her tongue.
“We would imagine it would be something big like a gull or crow as Cleo is an exceptional hunter. She has probably tried to hunt something bigger than she is.”
So they are not certain it was a seagull. The newspapers got hold of the story and as usual exaggerated it, big time.
Kim said on FB:
“This is getting ridiculous!! ? Although this article has been written completely wrong as we have no idea what happened to her, and also without our consent ? If I had known the article with Vets now would have reached front page of a national newspaper I would have sent a better picture!! ?”
Cleo’s tongue had started to die (become necrotic) so they had to decide to have part of it removed and the remainder reconstructed and repaired with microsurgery.
If it was seagull it is not surprising. I recently reported on a seagull taking a small dog and carrying him/her away. And I have seen a seagull (in a video) swallowing a rabbit whole. That was extraordinary.
It is a reminder that cat prey can sometimes bite back even when they are birds.
