*Warning Graphic Image below*

AN URGENT APPEAL TO CAT OWNERS

It’s that time of year again when volunteers from the Northern Ireland Bat Group receive calls about grounded and injured bats.  A recent incident has prompted the group to appeal to cat owners across Northern Ireland, as a lot of bat injuries have one thing in common – cat attacks.

The incident in question resulted in a heavily pregnant female soprano pipistrelle having to be put to sleep due to the horrific injuries it sustained which included broken wing, exposed finger joints, holes in wing membrane and puncture wounds on the body. Cats do not eat bats but they like to play with them. If a bat has been caught by a cat it will need expert help from a trained bat carer as soon as possible. Even a tiny amount of cat saliva in a bat’s bloodstream can cause infection and without help they are likely to die.

Another problem with cat attacks is that cats will often learn where a bat roost is and catch bats as they leave the roost, putting a whole colony at risk.

By following a few simple steps responsible cat owners can stop bats being harmed:

– Bring your cat indoors half an hour before sunset and keep it in all night when bats are most active (April – October).

– If you cannot keep your cat in all night, bring it in half an hour before sunset and keep it in for an hour after sunset.

It is very important to keep cats indoors at night from mid-June until the end of August because bats will be looking after their pups.
If you find an injured/grounded bat and suspect a cat attack, please contact us directly rather than email or message us on facebook as the bat will require immediate treatment from a bat carer

Full list of contacts here

Horrific injuries sustained from a cat attack. This bat had to be put to sleep.