pigeon-bit by cat

Question
Hi Chrys, our cat has bitten a turtle-dove this afternoon,there's no major injuries, just lost a LOT of feathers and has 2 little holes, where the cat got hold of him/her.  Just want to know how to keep it alive so it will grow stronger to fly off again?  We cleaned the wounds with Colloidial Silver(a natural antibiotic)and then placed the dove in a shoebox to rest, what else can we do?  please help!!

lotsa love,
Anushka

Answer
Hi, Anushka,

Cats normally have a lot of bacteria in their mouths.  Keep the wound very clean (clean it often) and watch for signs of infection.  Keep the bird warm and well fed.  At the first sign of infection, get the bird to a bird vet for some antibiotics.  However, if you keep it very clean, the bird should be fine.  Stress is going to be a factor.  When a bird is stressed, this can lower its immune system's ability to fight off infection. Normally, pigeons/dove heal very well from injuries like this with some time and care.  

Be sure to keep the cat away from the bird!

Chrys