Cheeky seagull steals hapless cat’s food

An elderly cat has been left feline hungry and losing weight after having his food stolen three times a day – by a cheeky seagull. Old ginger tom Billy has to sit and watch helplessly as the large bird gulps down his meals.

Billy, aged sixteen, will only eat outside in his owner’s garden but is now under regular attack by the swooping gull. Owner Peter Turner, 62, says the food is targeted each day by the same bird, who flies down for breakfast, lunch and dinner.



He says Billy is too frail to fight off the gull – and is now losing weight because of the bird’s relentless thefts. Peter, of Torquay, Devon, said: ”The gull swoops down every time we put Billy’s plate out. Billy simply steps aside and allows the bird to eat every scrap.

”I think Billy is getting very tired of it now, but he never does anything. Sometimes they just stare at each other. Billy would have fought him off in his younger days, but he is a bit long in the tooth now and I’m not sure he would win.



”He is getting thinner now and we would feed him in the kitchen but he doesn’t like to eat inside. He’s been eating in the garden all his life.”

Peter and wife Diana, 62, feed Billy tinned food, a side plate of cat biscuits and a saucer of milk. He said: ”He has always eaten outside. But if this continues then we’ll have to do something because he is up against a big bird with a big appetite.”

With more photos.