Pittsburgh

Bald Eagle Cam Causes Stir After Cat Dinner on Live Web Cam

"While seeing a cat in the nest was difficult for many, we're hopeful that people will understand that this is a part of nature"

Spontaneity was on display in nature Tuesday as a live web cam caught the food chain in action.

A bald eagle brought food to a nest with two eaglets in Pittsburgh. The Hays Bald Eagle Nest web cam captured a cat being served to the baby birds and the incident caused quite a stir for some observers. 

"By and large the vast majority of people have been accepting or understanding of it," said Jim Bonner, executive director of the Audubon Society of Western Pennslyvania. "It’s a good reason to keep your cats indoors. We support that and this is a good reminder of that."

The nest is located in an industrial area about 4 miles from the center of Pittsburgh. 

The Audubon Society issued a statement on Facebook after they were inundated with numerous questions about the bald eagle's food choice.

"It's true that they brought in a cat and it's also true that they fed it to the eaglets. After reviewing the footage, we believe that the cat was dead when brought to the nest," the Audobon Society said.

"While many may cringe at this, the eagles bring squirrels, rabbits, fish (and other animals) into the nest to eat multiple times each day. To people, the cat represents a pet but to the eagles and to other raptors, the cat is a way to sustain the eaglets and help them to grow... While seeing a cat in the nest was difficult for many, we're hopeful that people will understand that this is a part of nature, and nature isn't always kind or pretty."

Go here to watch the eagles live.

Warning: The below video of the cat being served to the eaglets may be disturbing. 

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