Officials still do not know what killed dozens of birds and a cat in Dorchester Thursday. 
 
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 "We started getting complaints about birds literally falling out of the sky," John Meaney, of Boston Inspectional Services, said. 
 
 Birds, specifically grackles, littered the sidewalks and lawns on Bakersfield Street Thursday. 
 
 Meaney said the total numbers of birds was 46, but some of them were saved. At least 40 birds in total were killed. 
 
 Fifteen birds were taken to Tufts Wildlife Center in Grafton for additional treatment. 
 
 Animals in various states were sent to the State Lab for testing ans results are expected next week, said Lisa Timberlake of Inspectional Services. 
 
 It wasn't just birds that became ill and died. A resident's cat needed to be euthanized after falling ill. Two other cats were affected, Timberlake said. 
 
 Officials are unsure if the animals were sick with a virus, or if the deaths were intentional. 
 
 Until the investigation is complete, pet owners are being warned to keep an eye on their animals. 
 
 "At this point, there's no indication that this is posing a threat to humans, but we are continuing to monitor," Julia Gunn, of the Boston Public Health Commission, said. 

 Residents of Bakersfield Street in Dorchester were stunned to find dozens of dead and sick birds strewn across their yards and fire escapes Thursday morning. 
 
 Health and environmental officials arrived to find 47 grackles — small birds from the blackbird family — on the ground or falling from trees, along with a cat who had also become sick, according to Dot Joyce, a spokeswoman for the Animal Rescue League of Boston. 
 
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 Fifteen grackles have died in the Upham’s Corner neighborhood, along with the cat, who had to be euthanized, Joyce said. 
 
 The others remain in the care of Animal Rescue League staff and veterinarians, and their treatment includes hydration, she said. 
 
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 Joyce said tests will be run on the birds that have died. 
 
 The Animal Rescue League, along with Inspectional Services, Environmental Services, and the Department of Public Health, launched an investigation into the cause of death. 
 
 Joyce said the League was working with the city to alert residents of the situation. 
 
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 Willien Pugh, 67, a long-time resident of Bakersfield Street, and made the first call to animal services. 
 
 Her cat, Sally, seemed fine at breakfast, but became sick throughout the day, Pugh said. 
 
 “I don’t know if she was playing with the birds,” she said. “I’d seen them on the ground, on the fire escape, in the back yard.” 
 
 Pugh described the birds as “lethargic, trying to roll over, not able to stand up or fly.” 
 
 Some of the birds were found on other streets, including Sumner Street and Annapolis Street, she added. 
 
 For now, other residents of her apartment building are keeping their cats inside, Pugh said. 

 47 birds fall from the sky in Dorchester, 2 cats die and no one knows why yet. (Published Friday, Sept. 9, 2016) 
 
 Health officials are investigating after 47 birds fell from the sky in Boston's Dorchester neighborhood on Thursday. 
 
 Rescuers were able to save 35 of the birds, but 12 have died. Investigators are working to determine the cause, and whether the deaths of two cats in the neighborhood could be related. A third cat was also affected. 
 
 "When I arrived, birds would fly, like from a house to a tree, they would flop in the tree and they would fall to the ground," said Alan Borgal of the Animal Rescue League of Boston. "The weaker ones were just falling right out the sky." 
 
 All the birds were grackles, black songbirds that typically travel in large flocks. They were found thrashing around on Bakersfield Street and the sidewalks nearby around 2 p.m. 
 
 "They couldn't get up," said resident Linda Veale. 
 
 "We don't know what is going on," said John Meaney of the city of Boston's Inspectional Services. "So we are investigating all avenues." 
 
 City officials are looking at everything from a virus, to environmental poisoning, to something intentional. They're also studying the many feeders neighborhood residents have outside. 
 
 "They could have put something out that was unintentional," said Meaney. "Something that didn't get along with this species of bird because we have two species here, and the other species did not die or get harmed." 
 
 Willien Pugh's outdoor cat named Sally suddenly died Thursday morning, as well. 
 
 "It's unbelievable," said Pugh. "Something is happening, but I don't know, but I'm without a cat." 
 
 Investigators are trying to figure out if Sally's death is connected, and they are wondering if more pets could be tied in. 
 
 "Now we have three domestic pets involved and 47 birds, so it's a concern until we figure out you what happened," Borgal said. 
 
 The two dead cats and all of the birds will be tested. 
 
 Investigators do not believe there is any danger to humans, but they say pet owners should be extra cautious as to what their pets are putting in their mouths when they're outside. 
 
 The birds that died are being sent to Tufts University to be tested to see what may have caused them to fall ill. Test results are expected to be made available early next week. 
 
 City inspectors were backed at the scene on Friday morning looking for any more dead birds, but they didn't find yet. There is still no cause, but poisoning is being eyed as a serious possibility. 

 Authorities are investigating the mysterious deaths of 32 grackles and one house cat that all died within hours of each other around a Dorchester apartment complex. 
 
 For nine years, Sally B the cat scratched at her Bakersfield Street door early in the morning, her signal to be let out, her owner said. Yesterday, after the familiar morning ritual, her caretakers found the cat clinging to life on the back porch while dead birds rained from the sky, said Willien Pugh
– Dozens of birds fell from the sky—and at least one house cat died—Thursday afternoon on a street in Boston, and no one knows why. The Boston Globe reports a resident called animal services when she noticed her cat was seriously ill and there were birds littering the ground. She said the birds were “lethargic, trying to roll over, not able to stand up or fly.” One of the first animal rescuers on the scene describes birds "just falling right out of the sky," according to NECN. The Boston Herald reports rescuers were catching birds as they fell from trees. Up to 47 birds were affected with up to 40 of those reportedly dying. One or two cats were also reported to have died, with at least one more becoming sick. The city is investigating, with possible explanations including environmental poisoning, intentional poisoning, or a virus. Officials are inspecting neighborhood bird feeders. All the affected birds were grackles; other birds living on the street were unaffected. No more sickened or dead birds were found Friday. The dead and sickened animals from Thursday will be tested with the results expected sometime next week. While officials don't believe humans are in any danger, WCVB reports residents are advised to keep an eye on their furry friends until the investigation is complete. (Scientists may have answer for birds' gross deformity.)