Do you notice your cat bringing you dead rats, dead birds and essentially any other animal they can capture? According to a study from Nature Communications , cats in the United States kill between six and twenty-two billion small mammals each and every year. Why do they do this? They do notdo this because they are mean, vicious creatures. They do this based on instinct. Start your free quote What's your pets's name? Get My Free Quote. Cats Interesting Pet Facts. You May Also Like See More.
How does Pet Insurance Work? Cats are, first and foremost, natural-born hunters, as recent studies of the effects that feral and indoor-outdoor cats have on bird and rodent populations have shown. Cats allegedly kill billions of small animals every year in the United States alone. Though they were first domesticated nearly 10, years ago , cats retain the keen hunting instincts of their wild ancestors, as well as the simple gut that allows them to digest raw meat.
However, many cats don't eat their prey, and sometimes they don't even kill it. If you've ever had to chase an injured squirrel out of your kitchen, then you've seen this behavior firsthand. Spayed female cats are the most likely to bring gory gifts to their owners. But they have their reasons. When a cat sees a small, furry or feathered animal moving about, such as a mouse or bird, she will most likely immediately crouch down and stare at it.
She will probably even stalk and leap on the animal. When a cat has successfully brought down her prey, she may play around with it or eat the entire animal or part of the body. Your cat may leave the body where she was when she lost interest in it, which means the owner may happen upon some unpleasant surprises.
Some cats may like to cache their kills in their favorite place in the house, and some vocalize while holding the dead prey in their mouth until the owner comes to check on them.
Mothers will bring back dead or live prey to their kittens to teach them how to hunt. Some cats may have similar inclinations to share their prey with their owners. Or secretly, I think that some cats may enjoy seeing the owners jump and scream when the mouse starts running around your feet. If the cat is holding the dead bird, and the owner tosses her a toy or treat in order to get the cat to drop it, then the cat may learn to bring more prey to the owner in order to get more attention or rewards.
She cannot kill the local wildlife if she has no access to them. If your cat has outdoor access, she will be more likely to hunt and kill small prey than an indoor cat.
Keeping your cat busy indoors will keep your cat entertained and help satisfy her urge to hunt. Try a food-filled cat puzzle toy to keep your cat occupied.
If your cat is very persistent about being allowed outside, then you can take her out on a cat harness and leash and supervise her the entire time.
Or, you can provide her with a window box or a catio patio for your cat so that she can enjoy the outdoors without actually going outside.
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