Cats are natural born predators. Their night vision and retractable claws combined with their sharp teeth and agility make them formidable hunters indeed. Domesticated cats have retained their wild hunting instincts and it’s impossible to take them away. Here’s the reason why your cat brings you dead animals.
When your cat kills a mouse or a bird and presents it to you, it is demonstrating its natural survival instinct to hunt for food. Some experts believe the reason your cat brings you dead animals is they are trying to show you, the owner, how it’s done, and with good reason.
Spayed female cats are most likely to leave you a gruesome gift, because very few domesticated cats have their own young to pass their hunting wisdom on to. When your female cat brings you dead animals, she is performing her natural born role as a mother and a teacher.
Just like big cats in the animal kingdom, pet cats like to bring their prey back to the safety of their den to share with their family. Even well fed ones.
If your cat is sharing its prey with you, it considers you part of its family.
Some cats will bury their prey in a safe hiding place, like in the garden, to guard against would-be thieves.
Don’t worry that by hunting your cat is signalling to you that you’re not feeding it enough food. While cats in the wild hunt for food to survive, domesticated cats are simply following their natural instincts, even when they have a full belly.
Try and resist scolding your cat or reacting in an obvious negative way (horror) to their surprise parcel. Dead animals may look unappealing to us humans, but to cats, they are highly valuable presents. Imagine how you’d feel if you were scolded for presenting a beautiful present to a loved one. Most likely you’d be awfully confused.
If you want to curb your cat’s hunting habits, it is possible to attach a small bell to its collar, which should give the potential prey at least a little bit of warning that your pet is poised to pounce.
There are also a number of popular toys on the market that can help stimulate your cats’ natural hunting instincts, but spare you the muss and fuss of real-life “kills”.