Why do cats behave this way with food. Why do cats bring dead animals home: scientific research and observations Why does a cat bring dead birds to the doorstep

This is the instinct of feeding its offspring, even if a cat (cat) does not have it, it still carries prey to its home, so that if you don’t feed your cubs, then at least calmly eat it yourself without fear that someone will disturb his meal.

If you have read Fenimore Cooper, then remember that good Indian warriors always carried with them the scalps of the enemies they killed, as proof of their military prowess and courage. So if people are engaged in such a demonstration, then why shouldn’t cats and cats, whose great-great-grandparents and great-great-grandmothers were true hunters, do it. we nominally look after your household, we destroy mice and rats, we protect your property. And this, of course, has a positive effect on normal owners and disgustingly on scrupulous ladies, imagine your beloved cat will bring half a torn rat to bed with your beloved mistress. Imagine what a terrible howl and scream will rise if, moreover, the owner did not guess at night to touch his half. A verdict will be issued, the cat is a conscious freak and it needs to be urgently removed from the family structure, without even giving time for correction ... But in any case, adult cats also do this to teach the young growth to hunt, in such cases they are dragged to the threshold not dead rats and mice, but a miniature mouse, still quite nimble and lively, to the delight of children and owners who love to follow cat games ...

You just described some kind of horror ...

In general, cats express gratitude, love for the owner, as far as I know. The man feeds them, takes care of them. So they strive to show their concern by bringing home a share of their prey, which is not easy to get, as a gift. They share, they say: Help yourself, I do not forget about you.

Unfortunately, it is impossible to explain to a cat that a person does not need such care at all. Moreover, if you defiantly throw away such ... giblets, you can completely offend the feelings of the animal. It will decide that you do not appreciate its efforts. Yes, yes, this is not a joke. Just, apparently, your furry friend has a very developed hunting instinct, it cannot be changed. But believe me, this is not hooliganism, as it may seem.

The predator carries the prey to the lair, where it eats and plays with it, this is normal. Cats also often like to show their prey to their owners, for example, lay out dead mice at the doorstep and even bring them to bed.

I read that it is mainly cats that carry their prey into the house. They have developed maternal instinct which is expressed in caring for their relatives. For them, these are their offspring, as well as the people with whom they live, namely their owner. It is to them that they bring their catch.

Also, the cat family is not forgotten and hunting skills They are, after all, predators by nature. Here is another reason why cats do this - so that a person remembers that they are devoted hunters.

In any case, by doing this, the cat wants to show you that you are not indifferent to her. So do not scold her for this, but praise her, no matter how unpleasant it is from seeing a dead mouse or other animal.



Not all cats eat mice and birds. They are driven by instinct. And I don't want to eat. But the same instinct does not allow you to just drop the prey on the spot.. Makes you carry it home.

We currently have 3 cats. Bring all three. Only one eats according to the mood. Or maybe bring a mouse to mom right in bed, put it on a pillow and ask for dry food in return. Specifically, he calls to the kitchen and points to the cabinet where he stands. Let's change hostess, I'm your meat, and you feed me.

A cat is a predator by nature, it has a hunting instinct in its genes, so even apartment cats, when sitting on a balcony, can catch a sparrow or even a dove, my cat has already crushed three. At the expense of the maternal instinct, of course, everything is true, but then what about cats (males).

Cats love it when the owner pays attention to them, strokes, praises, feeds. Therefore, first of all, they carry their prey to the house in order to show the owner, who should somehow encourage the cat for this.

My Vasya always drags these pigeons to my room, because I feed him.



This is a progress report. Cats show by this that they are not idlers and you do not keep them in vain.

When a cat has kittens, the mother, having hunted all night or during the day, brings her prey and puts it in reserve. It happens that up to 10-12 mouse carcasses can lie in a row on the threshold. If the kittens are already teenagers, then the cat can bring a live, but slightly depressed mouse to teach her kittens what and how to do on the hunt. In rural houses, very often cats go to catch mice to neighboring houses and outbuildings, after which they always bring the prey to their home, and they eat it not far from the threshold, but so that people can see what kind of cats (cats) they have hunters and getters . But even the torn mice and rats have an explanation - while their cats are hunting with neighbors or in the field, it is not at all excluded that at this time the neighbor's cat will not come running to your yard and will not use the finished prey.

Thus, the cat most likely shows the owner how good he is, and that he eats his food for a reason)) For example, we had a foundling cat in the country, and somehow she misbehaved. We got angry, swore at her and said that you will go back to the apo-wash!. They joked, of course. But, when my mother came home to the dacha the next day, she found a terrible sight in the hallway - about thirteen dead rats! This cat caught them to show that in vain we swore at her.

And if a cat has kittens, then, bringing prey home, she teaches them to hunt.

I think that there is more maternal instinct and care for the owner, whom the cat perceives as a ward to her kitten (it’s not for nothing that they say that cats consider themselves God in the house - it’s us who live on their territory, and not they on ours)).

Because I noticed that mostly cats bring prey. None of our cats did this. Anyway, cats are better hunters than cats.

In general, if a cat brought you some kind of rubbish, then she loves you! You are a kitten)))

The cat (and always will be) is a predator. We can breed a peaceful breed at home, but any cat will still do what comes naturally to them. Cats that always have food available are still potential hunters. Appetite only affects the level of enthusiasm when hunting. By bringing home the prey, the cat shows that she feels safe here, and this place is suitable for her to eat food now or leave it for later. As she gets older, she will hunt less often.

Why do cats play with their victims?

Presumably, cats are more likely to play with "dangerous" prey that can resist, such as rats, to hone their hunting and bite avoidance skills. According to other versions, the cat simply has not yet learned how to kill the victim properly, so it cannot finish off the prey quickly and cleanly. The movements of the victim support the instinctive desire to kill, stimulating the active development of new movements.

And of course, one of the reasons is a simple desire to play hunting games with a captured victim.

Why do cats try to hide uneaten food?

Some cats scrape around the saucer with their paws, making movements similar to those they do after visiting the litter box. There are several versions explaining this behavior.

Some researchers believe that cats, having had enough, try to hide the contents of their bowl in order to return to it after a while. Another theory is that they don't like the smell of old food. Its burying is an attempt to clear the site, to avoid the accumulation of waste on it.

If this scraping around begins to cause problems for you, you can try to feed the cat more often, but in smaller portions. You can switch to another type of food, the remains of which will not embarrass the cat.

Why do cats like to drink from the tap?

Thirst is not directly related to hunger, so some cats are confused if the saucer with two is located in the same place as the food. Most adapt relatively easily to this "weird" arrangement of water, others reject this water as unsuitable and look for other, more acceptable sources.

Potential sources of water can be taps, glasses, vases, aquariums. Therefore, the best solution is to provide the cat with a separate drinking container in a place far enough away from the cat's usual feeding area. Some cats prefer running water, it is more practical for them to get a drinking fountain than to keep the faucet constantly dripping.

Why do cats like to eat grass?

Even though cats are carnivores and do not usually eat fruits or vegetables, they love to eat grass.

Although the reasons why cats love grass are not entirely clear, it is normal cat behavior. Most scientists agree that grass helps cats get rid of food debris and hairballs in the digestive tract (eaten grass often causes vomiting). In addition, grass may contain micronutrients that are not present in the main diet, so it is recommended that cats who do not go outside grow special grass. Such weed, both ready-made and in the form of seeds, is sold in almost all pet stores.

Cats without access to grass may try to replace it by eating houseplants that are usually ignored or even avoided. Among them may be dangerous plants for cats.

Why do cats love catnip?

Catnip is a plant with the scientific name Nepeta cataria. Catnip is unusually attractive to over 80 percent of all cats.

Both the plant itself and catnip toys have an exciting effect on cats. They can sniff and wallow on the ground near the source of the smell of catnip for a long time.

The active chemicals in catnip (Nepetalactone) act like drugs on cats, but their effects are short-lived and harmless.

Pets who prefer self-walking and returning to their home whenever they feel like it often bring dead animals under the owner's windows and doors. It is terrible to think that a gentle purr can kill a living creature, especially when it comes to harmless chickens, pigeons and rabbits.

Alas, ah, the cat is a real hunter, some have sharply sharpened teeth for prey, others prefer to lie in the sun, rarely reacting to birds and bats. Tumblers and lazy people cause resentment among the owners of private houses who have got a cat, including so that it catches mice. What can be said? You were unlucky.

Good hunting skills are possessed by colored representatives of the cat family and some breeds of noble blood, for example, a luxurious Russian blue with emerald eyes. Experts assure that girls cope with catching mice much better than the representatives of the stronger sex.

In any case, opening the door and seeing a dead mouse or sparrow on the threshold is not very pleasant. Why do cats carry dead animals home and lay their prey right at the feet of the owner? We asked veterinarians about this.

natural instincts

For catching mice and other small rodents, birds and animals, there are two main instincts given to the cat by nature:

1. The hunting instinct - wild cats hunt more often than domestic ones, because if you don’t catch something edible, no one will bring food on a silver platter. This does not mean at all that the animal is evil, aggressive and dangerous - it can hunt and calmly perch on pillows near the hostess, putting a cute muzzle on her knees. It's just that cats are adapted to a predatory lifestyle.

Do not forget that the people themselves domesticated the purr, but the instincts have been preserved from their ancestors. By the way, not every furry feeds on its prey, the very fact of catching is important to it, it has done its job, walk boldly. Catching a mouse is a necessity that is explained by evolutionary development.

1. Parental instinct - from time immemorial, a mother cat, taking care of her offspring, teaches kittens to eat right, delivering them dead animals as food. There is an opinion that sterilized cats become lumps, but practice proves the opposite - it all depends on the nature of a particular animal, a sterile beast is able to hunt no worse than those who can give birth to offspring and pass on their experience to children.

It's not about kittens anymore, a sterile cat considers you a member of her family who needs care and attention. Bringing the killed prey into the house, the purring pet seems to say - I remember about you, look what I brought you, I tried so hard.

Therefore, every time you open the door and see a cat with a mouse on the threshold, remember that in this way the animal shows its boundless love. Do not scold the fluffy for devotion and fidelity, what is given to her by nature, because she presented a gift from the whole cat's soul.

Purr's hidden threats of loyalty

If a cat periodically brings dead mice and sparrows into the house, every pet owner should be aware of the hidden threats of such souvenirs:

1. Rodents are carriers of infections and diseases, while they themselves feel great, adapting to almost any environmental and living conditions. A cat that is accustomed to feasting on a mouse can catch leptospirosis, a disease that is fatal for a fluffy cat.
2. If the purr catches rats, the risk of the cat contracting distemper or rabies increases. That is why veterinarians give advice to vaccinate all cats without exception, including domestic ones, against infection.
3. Mice can be infected with encephalitis, piroplasmosis and fungal diseases.
4. Bites of rats are fraught with suppuration and abscesses.

The owner, whose cat constantly hunts animals and birds, should pay attention to changes in the behavior of the cat and the well-being of the animal. Do not let the beast catch chickens, scold for misconduct, shaking your finger and speaking in a displeased, stern tone of voice.

You, the happy owner of the most wonderful, kind and affectionate creature on the planet, find one day the corpse of a mouse, bird or lizard at the threshold of your own house, or even on your favorite pillow. It is quite obvious to you that your furry miracle had a hand in this. “What happens, my pet is a cold-blooded killer?” you might think. “How should I feel about him now? Did he catch some kind of infection? What can I do to prevent this from happening again?" Let's try to answer these questions together and figure out what makes domestic cats and cats kill innocent animals and bring prey to the owner.

hunting instinct

Cats are carnivores and tend to prey on small animals.

Cats are carnivores and therefore natural born hunters. The hunting instinct is a heritage from wild cats, preserved in the domesticated representatives of the cat family in its original form. It is not for nothing that nature endowed these animals with all the qualities of an “ideal killer”: tenacious claws, sharp fangs, a developed vestibular apparatus and excellent vision and hearing. Neither life in the urban environment nor the availability of food affected the passion for hunting - cats still hunt and catch prey with pleasure, whether it be a bird, a mouse or a rope from the master's dressing gown, even when they are full. Kittens begin to show interest in hunting as early as the age of three months, and their mother's tail or various kinds of garbage become their first hunting "trophies".

According to studies conducted by American scientists, billions of small animals and birds died from the paws of homeless and free-roaming cats in the United States alone. The reason for this is not the evil nature or bad manners of the feline, but the innate predisposition to a predatory lifestyle: zoologists say that among all animals, only cats hunt not only for food, but also for pleasure. And although they do not always eat prey, not a single meowing pet can resist the process.

Important: do not try to re-educate the cat! Instincts are an uncontrolled component of the psyche, and no amount of training will help develop behavior that is contrary to instinct. The maximum that you will achieve is to spoil the relationship with the pet.

territorial instinct

In some literary monuments and historical documents, one can find descriptions of jewelry, weapons and clothing, which are decorated with body parts of defeated enemies. It was also customary to hang heads and skulls of the slain on stakes enclosing the territory of a hostile tribe. All these rituals were carried out with one goal - to terrify a potential enemy. This behavior is not alien to cats - they mark their territory, laying out the corpses of caught and killed animals on it.

Cats and cats mark their territory by laying out the corpses of dead animals.

In addition, it is much easier to hide and protect prey within your own territory. Cats instinctively realize that a carcass left in an unfamiliar environment is more difficult to find and protect from animals encroaching on it, so they try to move the trophy to a safe place, to which only they themselves have access.

parental instinct

In the wild, cats raising kittens sometimes bring dead or half-dead animals to their cubs as "training material". This is how the parental instinct in females manifests itself. Most indoor cats do not interact with other members of their species, so they direct motherly feelings towards their owners. Often, the animal not only brings dead animals into the house, but also “teaches” the owner to hunt them. Thus, the cat is trying to teach the owners to eat right and shows how to get their own food.

Gift for a friend

It happens that a pet brings a hunting trophy to the personal space of the owner. People who are lucky enough to keep a purring predator may find the body of a bird or mouse in their own bed or favorite slippers. If this happens, don't panic. So the cat proves its importance, saying to the owner: “You see, I not only protect our territory, but also feed you!”

Cats, bringing dead animals into the house, consider the household members to be their relatives.

According to another version, cats bring prey to households, because they consider them to be their relatives. Homeless and wild cats sometimes get together in small groups - prides, each member of which performs its own social role. In prides, there are several mother cats who feed and raise their offspring. Responsibility for hunting and food lies with the rest of the pride. So, it is often possible to observe how a father cat gives a freshly caught animal to a newly-made mother with kittens. In the eyes of pets, their owners are the same "mother cats", unable to provide themselves with food, so they feel obliged to feed them.

Hidden threat

One of the reasons why the owner should control the hunting instinct of his pet is the presence of musophobia (fear of rats and mice) or ornithophobia (fear of birds) in any of the residents of the house or apartment. Phobias are not nonsense and not inventions: often irrational fear makes people commit rash acts, because of which an innocent pet may suffer. At the same time, the owners' fear of birds or rodents should not become an obstacle to the implementation of the animal's natural program: if someone from the household suffers from the above phobias, provide the cat with toys that will replace flesh and blood creatures for him.

Another type of threat lies in wait for the cats themselves - these are diseases that are carried by animals from the street. From rats and mice, you can become infected with rabies and distemper, as well as subcutaneous pests - ticks and lice, which, in turn, carry various viruses. In addition, it is highly likely that the animal caught by the cat will be poisoned with rat poison, and then your pet will become a victim of rodent poisoning. Birds can be carriers of fungal infections. Contact with any street animal can cause infection with worms.

How to respond to the owner

First of all, it is necessary to suppress, if any, negative feelings and praise the animal for the care shown. Cats, like all highly organized pets, are very dependent on the approval of the owners. If in this situation you scold or, moreover, beat the cat, you can forever lose the trust of the pet.

If a cat brought a dead animal into the house, the main thing is not to scold her.

You should not react too emotionally and immediately get rid of the gift. As a rule, prey is already dead and does not pose a danger. However, it still remains a source of various diseases, so it must be eliminated. Before that, it is advisable to place the cat in another room: the hunter is unlikely to appreciate such a dismissive attitude towards her offerings. The corpse itself should be placed in a bag and thrown into the trash.

Important: all manipulations with the body of a killed animal should be carried out only with gloves, after which it is imperative to get rid of them and wash your hands with antibacterial soap.

What should be feared

In addition to diseases and phobias, street hunters and their owners face the following dangers:

• In search of a prey, a cat may enter an area guarded by dogs or equipped with traps. As a rule, in such territories there are poultry farms or pigeon houses, the owners of which do not favor predators that have made their way to them.
• The highway is also a source of danger for free-roaming cats. The traffic on the roadway is often busy, especially in large cities, so the animal, despite the subtle instinct and quick reaction bestowed by nature, may not have time to run away from the oncoming car to a safe distance.
• The danger for cats is represented by their feral relatives. They are much more experienced in fighting than pets and are hostile towards strangers. The meeting of a sofa sissy with a street tramp will most likely end sadly for the first.

The main thing to remember is that wild small birds and animals can be carriers of infections and diseases.

How to protect an animal from the consequences of hunting? The first way is to buy a cat collar with a bell or rattle. The pet will be able to hunt, but at the slightest movement it will give itself away, which will not allow it to come into contact with an infected animal. A good solution would be to buy interactive toys - for example, clockwork mice with a characteristic smell. The presence of such products in the house will allow the animal to direct its hunting urges in a peaceful direction.

Cats and cats with free access to the street should be spayed or spayed (depending on gender). This will not only save you from unwanted pregnancy and the birth of kittens unsuitable for breeding, but also negate the desire to explore someone else's territory and get into fights with other cats. If in doubt, consult your veterinarian. The experience and opinion of a competent person in matters of animal care will help you make the right decision.

conclusions

Having found a lifeless carcass of a rodent or a bird in your apartment in the morning, do not rush to fall into hysterics. So your pet realizes the hunting instinct. Be sure to thank her for the work done and get rid of the corpse without her noticing. Remember that street animals are sources of disease, and try to find an alternative to live prey for your pet.

While most cats are sweet and cuddly creatures, many of them have annoying habits of their own. Someone tends to sharpen his claws on furniture, jambs and wallpaper, someone climbs the curtains, someone demands affection from the owner as soon as he sits down to work.

But, perhaps, one of the most unpleasant surprises that a pet can bring is a bloody, brutally tortured mouse, planted in a boot or on a favorite sofa.

Why does a cat bring mice and birds to the owner

Although the process of domestication of cats began over 10 thousand years ago, they have retained their wild hunting instincts to this day, as well as the ability to digest raw meat. A person can babysit a meowing pet as much as he wants, tie bows and feed him with expensive food, but the instinct of a predator will not go anywhere.

In the wild, mothers teach their kittens to find their own food. To begin with, she brings them dead animals so that the kids begin to perceive them as food. Then - the wounded, so that they learned to kill. Finally, he takes the cubs with him on hunting trips, where they learn to track and catch prey on their own.

Some breeders suggest that cats, bringing mice to the owner, “boast” of their hunting success or bring prey as a token of gratitude. It also happens that they tend to hide their legitimate prey in the safest possible place, and it is possible that this will be the master's bed or closet.

But most likely, the cat brings home mice (dead or injured) because it found in its owner a blatant lack of hunting qualities. And honestly tries to save him in the way that instinct tells her. Indeed, in the harsh world of predators, a bad hunter is always doomed to hunger and deprivation.

It is curious that more often cats bring mice or other animals to the owner, and not cats, because they have a strong maternal instinct, and they can perceive their household as unintelligent kittens that need to be taken care of.

What to do if the cat brings prey to the owner

Do not scold your pet when he brings a dead mouse or bird into the house. Such behavior is a manifestation of care, which is quite understandable. It is best not to panic, but to slowly throw away or bury the dubious present until the animal sees it.

No amount of spraying, lectures, and punishment can convince a cat to do what it does best - hunt. All you can do is keep the predator at home or put a bell collar on your pet to give the prey a better chance of escape.