Is your cat a hunter?

SuzySu

Our ginger tom, Sebastian, is - and always has been - a bird catcher. I feel so sorry for the little things but don't know what to do about it. He always has dry food in his bowl and is fed 'wet' food morning and night so it is more for sport than food.

I suppose it's what cats do, but it's so upsetting to see him prancing round the garden with a baby bird hanging out of his mouth (not always dead either).

He doesn't keep a collar on - goodness knows we've tried. When he is wearing it we have 5 bells attached for good measure, but he always managers to get the thing off. It costs us a small fortune in collars.

Does anyone know what I can try?

ailuro2

Having bits of foil tied to canes, and maybe in the branches of trees too, not putting out food, trimming plants that have berries,clearing debris out of gutters that could be used for nesting material, this all helps to deter birds from your garden.

Some people think playing with toys helps satisfy the cat's hunting instinct, not sure whether it would work for Sebastien or not.

Our cat finds the odd thing, even wearing a collar with bells on, she is grey striped and seems to camouflage herself well.

Touch wood she hasn't left us any present for a while.

SuzySu

Thanks Ailuro - the grass is long at the moment (warm, wet weather and not enough time to cut it) so cutting it might help. There are no bushes in our garden. There are trees in adjoining gardens but I can't reach them to tie bits of foil (and think I would get objections from the neighbours if I tried). I think it's just inherent - not a nice trait tho.

lainz

Mine is - although she doesn't have the killer instinct and I'm often found chasing after mice :rotfl: .

It's what cats do - mine prefers mice to birds, but she does have her eyes on the big fat juicy pigeons that come in the garden - but has not got one yet (thank goodness)

If you see it getting ready to pounce on a bird, squirt it with water or make a loud noise to frighten it and it soon learns!

Hope that helps

SuzySu

I do try to chase him if I find him 'pawing' a bird that isn't yet dead, but he makes the most awful growling noise. I have had to ask the next door neighbour to 'finish one off' for me because the cat had mauled it so badly, but not killed it. I really hate this about him - he's the only cat we have had that does this.

Buddy_Banana

I think you need to accept this this is a completely natural behaviour for a cat, I know it's not nice for us as humans to watch but the best thing to do is shut the door so he can't bring his kill into the house and let him get on with it.

mymatebob

Doubt if there is much you can do.

At least mine has now appeared to have stopped bringing birds/animals into the house.
On one occasion only because he couldn't get the pigeon in his mouth through the catflap!

SuzySu

Update on Sebastian......he killed and ate (most of) a pigeon since I first posted this. I only found out because the dog was 'investigating' at the bottom of the garden and I found the remains - not much of them either. No wonder Seb is off his breakfast this morning.

Yukky yuk....

*onlyme*

I have 3 cats...

1 of them always brings frogs home, mainly at night so in the morning, we are greated by jumping frogs. She doesn't kill them, doesn't harm them in any way. The other 2 cats have no interest in the frogs.

One of the other cats brings worms home..earth and slow worms. They could be in any state..dead or alive

And the last cat, he brings rats, mice and rabbits home..sometimes alive...sometimes dead..

Now the kitchen door to the living room is shut at night so they only have the kitchen to get into via their catflap. I made this decision when one morning I thought I was stroking the cat (on the bed) and it was actually a dead rabbit he deposited for me :eek: