Cats like to catch mice. And as natural hunters, they do this job extremely well. Cats catching mice because it is well fed to need hunting, not catch because they are hungry. It does this as a truly natural instinct.
This should not be a problem for you; however, you should discourage it from disturbing wildlife in the garden. A rattle leash will serve as a warning sign for birds that do not suspect anything and will give them a chance to fly away before the cat gets too close to it.
Cats Catching Mice: Unwanted gifts
From time to time, your cat may leave a mouse for you and sometimes something big in front of your door as a gift. People who research cats are not sure why cats leave the animals they kill to their owners; however, this behavior is thought to be due to two reasons:
- As an indicator of his love for the owner.
However, they love to chase, kill, and play with a dead mouse; so why not?
- As a result of a parenting instinct.
Mother cats will teach kittens to hunt by bringing dead or injured animals to their kittens to ‘practice’.
So your cat may actually be trying to learn how to hunt!
The way cats start hunting can also be a factor. Regardless of what they hunt, they like to tire their prey, stalk and chase their prey until they run out. And they usually prefer to do this when they are in their own environment.
Block
The only effective way to prevent your cat from hunting is to keep it inside your home. Of course, this practice may not always be practical – especially if you are used to staying outside!
You can try to encourage him by playing more games at home. Hunting-like activities, such as chasing toys or playing with other cats, can help your cat ‘repair’ the mandatory deficiency caused by blocking out hunting.
Do not forget to immediately destroy something that has been hunted. If you do not destroy the prizes he has brought by hunting, he will think that you have approved him to continue bringing them. You can wear a pair of rubber gloves for this special job!
