cat bringing kills inside

Hey, my cat has only just started to hunt, she's about 15 months old. So far we've had a live mouse, a live blackbird (both of which I was able to catch and release) and a dead rat. I roared at her and chased her outside with the rat, she's still outside trying to get in the back door, growling away with her rat.

Is there any advice on how to discourage her from bringing in her kills (or not-so-killeds)? I wouldn't mind if I lived alone, but she's on thin ice with my housemates as it is, for general meowing and jumping on the counters. She's usually a good cat. Well she doesn't know any better. But I need to discourage this habit before we get asked to leave.

Any advice much appreciated. At the moment I'm leaning towards needing to make her an outside cat, which I really don't want to do. We just can't afford to lose our accommodation.

VonVix

Have you considered getting her a (breakaway) collar with a bell? The jingle of the bell is often used to alert prey to the cat's presence.

She used to wear one, but she's such a huge fan of trees, I worried about her so much I took it off her. Also saw her with her front leg stuck in her collar one day, and it didn't release. I did post a thread here asking for pros and cons with collars but it went a bit off topic and was locked. But plenty of food for thought in it. I think I'm going to have to put collars back on her (plural because I know she's going to lose them frequently!). At the moment it's probably the best solution, to stop her catching animals in the first place, so she can't bring them in.

I don't mind if she kills mice and rats, feel a bit sad if she kills a bird, but I hate when she doesn't finish the job and I'm left catching a terrified animal and releasing it, not knowing if it'll survive. Though if she brought me a live rat, I'm not sure who will die first...

prettyrestless

My cat has brought me two dead birds recently and proudly smashed them around my hallway leaving me with bloody corpses and feathers everywhere. I know she's just trying to help out because I clearly suck at hunting, but I was not amused.

Mine refuses to wear to a collar so I have distracted her by buying her a couple of catnip mice from the pet shop and now she "hunts" those in the back garden.

Re. jumping on the counter tops I got a plastic spray bottle from dealz, put a little water in it and whenever she jumped up I would take her down and spray in her direction. Not directly at her, but she'd understand that if she was closer she'd get wet paws. After a week or two she stopped doing it and now if she gets tempted all I have to do is shake the bottle so that she hears the water sloshing around and she runs for the hills.

magicmushroom

prettyrestless wrote: »

My cat has brought me two dead birds recently and proudly smashed them around my hallway leaving me with bloody corpses and feathers everywhere. I know she's just trying to help out because I clearly suck at hunting, but I was not amused.

Mine refuses to wear to a collar so I have distracted her by buying her a couple of catnip mice from the pet shop and now she "hunts" those in the back garden.

Re. jumping on the counter tops I got a plastic spray bottle from dealz, put a little water in it and whenever she jumped up I would take her down and spray in her direction. Not directly at her, but she'd understand that if she was closer she'd get wet paws. After a week or two she stopped doing it and now if she gets tempted all I have to do is shake the bottle so that she hears the water sloshing around and she runs for the hills.

Have to recommend a spray bottle of water too, works a treat - I always flick my cat with water when she's being bold and she stops then pretty quickly!

Just remember that when they bring you kills it's a gift, they are doing it out of love - so don't be too harsh on them.
I know it's a pain in the bum but it's something that comes with having a cat and if you can't handle that then unfortunately, it might be best for you to get them rehomed.
She is just doing what cats do and should not be told off for it.

Anytime one of my little monsters bring me a 'present' (most recently a bunny rabbit :eek:) even though I'm not happy, I always praise them and say thank you!

Dear god! I ask if anyone has any hints on how to discourage Amelia bringing live animals into the house, and I'm told I should probably rehome her!! I do love the Animal and Pet Issues forum, it's awesome for the lols.

pwurple

magicmushroom wrote: »

Just remember that when they bring you kills it's a gift, they are doing it out of love - so don't be too harsh on them.

They're killing native birds out of love? Em, no, they're doing it out of instinct. They can't help it, so being harsh or otherwise won't make a tap of difference.

Just another cog in human driven eco-system destruction.

magicmushroom

Deleted User wrote: »

Dear god! I ask if anyone has any hints on how to discourage Amelia bringing live animals into the house, and I'm told I should probably rehome her!! I do love the Animal and Pet Issues forum, it's awesome for the lols.

Ah hang on, I wasn't being mean - I was just pointing out that there's not really anything you can do to stop it, it's nature - you said yourself 'I need to discourage this habit before we get asked to leave'

I honestly didn't mean anything by it, I'm sorry if I offended you.

magicmushroom

pwurple wrote: »

They're killing native birds out of love? Em, no, they're doing it out of instinct. They can't help it, so being harsh or otherwise won't make a tap of difference.

Just another cog in human driven eco-system destruction.

I didn't say they're killing birds out of love, I said they are bringing the corpse (or in this case, not always a corpse) to the OP as a gift.

As you said they're doing it out of instinct, which is why I said don't be too harsh on them. It's nature.

She doesn't want me to have the kills (or live ones either) though. She just wants to bring them inside to play with. Runs away from me growling over he prey.

FelineOverLord

Dawn and Dusk are the prime hunting times for cats. If you could keep her in at those times it might help, easier said than done. I'm a bit iffy about collars since one of our cats got his paw caught and the collar didn't release. We've been using a Hunter brand reflective collar on another of our cats because he crosses a road at night and that one seems ok, plus he hasn't managed to ditch it like the more expensive ones we were buying and he was 'losing' the same night. Is she spayed? She may outgrow it too, one of ours was a menace until he was about 3, then he lost most of his interest in it. Ours have lots of toys to play with as well, so that probably helps.

adamshare01

I guess there is no way to stop the hunting.After all she is a Predator

Kovu

Squeak is a terrible cat for hunting. Nearly every morning I have a shrew or mouse left under my window. Kovu is the birdy cat, wrens being his usual prey. It stopped fairly quickly as he's had an E collar on for almost a month. That would probably be very extreme action to stop your kitty though.

I'm not a fan of bell collars, due to cats sensitive hearing.
How does your cat get in? Surely you're not letting her in with live prey?

kylith

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Dear god! I ask if anyone has any hints on how to discourage Amelia bringing live animals into the house, and I'm told I should probably rehome her!! I do love the Animal and Pet Issues forum, it's awesome for the lols.

There's no way to stop her if she has access to outdoors and a cat flap. Cat proofing your garden so she can't go roaming should lessen what she can catch. Or keep the cat flap locked and only let her in when she doesn't have anything. As said up thread; if you don't want to deal with her hunting and you don't want to restrict her from being able to hunt then a cat may not be the best pet for you.

Lux23

Our cat never brings them inside, he might leave them on the doorstep as a sign of his appreciation, he doesn't use a tray either so maybe he thinks of the two as similar? Does your cat use a tray, maybe you could start leaving it outside. Our cat sleeps inside, but he seems to be able to keep his messy business in the garden (or neighbour's garden!).

Manach

My cat is considerate enough to provide breakfast in bed on occasion :rolleyes:

kylith

kylith wrote: »

There's no way to stop her if she has access to outdoors and a cat flap. Cat proofing your garden so she can't go roaming should lessen what she can catch. Or keep the cat flap locked and only let her in when she doesn't have anything. As said up thread; if you don't want to deal with her hunting and you don't want to restrict her from being able to hunt then a cat may not be the best pet for you.

Couldn't care less if she was killing children, as long as she wasn't killing them in the house.

kylith

Deleted User wrote: »

Couldn't care less if she was killing children, as long as she wasn't killing them in the house.

Then either stop letting her be able to kill them, or stop her being able to get into the house with them.

kylith

kylith wrote: »

Then either stop letting her be able to kill them, or stop her being able to get into the house with them.

At no point in this thread did I say "I will not stop her from killing".

kylith

Deleted User wrote: »

At no point in this thread did I say "I will not stop her from killing".

Grand so.

We all know the shelters are full of cats, and constantly hear people being told to adopt cats from shelters, yet in the very next thread encouraging people to give their animals to a shelter! Surely that's all counter productive. Anyway, she's not going to a shelter.

I just heard there was a dead frog on the stairs yesterday.

nicki11

I read that cats bring back kills to try to teach you to be a better hunter, just like they do with their kittens . They are going to kill things its just their instincts. You can get a bell or something but its just what they do so you may have to make your peace with it. I wouldn't give up your cat and I'm glad you don't seem to want to as he seems welcome and happy in your home and I too don't understand the give up your pet mentality some people have. As all pets have advantages and disadvantages and thats what you take on when you have one no ones perfect and no pet is either Thats why I'm weighing all the options before I get my next one as once I have him hes not going anywhere even if he eats my shoes or chews through the table

Cows Go µ

If you don't want to put a collar and bell on her to make the hunting more difficult then the only way to stop her from bringing the kills into the house is not let her in when she has one. I'm assuming you must have a cat flap to let her in and out so close that and only let her in and out yourself with the door. That really is the only way to stop her from bringing the kills into the house

Kovu

Cows Go µ wrote: »

If you don't want to put a collar and bell on her to make the hunting more difficult then the only way to stop her from bringing the kills into the house is not let her in when she has one. I'm assuming you must have a cat flap to let her in and out so close that and only let her in and out yourself with the door. That really is the only way to stop her from bringing the kills into the house

Again please don't. It's too hard on their ears.

I haven't really got much of a choice , there was a dead rat on the front doorstep about an hour ago - she's a killing machine! She wore a collar when she was much younger, because she was constantly hiding in bedrooms and scaring the bejeebus out of everyone. She will always find a way to bring her kills in, there's always a window open somewhere for her. I've got to try to cut the problem off at the source.

boomerang

She wants to bring them in because the house is her core area where she feels safe from other predators and can eat, sleep and rest in safety. It's her instinct.

Hopefully the casualties will lessen as autumn and winter draw in, OP. She won't be outdoors as much, windows will be closed and the young birds that are the ones to usually fall prey to cats will be adults then. If she is catching mice and rats be sure to worm her at least every three months with Milbemax - every six weeks if she is proving remarkably proficient. Would also echo an earlier poster's advice and say keep her in overnight - not only are dawn and dusk the most active hunting times - the hours of darkness are the most dangerous times for her to be outdoors.

CaoimheSquee

i must be a very good hunter as my little one has never brought me anything in the 3 and half years I have had her!

Hope you can sort this out budgese, best of luck

FelineOverLord

Deleted User wrote: »

We all know the shelters are full of cats, and constantly hear people being told to adopt cats from shelters, yet in the very next thread encouraging people to give their animals to a shelter! Surely that's all counter productive. Anyway, she's not going to a shelter.

I just heard there was a dead frog on the stairs yesterday.

In threads where someone can't keep their pet for whatever reason and can't rehome the pet themselves there are only 2 options, give them to a shelter, assuming they have space in the rescue, or dump them on the streets, which unfortunately is what happens to many animals, especially cats.

Pac2015

Deleted User wrote: »

Hey, my cat has only just started to hunt, she's about 15 months old. So far we've had a live mouse, a live blackbird (both of which I was able to catch and release) and a dead rat. I roared at her and chased her outside with the rat, she's still outside trying to get in the back door, growling away with her rat.

Is there any advice on how to discourage her from bringing in her kills (or not-so-killeds)? I wouldn't mind if I lived alone, but she's on thin ice with my housemates as it is, for general meowing and jumping on the counters. She's usually a good cat. Well she doesn't know any better. But I need to discourage this habit before we get asked to leave.

Any advice much appreciated. At the moment I'm leaning towards needing to make her an outside cat, which I really don't want to do. We just can't afford to lose our accommodation.

Thats normal behavior for a female cat they are the hunters you wont be asked to leave your home just because the cat is bringing back her kills to you she is adding to the house food that is the way they think, praise her for it and then a few mins later dispose of it you should find she wont do it as often also get her the collar with a bell on it there are ones that are like elastic and they do stretch so if anything happens the cat will be okay.

FelineOverLord

FelineOverLord wrote: »

In threads where someone can't keep their pet for whatever reason and can't rehome the pet themselves there are only 2 options, give them to a shelter, assuming they have space in the rescue, or dump them on the streets, which unfortunately is what happens to many animals, especially cats.

I'm just still amused as to how those became my prescribed options by the internet police. She will need to be forcefully removed from my care, and even then there shall be casualties!

Pac2015

Deleted User wrote: »

I'm just still amused as to how those became my prescribed options by the internet police. She will need to be forcefully removed from my care, and even then there shall be casualties!

I am amused too by what some people are telling you like the bells on the collars hurts their ears which is so not true I have 7 cats and 2 have collars on the others wont wear them but I will put them on them soon as we plan to move so I want people to know they are my cats.
I've two in particular who keep bringing baby mice to my back door and at first I was freaking out but now I just speak calmly tell them they are really good pet them and take it off them and bin it and it seems less frequent now that they bring them back, they only once brought me a bird and it was injured and fell from a tree that is how they got it most time cats never catch birds unless they are injured as they are too fast for them.

The elastic collars are great I dont like the ones that clip as they dont pop open if the cat gets caught in something whereas the elastic ones stretch.
Best of luck

She wore a collar until March, so she's going to be getting new collars. I don't care how many she loses if I'm confident they will release easily. I don't like the elasticated ones, don't trust them. She's already kept in at night which helps a bit. I'm proud of her being a little killing machine, just can't have her becoming an inconvenience to other people in the house! She's a lovely little cat so I have to try my best to make sure I can keep her.