Is your cat on the hunt?

Has your cat ever brought home a bird, a mouse or even a squirrel after a trip outside? Amazingly, cats cause the death of around 200 million birds each year. Even if it spends its days indoors, do you think your cat keeps its hunting instincts? Petstory went on the hunt for answers.

Where does a cat's hunting instinct come from?

Long in the past, before it was domesticated, the feral cat was a predator. It had to hunt to survive. And this instinct never completely disappears, even if you give your kitty a double serving of kibble. Hunting is normal and natural behavior. In fact, your cat should indulge in this activity every day because he needs to stimulate his instincts. Moreover, when a cat captures a bird, it will play with it to get rid of any stress built up during a hunt. When it was a kitten, your cat saw its mother indulging in the same kind of behaviour, and even back then, it seemed like a fun game.

Why does your cat bring its prey to you?

The next time your cat brings you a bird or a mouse, thank it for the generous gift. When it does this, it’s simply imitating what its mother taught it. Bringing food home is in your cat’s DNA. It can't help this behavior. Even if you are its master or mistress, he considers you a baby and feels driven to bring you food. So, instead of telling your cat off, thank it. And at least your cat’s not going to insist that you eat what he brings you!

The perfect physique for hunting

When you think about it, a cat has a hunter’s build. Its body is lithe and flexible. Just cast your mind back to the last impossibly small gap it managed to squeeze through. A cat’s strong and well-developed back means it can jump both far and high. And of course, it’s programmed to always land on its feet. What’s more, like some kind of super-hero, it has razor-sharp retractable claws. How cool is that? And when those claws are hidden away its pads are so silent you just can’t hear it coming. And, of course, your cat sees much better than you do in the dark and has significantly better hearing. Just be glad that you’re a lot bigger than he or she is!

Should we let our cat go out?

Even if you think you're doing the right thing by letting your cat out to hunt freely, you may want to consider the following points. Firstly, these statistics are striking. An outdoor cat will live an average of 5 years compared to an indoor cat who can expect to live between 12 and 15 years. This is because of the dangers outside. Fights with a stray cat (who has never heard two cats fighting in an alley?) or a wild animal are frequent and can be very dangerous.

Indeed, in addition to physical injuries such as wounds or bites, your cat could contract serious illnesses. There is feline AIDS for which there is no vaccine or treatment, or even rabies which is fatal and transmissible to humans. Your cat could also catch parasites even if he is not in direct contact with another animal. Add to this the fact your indoor cat will cost you 66% less at the vet, and even money starts to talk and tell you to keep your cat in the house.

The way to a happy indoor cat

It’s quite possible to keep your cat indoors and keep it happy! Just be attentive to its instinctive needs and let it express its natural behavior by adapting your home.

First, take the time to play with him. It only takes two short periods of play of 5 to 10 minutes a day to meet his need for physical activity. So, forget the social media for a few minutes and connect with your cat instead!

An environment where your cat can walk at height is also recommended as cats like to have an overview of their territory. You can combine this with a cat tree. And don’t forget, a good scratching post is essential for your cat.

Finally, interactive feeding stations are a great way to provide stimulation for your cat. In addition to making the cat "work" for its food by imitating a hunt, these stations can prevent cats from eating too quickly. It’s good way to avoid vomiting and even obesity.

So, if you have a cat at home, you now know how to help him follow his hunting instincts without putting his health at risk.

If you have any more questions about your cat's behavior, please don't hesitate to consult your Mondou advisor.

Sources:

https://educhateur.com/sortir-chat-exterieur-solutions/

https://jardinage.lemonde.fr/dossier-1974-chat-joue-proies.html

https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/727394/oiseau-chats-mortalite-canada