Why do cats bring "gifts" to their owners?

Ever wonder why your little feline friend comes back from their adventures with a gift of (what usually seems to be) a dead animal? Is there any way to stop them from doing it?

Why do cats bring gifts to their owners?

Cats have a natural instinct to hunt. Even domesticated, they will usually still have the urge to go and track down their next victim. A lot of the time, they like to bring dead prey home to their owners (sometimes even live prey) as a way of showing off their prized possession.  Cats are actually pack animals, especially females, who would normally teach their young how to hunt and eat.

If your cat brings you back a little present, it is possible that it considers you as a part of their family and wants to share these important, life-saving skills. If your feline is an "indoor cat", even inedible objects can be given to you as a gift, such as toy mice, balls or anything that they feel that they have "hunted".

How can I stop my cat from bringing me dead animals?

Try giving your cat a bell collar. The bell will alert their prey when your feline is near, giving birds a chance to fly off, and rodents a chance to make a break for it.

You cannot change a cats instincts, but you can redirect them to play rather than to hunt. Playing with your cat more will satisfy their desire to go and search for their prey. Anything you have that requires your feline to chase and catch is perfect, for example a feather attached to a piece of string, laser pointers or any moving toys.

If you don't have any toys for the cat to chase and catch, then he/she could revert to pouncing at your feet, or climbing the curtains to catch imaginary prey. Make sure you play with your kitty everyday to fulfil its prey drive. It also provides perfect exercise. Indoor cats can often be overweight and playing with them everyday could help them shed those extra pounds. If your cat keeps trying to destroy different objects in your house, like a shoe, then you can give them a fluffy stuffed animal to "kill".

Does your cat bring presents home to you?

Why not read more about some other weird things that cats do!