Why Does My Cat Bring Me Dead Animals?

Many people find it unsettling when their cats leave dead animals on their doorsteps or bring them inside. Knee-jerk reactions to the sight of the dead prey may be disgust or anger. While cats can fall prey to dogs, coyotes and hawks, cats themselves are predators. At a young age, kittens learn how to hone their hunting and killing instincts. Different possibilities exist as to why cats bring home dead animals to give to their owners.

  1. Natural Hunters

    • Cats are genetically programmed to hunt. Even though they are domesticated animals, they still possess the drive to chase after and catch prey. Kittens display and refine their predatory behavior during play, such as when they pounce on littermates or chase after moving objects. They also learn hunting skills from their mothers. An outdoor female cat can bring home a dead bird or mouse and place it in front of her kittens for them to eat. The mother can also bring home a nearly dead creature for her kittens to kill. The mother does this in order to teach her kittens how to hunt and kill.

    Explanations

    • One theory for why cats bring home dead animals is that cats perceive their owners as giant kittens who need to be fed. Cats may be delivering the dead animals to their owners to try and feed and take care of them just as the cats' mothers did for them when they were kittens. Cats who live in the wild are known to occasionally take home surplus prey to eat later. Since domestic cats are fed by their owners, any prey that they bring home is surplus to their diet. Uneaten prey may be left alone on the floor, or a cat may return to it later to play with it. Taking home a dead animal may also be your cat's attempt to thank you for feeding it or to demonstrate to you its keen hunting skills.

    Responses

    • Owners may be quick to scold or punish their cats for killing and bringing home prey. Your cat will be confused, however, if you scold it since it is just behaving like a cat. Even indoor cats may act out their hunting instincts and catch toy "prey" to bring to you. Instead of acting alarmed or angry, praise your cat for the present of a dead animal, and then dispose of the animal quickly in the garbage or by burial. Disposing of the prey quickly will reduce the amount of time your cat is exposed to the dead animal, which may contain parasites or disease.

    Minimizing Prey

    • If you want to try and find a different hunting outlet for your cat, keep your cat inside and let it hunt catnip mice or other cat toys. Allowing an indoor cat to hunt toys is a way to have your cat expend its hunting energies. If your cat constantly brings dead animals inside, safely move the dead animal to a different location, such as the front porch. By doing this, you show your cat an area where it is allowed to bring its prey.