killer cat

[kazoo]

V. annoyed with my cat at the moment. Everyday there is a new dead offering on the garden lawn sometimes 2 or 3. Yesterday it was a mole and a bird's head. Fed up because I have to do full garden inspection before ds and dd can go out to play. Have tried feeding her more than usual and getting her a collar with a bigger bell but no improvement. Any ideas?

[littlerach]

At least she is leaving them outside! Our cat brings them in, sometimes not quite dead, and leaves them on the mat.

I don't think there is anything you can do, it is what cats do unfortunately.

[gigglinggoblin]

dont think you can stop the cat. fwiw my kids have never come to harm by finding a dead offering, they usually come running into the house to let me know something is out there. they have had lovely close up views of animals they would not have seen otherwise (sorry, grim i know but trying to see the silver lining )

[WigWamBam]

Yep, that's what cats do, and there's not much you can do about it. Feeding her more won't help because they don't hunt through hunger, they hunt through instinct - a well-fed cat will still hunt.

[starlover]

i don't think there is anything you can do kazoo.

cats are born hunters... they will do it even if they aren't hungry. hence leaving the whole thing lying around.

it's just what cats do!

[starlover]

lol crossed post wwb!

[WigWamBam]

Is that great minds thinking alike, starlover, or fools never differing?

[kazoo]

Thanks for posting. Thought it was a long shot that there might be a miracle cure. Oh well, at least that mole won't be digging anymore holes in the garden.

[cupcakes]

We have a killer cat too - mice I can tolerate (except when they're still alive and bleeding and then hide behind the sink) but the birds are heart breaking. The other day I came home to find a dead fledgling on the floor with the mother bird (still very much alive) sitting frozen in the corner. And rather a lot of bird poo on the walls. I had to get my dh to come home (he works round the corner) to catch it and set it free. Cat caught it again within 30 minutes because it just wouldn't fly away. We found another two dead fledglings in the garden afterwards. Really pees me off. To the point where I'm unlikely to get another cat in the future. In fact I'm considering keeping her indoors at night next May and June to give the baby birds a chance.

[starlover]

wwb... we're obviously both very, very clever!

[WigWamBam]

I can live with that, starlover

[suzi2]

Female cats are the worst! Cats hunt for fun - not through hunger. If she leaves them for you, then it is a 'thankyou' from her. Try praising her - she'll be very pleased with herself and may not feel that she has to impress you so much.

[kazoo]

Suzi2 am always telling my cat how good she is especially with the kids. She never scratches no matter how many times ds goes to pull her tail. Think I am just surprised she is doing this because when we first got her she didn't kill anything for 3 years and since we have moved house she hasn't stopped killing things.

[tiffini]

I was told if i cat brought it's prey into the kitchen, that it is a present for you to show they love you.

[tallulah]

Oh, I was just going to start a thread about this! Sad to see there seems to be no solution. Two of my four cats catch anything that moves but bring them back alive. We have managed to get two baby birds off the cats but they die anyway (of shock I assume). It was heartbreaking yesterday to watch a tiny little sparrow gasping its last on the deck & nothing we could do.

The garden is littered with dead bodies

Today's offering had no head, which somehow doesn't seem quite so bad, in a twisted sort of way. DD (who is 19 & should no better) let the cat in, not recognising the "I've caught something" tone of her miaow nor noticing the cat had a full mouth. Yuck yuck yuck.

Cupcakes, ours catch mostly in the daytime, so I don't think keeping them in at night would do much good. Why are birds such crap parents? You'd think they'd keep a look out for marauding cats.

[kazoo]

Two dead moles on garden lawn this morming am wondering whether I should hire her out to people with wild mice/mole/rabbit infestations.
Praying she doesn't bring a rat home.
Do cats catch rats?

[suzi2]

Cats do catch rats... but they're not the easiest of kills as they can put up a nasty fight.

[cupcakes]

Tallulah - yes, ours catches birds just as much in the day as at night. I read (on a calender!) that you should keep them indoors ALL THE TIME for the month of May but I really can't be doing with litter trays again. And there is no way I can keep the back door shut all the time with children playing outside. I thought if I just kept her in at night it might halve her kills.
She's 3 years. Do they grow out of it?

[suzi2]

They don't grow out of it... one of my mums cats is 16 and is now blind in one eye but still brings her daily offerings. Including rabbits - full grown ones that are bigger than she is!

[tallulah]

cupcake, it's our eldest cat who is the worst culprit & she's nearly 8 years old. Her son is 6 and when told to "drop it" will do so.. I got a wren off him last year and it flew away quite happily. The little female is too daft to catch anything but insects, and the younger male is trying to compete with the oldest cat for how much he can catch. I've lost track but I think he is 3 as well.

[hatstand]

dh's sister - when she was about 18 months - was found with a dead mouse in her mouth, courtesy of the family cat. she lived.

[novadandypowder]

we keep our 3 cats in at night, and although we had a few baby birds in May i think it helped to keep the numbers down. It's also good for their safety to keep them in at night as animals tend to get a bit tetchy in the heat. Have you tried clipping the tips of their claws so they aren't so sharp? You can buy nail clippers from the vet/pet shop and we do our boys regularly.