Cat bringing birds in

[myusernameisnotmyusername]

Our 4 year old spayed female cat has starting bringing live and dead birds home. It seems to make no difference whether she has a bell collar on or not. She had never brought anything in until the last couple of weeks and since then it's been a dead bird on the back doorstep (we have a 'lean to'),one dead bird in the living room and two alive birds in the living room. Is this just normal behaviour? I've heard this is something to do with maturity and mothering but I'm not sure. Can I do anything to stop it?

[Guiltypleasures001]

My cat is a murdering cow op sorry, she's moved on to rabbits 😩

[Want2beme]

I've only ever had one cat who does this. It's horrible and heartbreaking. I do manage to save a lot of them, but sadly some die of fright. I don't know why they bring them home

Here's the little bligjter.

[BarbaraOcumbungles]

Try 2 bells.

[myusernameisnotmyusername]

@Want2beme your cat is very cute
@Guiltypleasures001 rabbits? Oh dear 
@BarbaraOcumbungles thanks I will try that.

[Scrutler]

Our murderous kittens have 7 bells each - sound like little elves but kill rate is near zero now from at least one a day.

[Timeisslippingaway]

Your cat is bringing you presents, be grateful

This is normal. I've read a few different things about cats bring animals home for their owners as gifts. My day had a dog when he was younger that would bring rabbits home and leave them o the step for the family 😂. Not particularly nice but it's just their natural instincts.

[Timeisslippingaway]

*dad had a dog

[Guiltypleasures001]

Dh and I say come the apocalypse we won't starve with her around 😁

[Guiltypleasures001]

In our defence when we were getting her I had a lovely pink diamanté collar
Engraved and with a bell, she was 😒 then tore it off, wouldn't keep it on.

Maybe she doesn't do pink, deffo does red though

[iklboo]

Apparently it's because they think we're useless tools who can't fend for ourselves so need either feeding up or hunting practice.

[Ski37]

My cat wears a quick release collar with a bell. He is loud enough that I can hear him jingle-jangling about outside when I am in the house with the windows shut. Unfortunately this doesn’t seem to have curtailed his killing abilities! Mostly he leaves dead birds outside the cat flap but if he is feeling particularly generous he may leave one as a gift for me under my bed 😡. Mice are another matter, however.... he seems to take pride in bringing them inside alive before letting them go .... fortunately he gives himself away with much excited yowling so I am alerted to the fact he has brought home a prize and can react accordingly. He is a little furry murdering bastard but I love him!
No advice other than to try a cow bell?

[elephantscanring]

Cats kill millions of birds in the UK every year. If your cat is a hunter, pls keep them in overnight. Or give them a collar with lots of bells on. The UK bird population is falling, and this would help. See www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/advice/gardening-for-wildlife/animal-deterrents/cats-and-garden-birds/are-cats-causing-bird-declines/

[myusernameisnotmyusername]

Thanks everyone. My cat never goes out overnight. I will try an extra bell.

[Wolfiefan]

No collars. A real risk they won't release and will hang your cat.
We don't have a catflap. They come in or out when we open doors.
In at dawn and dusk less hunting then.

[myusernameisnotmyusername]

Wolfiefan no worries about that. She has those ones that undo. She often comes home without it! Thanks.

[Wolfiefan]

Yep. Even those don't always. The only collars I've ever been happy with were called beastie bands and were a Velcro only closing. Can't find them anymore.
My cats are microchipped. No collars.