To be really upset with my cat

[elprup]

I adopted a young male rescue cat last summer. He’d been living stray and had a difficult start in life, so I thought I was doing a good thing.

About six months after letting him outside he began catching quite a lot of mice, which although not ideal, I could just about cope with.

However, he has now moved on to birds and has caught about four in the space of two weeks. I’m so, so upset by it.

This morning he came into my bedroom for a snooze and then went outside into the garden. I went down about 20 minutes later to find him in the kitchen with another dead bird in his mouth. I can’t believe he’s managed to kill another one just 20 minutes after being let out this morning.

He’s a lovely cat apart from this but honestly, I’m really regretting adopting him now.

I’m considering a collar with a bell but have read they can cause injury to cats if the quick release mechanism fails or doesn’t work fast enough.

I just hate to see all these lovely birds being slaughtered. What can I do?

Those advising to fit a collar loosely - this is in fact dangerous, the cat is more likely to get a leg or branch caught in the collar and cause injury.
You should be able to fit two fingers under a collar, the cat shouldn't be choked, but too loose is just as bad.

He’s a lovely cat apart from this but honestly, I’m really regretting adopting him now.

He wouldn't be killing any fewer birds if you hadn't adopted him. You just wouldn't have to see them.

Re advocating collars, I've ditched mine because 1 of my cats came in once hobbling on 3 legs with one front leg caught up through the collar next to her ear, lucky she made it home. Too dangerous. A stray cat who has had to catch and kill to survive will take a while to realise it's no longer necessary and as pps say, it's their nature built into them. That's cats for you. If you love them you've got to overlook it I'm afraid.

Husband "traumatised" for picking up a dead bird. Bloody hell. So wet

And being very upset at a cat who's basically doing what it's meant to in life...get a grip!

It isn’t nice but it’s what cats do! I don’t bother with collars mine used to come home without them after a day. I’m vegetarian and hate animals suffering but it’s just part and parcel of having a cat.

Not only does the killing generally decline over the years, this time of year is a particularly dangerous time for birds. We’ve had fledgling season, where the young birds spend quite a bit of time on the ground, learning to hunt bugs and forage berries at ground level before they learn to fly. they’re easy prey for cats. Lots of wildlife places in U.K. now advise keeping prolific hunters indoors for this period of the year.

One of my ex-feral cats brought a live bat in earlier this week.

Just think how many more wild animals he would be killing if you hadn't adopted him!

Good point!

To the person saying cats (and all meat-eating pets) are a luxury - what do you suggest? That we have a mass cull of all cats and dogs?

It’s a cat’s nature. As others have suggested get a collar with a bell.

our first two cats were accomplished hunters, you soon learn not to pad about in the dark in bare feet

collars, bells, restrict outside access during crepuscular hours, and stern lecture about not catching cute birds...I swear that works but you have to really guilt them about it.

Current pair are not very good at hunting but this time of year when baby birds and mice families are about is definitely the worst. We have liberated several baby swallows/house martins as they fledge and then realise they cannot really fly and bob about on the path making lots of flappy noises as they try to launch themselves off the ground and the catfaces catch them and fetch them in for us.

The cats get grounded (no more outdoors) and the birds are liberated or dealt with (ick) as required. Although tbh if they are not dead they do seem to be unharmed and able to recover and fly off.

My cat has always had a bell collar. Fitting is crucial, if too loose it's more likely to snag.

She's never brought back a bird.

Collar and bells never worked with my killer cat, she just learnt to move without ringing the bell.
Get one of these, my cat went from bringing in a bird a day to none at all.
You put it over a quick-release collar and the birds can see the cat so much better. Coupled with 2 or 3 bells it worked really well.

Both my cats have collars (with quick release catches) and one has a gigantic Christmas-style sleigh bell on hers, as she started bringing in moths and butterflies. Neither has - as far as I know - managed to catch anything more significant than a stick since. Highly recommend a gigantic bell - you’ll go deaf but the birds will be safe.

Stop being upset with him. That's ridiculous. This is what cats are hardwired to do. If you didn't adopt him he'd just been doing it elsewhere.

Husband "traumatised" for picking up a dead bird. Bloody hell. So wet

Yes, the OP’s husband is suffering long-term psychological damage due to their cat killing birds.

But I guess this is MN, where anything someone doesn’t like is ‘triggering’. That, or the OP is using words she doesn’t fully understand.

This is my cat

here he is

You can help reduce your cats need to hunt and kill by playing hunting games with it. It means you have to provide suitable toys and spend time every day interacting with the cat.

@TheInebriati

We do mine has fresh fish once a week and chicken but he still wants to hunt.

FWIW he’s not ‘providing for you’ he’s bringing them home to stop others getting them. But I would just get a bell collar, never had an issue with any of mine tbh

How pathetic.

Hes a cat. It's what they do.

Collars don't cause injury

They absolutely do. Years ago one of our cats went missing. Few weeks later the neighbours found it in a tree. Hanging from his collar it was a safety collar too.

It's also the reason that when my dog wears a collar it's loose enough to slide off his neck without much effort

NTRFT, but more play time might help. Get some cat toys - a laser pointer, one of those that has the feathers at the end of a rod, the springs that roll on the floor when the cat bats at them, etc.

All cat toys simulate hunting. I think they help satisfy the urge.

None of my 4 cats have collars now as they always managed to lose them within a day. The two females don’t hunt, but the two neutered males are perpetually leaving bits of rodent outside the back door to supplement our diet. They rarely bring birds; rodents - even big rats - must be easier. Revolting, but better dead than alive.

Dude... you got a CAT and now you feel sad and bad about it killing mice and birds

Uhm... did you thought cats ate carrots and snowpeas only ???

@Mileysmiley Did you @ the wrong person? I didn't mention diet. Hunting is a drive, some cats need to do it. You can't eliminate it, but you can reduce it.