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?

@elprup I agree. I get upset by it. Once there was a little mouse that wasn't quite dead, OH made a nest for it in a box and fed it, kept it in the spare room overnight, was right as rain by morning and he set it free in a field. Where it was probably promptly eaten by something. But still. Soppy git he is, and I don't care.

It’s just quite upsetting dealing with a dead animal.

Well it’s not pleasant, and it’s probably not anyone’s favourite thing to do, but you were the one who said that he was ‘traumatised’ by it, which is hopefully an immense exaggeration.

People are traumatised by abuse, by serious accidents, by living in a war zone. Being faced with a bird killed by a pet cat isn’t a traumatic event.

Well it’s not pleasant, and it’s probably not anyone’s favourite thing to do, but you were the one who said that he was ‘traumatised’ by it, which is hopefully an immense exaggeration.

Oh for goodness’ sake - it’s just an expression. Hilarious how some people take everything so literally on here

Thanks to the 99% of posters who’ve been really constructive and helpful - you’ve made me feel a lot better about the situation!

My now deceased lovely cat who was a super killer lost a collar per month. All with tags on. She had NO issues with the quick release

My other cat who I still have has had the same collar for 6 years!

You're the one that said he was traumatised. I'd hardly be happy and laughing about it, but nor would I use 'traumatised' as an expression. I would just say he was upset by it. Yet I'm the odd one..

I also feel for DH who’s had to dispose of the dead bodies and has been quite traumatised by it.

Doesn’t sound like just an expression really.

Either way you both need to get a grip.

Hilarious how some people take everything so literally on here

Well yeah, you said something which was taken at face value but apparently wasn’t what you meant at all.

You both sound rather hysterical and fragile, what with hyperbolic talk of ‘slaughter’ and ‘trauma’, when all that’s happening is your cat having the audacity to be a cat.

“You're the one that said he was traumatised. I'd hardly be happy and laughing about it, but nor would I use 'traumatised' as an expression. I would just say he was upset by it. Yet I'm the odd one ”

Well you said it Thanks for the giggle though! Just what I needed

You both sound rather hysterical and fragile, what with hyperbolic talk of ‘slaughter’ and ‘trauma’, when all that’s happening is your cat having the audacity to be a cat.

And you sound utterly joyless and miserable. I’m sorry for you!

Update: my murderous, slaughtering cat is now back inside and sprawled on the sofa, completely oblivious to the trauma he’s caused DH and me today. I will be looking into collars and cat-proofing my garden tomorrow!

I haven't Rtft. My friends cat is a murderous little bitch (but we all love her), she started cutting up raw chicken slithers for her before she went a hunting. This didn't eradicate the problem but really cut it down.

I haven't rtt, sorry, but Bird Be Safe is literally AMAZING. it's basically a ruff that goes over a normal collar, and makes cats really visible to birds. My amazingly prolific rescue cat has caught one bird since wearing it, and even that one survived - just!- as I think she was so amazed she'd managed it she didn't go for the kill!!

Can't recommend highly enoug. Buy online, import from America. I'm so glad I found it. Honestly think they should be compulsory. I'm the biggest cat lover in the world, but I love birds too.

Sadly doesn't stop them catching mice etc.

www.birdsbesafe.com

Thank you StillSurviving - I will definitely be looking into that tomorrow! I think my murderous moggie could look rather fetching in a ruff!

@Ponoka7

I'm sorry but you are very wrong. Just look at these pics if you need proof. www.google.com/search?q=collar+injury+cat&client=ms-android-tmobile-gb&prmd=isvn&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjX-MbN4_vjAhUiXRUIHSI5ApsQ_AUoAXoECBEQAQ&biw=360&bih=631

And you sound utterly joyless and miserable.

Of course I’m joyless and miserable! Your cat is an evil, genocidal twat and your DH is psychologically damaged by the bloodshed.

There’s no joy to be had here. Just misery, interminable misery

He's a cat it's what they do, had you not heard of them before? Total drama and overreaction.

This is why am a dog person, I don’t like the predatory aspect of cats. It’s why a cat will eat it’s dead owner but a dog will lay beside your body faithfully. It sounds like what you want is a dog not a cat What a stupid comment, as if dogs aren't predatory

There’s no joy to be had here. Just misery, interminable misery

I think your Mumsnet username sums you up perfectly Sending hugs and kisses your way!

I think your Mumsnet username sums you up perfectly

I’ll be honest, your language use is so idiosyncratic I didn’t have you pegged as a Chomsky scholar. Apologies.

But obviously you now understand where my fascination with semantics comes from.

Update: my murderous, slaughtering cat is now back inside and sprawled on the sofa, completely oblivious to the trauma he’s caused DH and me today. I will be looking into collars and cat-proofing my garden tomorrow!

Oh wow the 'trauma'. 😂 I can literally now imagine you as like some damsel in distress from some really old movie, fainting at the sight of something trivial. That is a funny image. 😂 The cats probably doing this for the same reason, for a laugh.

Sorry to disappoint you (the two posters above) but I won’t be feeding the trolls, as they say, any longer. Have a fabulous week

Well this took a turn.

This is why am a dog person, I don’t like the predatory aspect of cats.

@prawnsword Dogs are just as bad, my old dog used to hunt and kill rabbits.

Also I’d much rather have a cat around because at least I know it won’t try to rip a child’s face off. Dogs kill and attack children and adults. There are thousands of dog attacks on people every year in the UK alone.

So you will eat meat because you can't see it be slaughtered but you can't cope with it when you're not protected from it?

Watch some YouTube videos of slaughter houses to even it out

Ignore them, OP, some people are only happy when slagging others off, I wonder if they are like that in real life? 🤔

I don't think it's a bad thing that your DH gets upset at the slaughter, it does get very upsetting dealing with dead birds day after day, it's such a bloody shame 😥

Anyway get your moggy sorted with the ruff and bells and put all thoughts of getting rid of him out of your mind 💐

You can minimise collar injuries. (They can cause harm)
Regularly check it's a snug fit, not choking, not so loose they can get their jaw into it.
If it's got elastic, cut through part of it, so any pressure and it'll break. You'll probably be going through a few though...