Would this be cruel and/or is there another option?

[Itsfab]

I have come home to find a rather large robin dead on my patio and a lovely brown bird dead in my utility room. GirlCat is definitely the culprit. She has a bell on her collar but clearly the birds didn't hear to get away. I have seen in the pet shop charms to hang on collars and extra bells. I wouldn't bother with the charms but wonder if more bells would make enough noise to give the birds more warning. They aren't heavy but wanted to see what people think about extra bells.

I know it is nature but it is still not nice and DS2 is going to be very upset. She had already had a mouse this morning and left it in her bed for us though that may be have been BoyCat.

Grrr. They are half siblings. They don't share their kills but once both tormented the same live mouse .

GirlCat in my counter sniffing around for bits of chicken.

How long before they realise they will be fed and never starved again??!?!

ItsFab from what I recall of seeing my siblings (and their brother) was they acted as a duo or trio when it came to hunting.

e.g. one chased the mouse, if it got away the 2nd one chased it, then the 3rd etc...

The white one was a good solo hunter not made better by next door having a broken garage door and mice, I overheard my neighbour once sort of telling off my cat for bringing him a mouse...

the female was equally brilliant though, anything that moved.

To those who say small cats are better at hunting ours weren't small, they were big (boned not fat!).

Like I say I think they were both (god knows why) scared of rats and for that I was forever grateful!

OP you also have to realise that however much you feed or don't feed them they'll still generally hunt. I think Cozietozie has some good tips though. Bells can help on collars. Keeping in at night etc.

Mine wore collars for a while (not girl really)

Itsfab

If you continue to give them an excited reaction - even though it's one of horror - then they'll likely keep on bringing you presents because it's attention and acknowledgement. Studied boredom and quick disposal/cleaning are your key words, I think.

Cozie but when I yelled at my white cat years ago when he backed out of the cat flap clutching a mouse in his jaws was this encouraging him??

How needy does he seem to be?

Cozie if the needy comment was to me that was for my white cat, not so much needy but not sadly departed this world.

He was very miaowy but a real show off and very confident and affectionate.

Ach - that's a shame.

(Miaowy and a real show off = needy in my book.)

But he's dead now Cozie.

However Felix my new kitten is also needy - and miaowy and show offy but then he's a baby, bless him.

I hope he won't choke on the Whiskas kitten biscuits I got him as they'd run out of Iams Kitten biccies.

Plenty of attention and games then but best to make sure that the attention and approval are restricted to things you're OK with. If he learns that bringing a headless corpse to Mum - after a long hunt - results in said corpse quickly disappearing/boredom on Mum's part, then it's no fun.

Yeah Cozie I see what you mean - scream = attention - no scream/bored look = no attention.

However like I said, at 7am with live mouse through catflap my emotions were swiftly aroused, and made worse by the fact that had me/then partner gone to work the damned mouse would be running chased by both cats all day, through the house! dratted animals...

They bring in their prey and just leave it on the floor. What are they doing and what do they need?

Once they brought in a black bird and dumped it in the lounge when we weren't here.

They dump mice in the utility room and show no interest in it later though sometimes one of them will pick it up and have a play with it.

I can't cope with dead bodies and just don't want them. Once found three in five minutes and cried .

BoyCat is very vocal in announcing his arrival home and I can sometimes tell if the miaow is the one to announce he has brought a friend home .

....he has brought a friend home .....??

He sounds like a wayward teenager!

Our two always had collars with bells but frequently used to bring little friends home to play and they were still alive.
First thing we knew was when they were "standing guard" over whichever armchair or unit the poor thing had escaped under. I spent the rest of the day/evening watching said chair/unit for "friend" to come out so hubby could catch it before the cats got it.
Glad to say the one who's left is too old to be bothered these days :-)

Don't think there's much you can do about it other than what cosie has suggested.

Flat on his back, front paws stretched out behind him, back legs open wide. Fast asleep. Wayward teenager?! .

Won't be keeping him in. Too cruel. Will see if the extra bell helps enough and if not will buy an enormous one. DS2 is off school so has said he will get rid of any mice.

my hero