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The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

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Original poster

When did your cat first catch something? Bird/mouse etc

27 replies

Cheesypop · 06/06/2015 08:21

My two are great chasers of leaves and flies, and love chase and catch games with a feather on a string, but neither of them have ever caught and killed anything. They are 2 years old and 11 months old. The older one brought in a live mouse once but I genuinely think she thought it was her friend, and to be honest the younger one is similar, he thinks everyone is his friend and was trying to get my 4 week old niece to pat him

I love the way they are but will they ever change? Did yours start bring dead things in at a particular age?

OP posts:

MadauntofA · 06/06/2015 08:28

Very early on, he was about 8 months and it hasn't stopped. He loves to eat flies but frequently brings in mice and birds and he is Houdini with a collar!

DulcetMoans · 06/06/2015 08:54

It probably will change at some point but it will change again.

Our kitten (now about 18months) caught her first pretty soon after being let out and is still relatively frequent with being stuff home but we have noticed that it's not actually always stuff she has killed - a few times (including this week) it was a well dead, crusty bird that had been in the sun. She just picked up and carried home. She also had a love frog this week though, I think she just likes finding things! She is just as likely to bring in flowers and chases bees.

With the older one, she probably caught something in the first few weeks of being allowed out. Then brought a something back every now and again but not really anything for ages now. She's too lazy and barely leaves the garden - she's only 7!

Now my old boy, now dead but reached the age of 21. He was a natural hunter. Even at nearly 20 with no teeth he bought the same mouse home three time in three nights. Couldn't really kill it, no teeth, but bought it anyway.

Anyway, they are all different and it does change. In all likelihood they will do it at some stage!

dollydaydreamers · 06/06/2015 09:01

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

AuntOlive · 06/06/2015 09:05

When I lived with parents out in the 'sticks' one of my cats caught a rabbit. The other caught a weasel and my dad was terrified the weasel would kill the cat! The cat survived though.

They also used to catch numerous birds and much from quite a young age.

One of them ate them (euww) but the other one (rabbit catcher) always let me 'rescue' her prey. Sadly the birds and mice often died though, despite my rescue efforts - due to shock I guess. The rabbit hopped off though and hopefully lived to see another day.

anotherbloodycyclist · 06/06/2015 09:11

Our girl cat is a catcher and eater, has been from an early age. Mainly baby birds and mice. She has a spot on one of the floorboard where she leaves the heart (bleugh) as she obviously doesn't like the taste. Sometimes she'll only eat a bit if it, I'd be glad if I were you, there is nothing worth than standing on half a dead mouse in your bare feet first thing in the morning! She did attempt to bring a crow in once but it was too wide to fit through the cat flap.

chockbic · 06/06/2015 11:22

He has been a late starter really. Most he was doing was chasing leaves around. Which I sort of enjoyed, as nothing was harmed. Progressed to wasps (sugar puffs) at around 9 months old. Last few weeks he's been bringing shrews home. Usually alive, so they run around the kitchen.

BettyCatKitten · 06/06/2015 16:09

BettyCat caught a bird last week which she very kindly deposited in a book shelf in my lounge! Said bird then flew upstairs, luckily eldest ds was at home to rescue it (I have a phobia of birds so was ensconced in my room shouting obscenities)
Cat is 18 months.

RubbishMantra · 06/06/2015 16:55

Little Monsieur brought a frog in at 7 months. Didn't hurt it though, just patted it gently to make it hop and scream.

Butterflywings168 · 08/06/2015 02:32

Betty I feel for you. I have a bird phobia too. Anything else cats like to bring in I can cope with, but birds no. I'd be hiding and shouting obscenities too.

Butterflywings168 · 08/06/2015 02:40

To add, my Madame hasn't brought anything in yet. She chases birds but is 8yo, and my garden is secure, so they get away. I think she just enjoys threatening them, but cba actually hunting

cozietoesie · 08/06/2015 09:46

I know that Seniorboy caught the occasional mouse in his youth - my Mum had an older house so was prone to them - although these days I think he'd be hard put to even yawn if a mouse came and pirouetted on the bed in front of him.

The Lodger was a holy terror though - I used to watch him catching small mammals in the garden from the kitchen window and it was disconcerting just how much he enjoyed it. At least he never brought home live presents though: all activity was kept outside.

loraflora · 09/06/2015 16:08

Today is the first time I've had proof that my cat catches anything. I had mice in the past before getting my current cat but we've seen no sign of them, live or dead ever since so I guessed her presence, and my efforts blocking up any gaps, had paid off. Last night the cat was being noisy under the dinner table and I thought she was playing with one of her toy mice until a live one shot out, followed by her. The cat still hadn't caught it when I went to bed but DH got up, he had to deal with the corpse. Since the cat had already come upstairs for a cuddle, I'm relieved she didn't love me enough to bring me it as a present.

loraflora · 09/06/2015 16:09

She's 7 and I tend to think of her as a fat lazy bastard, so I'm sure the exercise did her good even if it grossed me out.

DownAtFraggleRock · 09/06/2015 20:56

Sunday

he's 18 months old and caught his first bird and dashed into the house with it. He growled when DH took it away from him

Original poster

Cheesypop · 09/06/2015 20:58

Thanks for all the replies! Seems like there is a bit of variance but there's still time for it to begin, certainly for the younger one... I hope they stick to leaves!

OP posts:

FunnysInLaJardin · 09/06/2015 21:04

my two cats aged 8 years have hunted from the moment they went outside as kittens. We live in a rural area and so rabbits, mice, voles and the odd bird are the order of the day. In the summer they catch at least 6 each a day and leave the guts under the table as a gift. Tis a bloodbath in our kitchen some mornings

I think it is good for them to have some wild food and keeps them healthy.

abigamarone · 13/06/2015 21:47

The black and white hasn't caught anything, makes a big show of waggling his bum when stalking though. His brother (a tabby) brought his first catch in about an hour ago. I deposited the poor bird under the hedge at the front and locked the catflap, he's just broken out at the back and either recaught it or caught another...

abigamarone · 13/06/2015 21:48

And they're both 15 months.

susiedaisy · 13/06/2015 21:52

Just last week a baby bird?? he is 13 months old.

Gabilan · 13/06/2015 21:56

The mother of my two was feral so taught them from the word go. They bring in all sorts. Won't eat shrews (something to do with glands and odd tastes) so leave them lying around, meaning I've got quite good at identifying species. Occasionally catch small birds, often catch mice and even on one occasion a bat.

Haffdonga · 13/06/2015 22:01

Mine is 11 months old too. 2 weeks ago he caught his first mouse, quickly followed by a bird and yesterday a frog.

We have a killer on our hands.

girliefriend · 13/06/2015 22:04

My 5 yo boy cat had caught a few mice and birds, never killed one though he can catch them but then has no clue what to do next.

My 14 month old girl cat has once caught a small stick (she was so proud of herself ) She has zero killer instinct bless her.

girliefriend · 13/06/2015 22:06

abig my black and white boy cat goes all wiggly bottom on the prowl as well it looks hilarious!

Gabilan · 13/06/2015 22:11

I've seen one of my stalk a cock pheasant. It was like the Serengeti in my back garden but I was a bit worried as cock pheasants in spring time can be a bit vicious.

If it moves and is smaller than them, or not much bigger, mine will stalk it. If they can catch it they'll probably kill it. Handy when there are some lazy flies in the house that I can't catch but they can.

moonbells · 15/06/2015 13:11

Moonkitten's a sod with birds. We got the year's first pigeon this morning. Couple of weeks ago it was a fledgling magpie, then a very young something (not sure what as it got eaten) and previously there were three baby birds but relatively large so perhaps pigeons again.

Last year we had a constant stream of pigeons including a racing bird (that one was rescued and survived).

He's only just been two. Wears two bells, and I try to keep the lawn very short so he can't hide in the grass. Does it help? Does it heck.

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