Extreme killer cat

[teaandakitkat]

Our last cat was a crazy killer. Almost every day she killed something and brought it in. Not just small birds or mice, but pigeons regularly, once a half-dead crow flapping pathetically on the floor, baby seagulls and once our neighbours budgie, but that's a whole other story.
I've grown up with cats my whole life and never had a cat like this.
I'd love to have another one but I couldn't cope with another extreme killer.
Is there any way of reducing your chances of getting a killer? Apart from keeping it indoors? Particular breeds or anything, or is it just luck?
Our last cat was a Bengal korat cross if that makes any difference.

I had a big of a shock when they hauled the bulging cat carrier, with two enormous paws dangling out the front, into the reception at the rescue. I picked him almost sight unseen as all you could see was two eyes in the depths of an igloo bed!

My cat is crap at hunting. Spiders, leaves, grass clippings. She's 7 and has caught no more than a handful of birds / mice / rats in her life. As a kitten she caught some earthworms. She is a bit odd: I saw her fall off the shed roof, and nearly fell of the kitchen table a few days ago. She also got an odd injury that the vet said was not fight / dog or car related, which is unheard of in cats. She's also unusually tame at the vets: has had a few things done that normally they need sedating for (dental, removal of a thing on her foot, draining an abscess). On the basis of her good behaviour and strange injury, vet said he thought she might be a bit brain damaged (she was a runt kitten) and should never be allowed out after dark as she would be extra vulnerable.

Our cat is a British blue, huge, and brings the occasional prize home, maybe once or twice a year. The last few have been a grey squirrel, a crow and a pigeon. He sometimes wears a bell and collar, but does often lose them while out.

I find it interesting that we are talking about cats eating wildlife as a negative thing. Presumably not many of us will feed our cats a vegan diet, so having a cat will result in animal death whether through the death of fluffy garden birds or through the death of cows, chickens and sheep making tins of kitty food.

It's not a criticism of anyone view, I just find it interesting that we are intrinsically valuing the lives of garden birds, mice etc over those of animals manufactured for food like cows and pigs (who are arguably more sentient). You could argue that the wild animals have had a much better life and death than the average cow or chicken.

Not a judgement, as I said I have a cat and periodically he wears a bell so I'm obviously trying to prevent him eating wildlife, just a musing.

I like the disabled cat idea. Zara isn't officially disabled but she is extremely clumsy and frankly was bred for beauty rather than function. The only way she could catch anything is if it presented itself in front of her and waited patiently for several minutes until she geared herself up for one of her supremely inefficient pounces.
Bibi is a killing machine but she has limited outdoor access anyway.

Mine doesn't hunt. Ever. I suspect when he was stray for so long he batted his eyelashes for food
Stable cat is another story, she will often come home with two or three mice in her mouth but that's her job

He plays differently to other cats in that rather than batting toys around and chasing after them, he tends to pounce, pin them down and cart them off in his mouth. He's also obsessed with feathers and will chew and crunch them

Oh no that is how my kitten plays!!!

It's not a criticism of anyone view, I just find it interesting that we are intrinsically valuing the lives of garden birds, mice etc over those of animals manufactured for food like cows and pigs (who are arguably more sentient). You could argue that the wild animals have had a much better life and death than the average cow or chicken

I place more value in the life of the 'cute' little birds from a conservation perspective.

I'm also not sure that cats killing has much to do with hunger? My boys bought back kills daily despite being podgy well fed chunks.

I have a large number of cats. They live happily in the countryside. I've failed with one. He's a very small wirey cat that I rescued as a kitten. He kills everything. Including full grown large breed hens. Eventually in desperation I banished him to live with my son in a house on the outskirts of town, where the only chickens are frozen ones in the freezer. My poor son is at the end of his tether. The cat brings in birds and rats daily. More adult crows than he can count, all far larger than the cat. He also is impossible to keep in. He's determined and fast so gets out. There's a possibility my son will be moving abroad. If so - I'm going to have to find a farm or stable that will appreciate his talents, as he just can't be kept as a pet. I've got 14 cats. Had cats for decades including hunters. But this boy is on a whole new level. I even put multiple bells on, and a harness to fasten them to. Nothing at all works. He's mad eyed, crouchy, reactively obsessed. ...anyone else got one like this or any tactics to manage him?

My last cat was a tiny female and a brilliant hunter - to my horror she could not only catch large birds like crows but also squirrels. I got her some small falconry bells that make noise with little/less movement and they did seem to help.