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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

Cats have become killing machines

20 replies

cordiality · 28/03/2018 21:01

I have two lovely little rescue cats, they're about 18 months old we think. Over the last year, they have occasionally brought in the odd mouse, or frog. Until about a fortnight ago...

now, they are bringing in at least one mouse a day, there's always a gift downstairs for us when we get up in the morning, dead or alive, it's about 50/50, and frequently another one in the evening as well. Couple of dead frogs as well to spice things up. There was even a huge and dead rat in the garden, that I assume they just couldn't get through the cat flap!

My DH is going mental, and keeps shouting at them, which I've told him I think is cruel. But... seriously... this cannot go on!!

Any guesses why this is happening? Any solutions to slow the genocide? Anyone live on a farm and would like a couple of good mousers?!

OP posts:

loulou987 · 28/03/2018 21:08

I feel your pain, I woke up to a dead mouse in my slipper once, it was in the winter when mornings were very dark ... it squelched when I put my foot in my slipper .... vomit 🤢
Regarding the solution .... bells attached to the collar. My cat has one of those collars that releases if they get caught in something.
So far so good, no gifts yet since the bell has gone on as it alerts the victims.
Also if your cats are out all night that's prime hunting time, you would probably find less 'gifts' during the daytime.

Weedsnseeds1 · 28/03/2018 23:45

It's spring, things are starting to breed and this time last year they were too small to have fine tuned their hunting skills.
I have a serial killer too, he even managed to catch things in the snow a few weeks ago.

TheLongRider · 28/03/2018 23:50

My death squad of three cats are now in the house at night with the catflap locked. Too many early morning corpses.

WeirdAndPissedOff · 29/03/2018 00:05

It's spring and they're in their prime - fully grown but still young, bouncy and curious. Great for hunting, not so good for wildlife or the unlucky person who has to clean up after them.

We have bell collars on ours, and keep them in overnight. Both of these help, but they still make a fair few catches/kills.

Myownwendyhouse · 29/03/2018 07:49

I think my cat is weird. He doesn't do this. Never known him to catch and bring something in ever. He also doesn't climb. He is weird

Fozzleyplum · 29/03/2018 07:55

You definitely need to put bells on their collars so they can't catch anything that isn't stone deaf.

One of our cats now has to satisfy his bloodlust by launching himself from the fence onto unsuspecting pigeons below. The resulting mess is grim, but infinitely preferable to having a warm, still-twitching rat deposited on your face in the small hours.

CrabappleBiscuit · 29/03/2018 07:55

Keep them in at night, you’ll get teenage cat sulking but fewer dead things.

fatbottomgirl67 · 29/03/2018 08:12

Mine are 2 the same. Got up this morning to 3 piles of intestines and a rabbit being dragged through the cat flap.

EachandEveryone · 29/03/2018 08:15

Mine have never caught anything they just aren’t interested. It’s strange isn’t it? I keep them in from 10pm.

Changebagsandgladrags · 29/03/2018 08:21

Rabbits are the worst. Our old cat used to bring us headless rabbits as gifts.

I have two rescue kittens now. They were due to go out in January, but haven't yet.

I just put up with the gifts...

ChangeyMcNameface · 29/03/2018 08:26

Bought some large cat bells from eBay, three on her collar and she sounds like a Morris dancer, no kills since. I take her collar off when she’s in - no cat flap, so I can control the ins and outs and also inspect her for cadavers before allowing entry.

Lauren83 · 29/03/2018 08:29

I have 5 cats and the most they had ever brought home was bits of plastic and straws, teabags from people's food bins even a foil condom wrapper then I had DS in January and the day after we got home they brought home the biggest crow I have ever seen it was huge! I'm presuming it was a welcome to the family present

harrietm87 · 29/03/2018 08:50

Maybe they've found a mouse nest and will exhaust it? I think this happened to mine. For the first 5 years of his life he brought us "gifts" maybe once or twice a year, then last summer suddenly there were multiple mice every night! I locked the cat flap at night for a week or so and then there were no more, even once he started going out again. Obviously he'd either caught them all or they'd found a new place to live!

happymondaysandtuesdays · 29/03/2018 08:51

Agree with rabbits being the worst. Used to be woken daily to the sound of crunching as girl cat ate their heads.

Even worse if she got bored before they were totally dead and we (DH) had to finish them off in the garden.

I took one to the vet once but he looked at me like I was insane and then put it down

lubeybooby · 29/03/2018 08:54

Cats don't understand punishment so theres no point shouting.

Get them collars with bells. Eventually they will decimate the local rodent population and the presents will slow down to one or two a year

Fluffycloudland77 · 29/03/2018 09:03

Why does he shout? Cats are supposed to hunt. It’s like shouting at a cow for eating grass.

Lock them in overnight, ours has never been allowed out overnight and never will be.

laddylonglocks · 29/03/2018 09:17

The hairy beast brought back a headless rabbit last week other kills are voles and pigmy shrews. No frogs yet!

Original poster

cordiality · 30/03/2018 08:39

Thank you so much for all the v useful replies.

Interesting about locking the cat flap at night - will give this a go? Do they need a litter tray or just hold on til they can go out in the morning?

Will look into bells as well, they don't wear collars at the mo but I guess it may be necessary.

Interestingly, they have no interest in anything apart from cat food to eat - I've tried to give them all sorts of nice treats, chicken, fish, etc, they look at me like I'm mad - so the killing is just for fun. Next time I'll adopt some elderly lap cats I think!!

And yes, you're completely right, it's ridiculous to shout at them. He also shouts at the dishwasher if it stops working, and cardboard boxes if they're difficult to carry, etc. I've never known him to shout at a human being

OP posts:

Fluffycloudland77 · 30/03/2018 08:51

They need a tray. Wilko ultraclumping litter is good at absorbing smells, but you have to order it in unless you have a huge wilko nearby. It’s solved my litter tray issues.

I wouldn’t bother with collars personally, they can cause injuries & they don’t work that well. Our 14lb huge white Persian caught mice and birds all his life with or without his Bell. If birds can’t see a huge white fluffy cat there’s no hope for them.

RandomMess · 30/03/2018 09:22

You need to get safety collars - one of ours was a prolific bird catcher and the bells made a huge difference.

Yes to keep in overnight, most RTAs happen in darkness and yes to litter tray just in case (ours mainly cross their legs but not always)

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