Could I request a non hunting cat from a rescue?

[JKLMNO]

I desperately want a pet and have done for years. The thing is I know I couldn’t cope with a cat bringing rodents in the house or anything else dead or alive. I would plan to get an adult cat from a rescue. Is it possible that they could tell which cats are less likely to be hunters having got to know them?

Get an indoor cat? Would that work? Some cats in rescue centres will only be rehoused as indoor cats.

If you have an indoor cat does that mean that you can’t leave doors open? So in the summer we have the French windows open all of the time and teens in and out of the house ? It would be risky and they might escape ?

Unless you keep it inside, you have to presume a cat will hunt.

I have a rescue cat. He's got FIV so was homed as "indoor only" as he can't mix with other cats. He does get a good accompanied mooch round the garden and two walks a day - but that's just the way things worked out for us. He's a complete nutter and an absolute joy.

Downside to an indoor cat is the litter tray, but it's a small price to pay imo.

Older adults will be less interested (and have much fewer people interested in rehoming them, but make wonderful pets!)

Sorry what’s FIV? Maybe I need to find a toothless cat

You can get your garden catproofed so your cat doesn't leave the garden. That should reduce if not completely stop any hunting as they won't get to birds outside the garden. Look up ProtectaPet.

We have a LOT of squirrels in our garden .

Just get a huge moggy. Way too lazy to hunt!!

@JKLMNO

If you have an indoor cat does that mean that you can’t leave doors open? So in the summer we have the French windows open all of the time and teens in and out of the house ? It would be risky and they might escape ?

We have "flat cats" which are coverings for the windows (and very good fly screens) so windows can be left open a little - the top windows we have wide open, but yes doors have to be kept closed.

Cats rescue won't know, unless the cats have been fostered with outdoor access.

IME all cats hunt. Particularly farm cats and young cats.

You can reduce it by having an indoor cat (not all cats can cope with this and will go out windows and doors) or an old cat (hunting tends to be less with age).

Cats are great. Better a dead mouse in your house than a live one.

My parents had a totally toothless cat and let me tell you she was the most ruthless killer. A mouse most days or a rat, never a squirrel though and they get plenty in their garden. Once a pigeon.

I don't like it either op. My cats used to be indoors but started to let them out when we moved to a quieter road. They've only ever killed one bird. One did bring back a live frog once. I'm going to cat proof the next garden or build some sort of catio.

I would get an indoor cat if I was you!

Lol.

@JKLMNO

Sorry what’s FIV? Maybe I need to find a toothless cat

FIV is Feline Immunodeficiency Virus. Spread very easily through bites and he can't fight off any infections that he may get from other cats so it's best to keep him away from others. He has a couple of friends he plays with - but obviously supervised!

You can get get screens for your windows one brand is Flat Cats Window protection screens.

I don't think you can guarantee it, one of ours started hunting when we moved, still only a limited repertoire of prey most of which she doesn't harm in any way but remarkably good at catching frogs and releasing them indoors so her hoomans can get some hunting practice.

You see every time I get close to getting one I imagine the half dead of even fully alive rodents , birds etc that might get brought in and I can’t cope. Maybe I need to get a goldfish :(

We adopted ours direct from her previously family who told us she did not climb, and she did not hunt. She loves sitting up on the shed roof and is a very skilled killer. Fortunately she is so skilled we never have live gifts. And fortunately she is so lovely we don’t mind.

Cats are ruthless bar stewards. But definitely no harm in asking local rescues specifically with that request, they may well have a special character or a cat with particular needs that will be perfect

A loud bell on the collar can help scupper hunting.

I have two cats, one tiny elderly female, big hunter of all sorts. One young rotund male who has only ever bought a leaf home.

There's just no way of knowing.

I have a lovely neighbour who deals with the bodies for me.

@Cherrydown

A loud bell on the collar can help scupper hunting.

I have two cats, one tiny elderly female, big hunter of all sorts. One young rotund male who has only ever bought a leaf home.

There's just no way of knowing.

I have a lovely neighbour who deals with the bodies for me.

mmmm.... collars dont stay on (we have a black cat who really needs a reflective one!) and he likes to bring mice/birds for the older cat, which is ... nice

I did see Dr Scott on this morning say that a bell won't stop a cat hunting because the learn how to move to keep it quiet, but two bells might outsmart them

My cat doesn't kill a thing. She brings them home alive and releases them in the dining room. We then put the bird/squirrel/mouse back outside and she brings it back in and so on in a perpetual cycle.

Yeah you can’t tell which ones will! Though in my experience, the fatter and lazier the less interested in hunting, though that’s not an exhaustive rule.

My parents have a rescue cat which was originally a feral kitten and existed only by hunting. You’d think she’d hunt still; but seems like she decided that as soon as she became a house cat that was it! No interest at all. The most she hunts for now is a stray Dreamy down the back of the sofa.

Whereas my brother has two very indulged and well fed rotund cats, and is constantly stuffing them full of pouches of food - they nevertheless bring on average at least one mouse in per day. 🤷‍♀️

A sonic tag on their collar can help a lot. I had to voracious hunters & lived by a river at the time & had endless daily "presents" often several a day. The collar tag made a huge difference & I rarely got anything after that