My 14 year old cat has started hunting.

[Sortin]

Last night I heard him make a strange noise and he was sitting next to a dead mouse in the hall. Exactly the same time tonight he did it again. This time unfortunately the mouse wasn't quite dead.
He used to get the occasional bird and leave the remains in the porch but hasn't done that for about ten years and he's never brought anything in before.
I've told him he will lose cat flap privileges.

I think you need to be a bit more grateful. Pusskins is bringing all you all these gifts and all you can do is complain!

I've told him he will lose cat flap privileges

And what was his response?

Are you positive that he's catching them outside and bringing them in, and that you haven't had a family move in?

How marvellous. I hope you congratulated him on his diligence and magnificence in becoming Tiddles, Destroyer of Worlds and Purrveyor of Mousaggeddon.

i said mine couldn’t catch a fly and he didn’t for 2 years. Then I went for an operation and 3 days after me coming home he appeared with a dead bird
funnily my friend had an operation at the same time and her cat brought a mouse home and she had never hunted either!

Maybe the cats thought you both needed extra special care after your surgeries.

Unfortunately we did once have mice and he completely failed to step up when required.
I heard him come in the cat flap. Then he made a noise I've never heard before which I presume was an announcement.

I said to him are you playing with your toy, that’s fun
him “FUN”
Nearly yanked all my stitches leaping off the sofa

I wonder whether yesterday's mouse wasn't the first and maybe he ate the first because he's refused all food today. His life normally revolves around food and he just sniffed it and slunk out.

So, three nights running at the same time and it's no longer funny.
Tonight's mouse was very much alive.
I've order some garish safety collars with bells on and human mouse traps.
I can't lock the cat flap because we're away next week and have a cat sitter popping in.

Sorry to say, but the bells made no difference to our murderous little demons. Hopefully they'll be more effective for you.

I keep eyeing up the OnlyCat cat flap but it's way beyond my budget sadly.

Ooh, not heard of that, it's a bit pricey though. If I get desperate.
He'll be furious about the collar, his number one enemy cat neighbour where's a fetching purple one.

Maybe the mice are more available if there's a nest of them or they've colonised somewhere ?

Our cats are along the butterflies and worms level so I should be grateful . (They;re 7 so it could change ? )

Are your mouse traps Trap&Release ( not the sticky ones , they are beyond cruel , I;d rather the cat kills them ) .

Trouble with T&R is the distance you need to take them away from your house ..

Mine makes an unholy noise to announce his water bowl is empty he is currently stalking a feather on a stick

Our 13 year old cat had always caught the occasional mouse but last year she started into trophy hunting. We had a crow, a wood pigeon, a parakeet, a rat. And then it stopped again. So strange.

That's impressive for such an old boy. You should consider yourself honoured 😄.
I'd guess he's stumbled upon a mouse nest very close to home.
Childhood memory of our ancient DCat bawling the house down unbelievably early one frozen winter morning. She woke everyone up in a panic. Turns out she'd bought in a dead blackbird! First thing she'd caught in years (thankfully) and she was so pleased with herself
On inspection the poor bird was frozen solid. We think it had died in the night,.frozen on a branch.

As you are all taking about it, do all cats hunt? Or are some less likely to to destroy the local wildlife? I love my local wildlife....DC would like a pet.

This reminds me of after my last surgery when I was bed bound and Dcat bought me a headless rabbit and plonked it on the bed beside me. Clearly the cat equivalent of bringing flowers and a get well soon card!

Cat flap privileges

😂

Get his thyroid checked.

Your boss tries to help you put food on the table and you object. I expect he's confused for a brief moment and will then go back to ignoring you...stuff and fluff your views.

I hope your mouse traps are trap and release and that you’ll be checking them regularly.

No, not all. I've had cats that never hunted. And others that are fluffy killers (although I do my best to prevent it).

Problem is, I'm not sure how you tell them apart at the adoption stage. Unless you get an indoor cat or build a catio.

Our cat has always been a proficient hunter but a couple of months back she started bringing in mice en masse - alive. She brought 4 in in one day! I assume there was a nest somewhere. We are currently without a cat flap so we tend to leave the window open but have had to stop that so we can inspect her mouth before she comes in. There have definitely been fewer attempts to bring them in lately but there have been a couple dead outside so she’s still hunting. I hope she grows out of it.