Why it happens
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The hunting instinct
A cat hunts even on a full stomach: the urge to stalk, lie in wait and pounce has nothing to do with hunger. That is why a well-fed cat brings prey home too.
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A safe place for the catch
A wild cat carries its prey to a quiet spot where it can eat it or leave it for later. For a pet cat that spot is home, so the mouse ends up on the doorstep or by your bed.
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A mother's lessons
A mother cat brings her kittens half-alive prey so they learn to hunt. Some cats are thought to do something similar with their owners, though that is more our reading than a proven fact.
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Playing with prey
A cat may toss a live mouse about and let it go again and again. It is not cruelty but caution: it tires out prey that could bite back.
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Spring and summer
Cats bring home more prey in spring and summer than at other times, when young animals are born and fledglings are learning to fly.
What helps
- Do not scold or punish The cat will not understand why you are cross, and will only learn to hide its prey or eat it elsewhere. Calmly distract it, then pick the prey up with gloves or a bag and throw it away.
- Daily hunting games A wand toy, feather toys and toy mice let the cat stalk, pounce and catch. End the game with a successful catch and a meal so the hunt feels complete.
- Indoors at dawn and dusk Cats do the bulk of their hunting at dawn and dusk. If you can, keep yours indoors then, especially in spring when fledglings are learning to fly.
- A safe collar If the cat goes outdoors wearing a collar, choose one that comes undone by itself if it catches on a branch or fence. A bell may warn birds a little, but it does not stop the hunting.
- Ask about parasite protection Mice and birds can pass worms on to a cat, and outdoors it picks up ticks and fleas. Ask your vet which parasite protection suits your cat.
Related product categories
The links lead to product categories, not to a particular product or brand. They are not a recommendation.
When it is a question for a vet
See a vet if the cat vomits, has diarrhoea or stops eating after eating prey, if you notice a bite or wound that swells or oozes pus, if its gums have turned pale or it has become lethargic, or if it may have eaten a mouse poisoned with rodent bait.