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Get Inside Your Kitty's Head

cats decoded More on PawNation: Behavior, Cats, Kittens

By Kelli Bender May 08, 2012

  • Alamy
    17 of 22

    ANSWER:

    They are called gifts for a reason! Your cat is trying to do something sweet; it just has a different definition of what "sweet" is. Cats aren't bringing back birds and mice because they're hungry. Instead, they're trying to show you that they are willing to give you something they are proud of. It's like when you gave your mom that art project you worked really hard on as a kid, except this is a tad more gruesome. Other professionals believe that some gift-giving felines are just confused by our way of life and are trying to drop the hint that we should be hunting too. (Care2)

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kim

i find alot of these comments about cats are appauling. they hunt for fun and some of them eat them. you cannot change the nature of the domestic cat./big cats. both of my cats both hunt it is fun and i think it is normal for them. even a house cat can hunt. i had a cat who never went out catch mice and insects. i love cats......they are so unique and beautiful. and about the 40lb ginger cat. i think hes beautiful. he was just over feed and he probably has a home now. sincerly a cat lover....venus

June 01 2012 at 10:37 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
beeman458

So let me understand this. It's the dog's yard and it's okay for dogs to kill cats because the cat is invading the dog's space but it's not the cat's yard and it's not okay for a cat to kill any invaders of it's space?

Seems highly biased to me.

Some folks need to take the time to read and understand the brevity of what they post.

May 10 2012 at 9:38 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
Siete Dos Aletas

Personally, I think they bring you dead things because they are trying to show you this is what they want for dinner. Not some cat food out of a can.

May 10 2012 at 7:00 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
3 replies to Siete Dos Aletas's comment
PrinceHapi

sorry cats are cats and they bring these types of things to those that they are close too, to eat. It is a nature thing not and emotional thing. why do people want to humanize their animals is beyond me.

May 10 2012 at 6:54 AM Report abuse Permalink +1 rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to PrinceHapi's comment
maggie

Amen, Prince.

July 10 2012 at 8:38 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
Bruce Haley

Our Kitty is Amazing! He was only a year or so old when he figured out we were not impressed by his dead gifts, but then began bringing in such things as sticks, leaves and even flowers! Unfortunately, he saw me put one of his gifts in the trash, and now is bringing in bits of trash and garbage!

May 10 2012 at 3:41 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
Gilda Norwood

I had one cat that was a Master squirrel hunter...he would catch and eat everything, except the tail. I honestly believe he was demonstrating his prowess and virility to all who would see.

May 10 2012 at 1:49 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
Gilda Norwood

I love all my cats...each one is so adorable and lovely to behold.

May 10 2012 at 1:46 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
OneCatOwner

Not all cats hunt. My cat is 15. Up until she was 14, she was an indoor/outdoor cat. She has now decided to be a strictly indoor cat. She has never, ever killed another animal to my knowledge. Even when she found baby mice in the house (pinkies), she would only pat at them with her paw, no claws extended. We let her smell the baby chicks we get in the spring, and she thinks they are interesting, but she doesn't try to kill them. Again, not all cats hunt and kill.

May 10 2012 at 12:51 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
Wally Lind

Animals and plants are basically food and material we use to survive in this world. I have dogs, and I care for them. I don't kill animals or plants for the sake of it, but if it needed, I wouldn't hesitate to finish off either to feed or cloth myself, my family, or you. We live in a world of agricultural surplus, if we didn't there would be far fewer of us, and we would all be farmers or hunter/gathers. Our attitudes toward a lot of things would be different, including the lives of animals and plants. Many animals have been and are useful. We have learned to live with and love them, and we will continue to eat them.

May 10 2012 at 12:48 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Wally Lind's comment
PrinceHapi

I love bar-b-que dog very delicious. Also Monitor lizards legs, hedgehog, Rabbits and Monkey. they all have good meat.

May 10 2012 at 7:18 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
Bonnie Peterson

Two snakes, lizards, birds, mice, roof rats and a pocket gopher.
I think he loves me.

May 09 2012 at 11:40 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
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