birds and mice!

[Millys Mum]

Cats arent killing peoples pets CC, its wildlife and abit different to a dog killing cats. Cats are natural predators and are allowed to free roam by law. You cant train a cat not to kill or outbreed it, they have been domesticated for a long time but the urge is still there. Dogs are able to be kept under control and are required to be. With careful breeding you can create less aggressive dogs and reduce that drive, wild dogs are scavengers as well as hunters.

As TB says, if you find your cat killing stuff unacceptable then keep it indoors or a properly catproofed garden.

[tigerbaby]

Because dogs are expected to be kept on a lead. Cat's arent. I am referring to cats in this topic. But talking about dogs, in my experience from growing up with 3 hunting dogs (2 norweigan elkhounds and 1 nordic spitz) they have a natural instinct to chase. When dad let them off the lead it happened they caught a bird and killed it. Would he still let them off the lead? Absolutely. Everyone does it in Lapland, northern Sweden.

I will yell at OH if he is in, and he'll whack it hard over the head with either a brick or a chunk of wood. Sounds awful, but it's the quickest way to end the suffering. It is not nice, and I've cried when I've had to do it myself.  But like I said, if you have a cat with outdoors access you have to either expect these things to happen, or keep the cat indoors! Having said that, some cats go through a phase of hunting and then get bored of it when they get older. Of course we hope this is the case with our Jameson.

[ccmacey]

They are hunters naturally, I feel it's best to let him do what is natural to him.  He is just being a cat.

Is this seen in the same light for dogs? No a dog going around killing cats would be called a menace and stoped.

Tigerbaby how do you finish them yourself?

[tigerbaby]

We deal with this pretty much on a daily basis, or whenever Jameson catches something. Although it's painful for me to see birds and mice suffer I also know this makes Jameson really proud and I think it's important we let him continue doing it - he will bring his prey back and show us, it's his way of saying thank you. Sometimes I've woken up with a bird flapping around in my bedroom, or a mouse nicely presented on my duvet. Recently he has caught mice every day.

Thing is with Jameson - he will sometimes eat the mouse, but recently he just enjoys the hunting/playing part of it. So if the mouse/bird is alive enough to be rescued we'll try to do that, but if it's half dead we have to finish it off. I can't stand seeing the suffering. When the mouse or bird stops struggling Jameson gets bored and walks off!

I think having a cat with outdoor access this is the kind of thing to be prepared to put up with... simple as that. They are hunters naturally, I feel it's best to let him do what is natural to him.  He is just being a cat.

[Christina]

thats really sad cc. i just get so upset seeing othger animals suffer at the expence of my own pet! i will try the water idea tina, that sounds like a good idea. it wont stop her hunting, but at least it might stop her bringing things in thyat i do not want to see! thanks!

[Tinamary]

But what a skilled hunter you have and it keeps their teeth beautiful.  I have found that a hosepipe at the ready whenever you see them with something in their mouth works wonders. 
Mine do not come near the house with prey nor will they bring them in through the cat flap.
You only have to do it a few times and you don't have to soak them either, a gentle spray makes them jump and drop the prey.
They soon learn that if they come near the house with wriggling things thats what happens

[ccmacey]

Yes I had a baby wood pigeon a few days ago, still alive with its head hanging off. In those cases I have to leave him to it as it would be unfair to let it suffer a slow death. I would rather it be fast.

I dont think there is a way to stop a cat hunting other than keeping it in or cat proofing your garden.

I know how upsetting it is and it can be sometimes hard to deal with. I also dont agree that it is acceptable to let them do this, not if its at amount your really worried with, for instance I get on average 2 birds a day!

It would not be tolerated from a dog.

[Christina]

hi all,
        im not sure if anybody else will find this a problem so to speak, but my younger cat has turned into a right little hunter since we moved to the countrside. i know its natural behaviour, but tis really upsetting me as she keeps bringing baby birds and mice in that are still alive. its awfulls seing the babys suffer, and i have to rescue them and take them back outside, and its really upsettitng me. i hate seeing any animal suffer.
does anybody else havae this problem? i know theres probably nothing i can do, but i just wondered what people thought? should i be trying to rescue the things she catches bar ein mind they ar still alive? i know with the baby birds especially that they would probebly die anyway even if i rescue them. she growls at me a lot when i make her drop whatever is in her mouth. i just dont know what to do. in cant not let her out, as anybody with outdoor cats will know. any thoughts welcomed thanks.