Cat Love Playing With Their Prey? Why Your Feline Chases Mice And Birds

You may have noticed that, despite feeding Mr Whiskers a balanced diet of wet and dry food, your kitty still enjoys hunting mice, birds and other small prey. And it might be even more puzzling to see your cat playing with or bringing you their prey as ‘gifts’! So, why does your feline like to hunt, even when they’re getting solid meals at home? And why does your cat enjoy playing with their prey too? Cat in a Flat is here to explain everything you need to know about your kitty’s natural hunting instincts. 

Why does my cat hunt birds and mice?

Why does my cat hunt birds and mice? Your tiny house tiger may seem fully domesticated, but the truth is they have some deeply ingrained instincts passed down from their wild ancestors. Hunting comes naturally to your kitty, and they may like playing with their prey so they practice their skills. Even when they’re not hungry, hunting still feels innate to your feline. Hence your furry friend still hunts birds, mice, and the occasional bug too!  

How do cats learn to hunt?

How do cats learn to hunt? Although hunting is a natural instinct, your fur friend still had to be taught. The mother cat is crucial in the development of her kittens’ hunting instincts. As early as around 5 weeks old, the kittens will start learning the basics of hunting. This is mostly done through observing and imitating their mother’s behaviour. The mother cat will hunt and chase mice and birds in front of her kittens so they can see how it’s done. She will then bring the prey to the baby cats for eating or playing with. After a while, it’s time for Ms Whiskers’ babies to head out on their own to hunt!

Why do cats like playing with their prey?

Why do cats like playing with their prey? Often felines won’t kill their prey right away. Instead, they’ll spend a long time playing with them. This is a natural extension of Mr Whiskers’ hunting instincts. Not only does it tire the prey out, but it helps your fur friend practice and strengthen their hunting abilities. 

This is especially so with domesticated indoor cats. Most of the time your kitty doesn’t need to kill and eat their prey. However, they still need to satisfy their natural hunting instinct. So, your cat will chase mice and birds and may enjoy playing with their prey after successfully catching it. This helps your feline release energy too! 

This natural instinct is one of the reasons why interactive play is so important for your feline. If your fur friend spends all or most of their time indoors, they probably don’t get many opportunities to exercise their hunting skills. It’s important to play with your cat every day and use toys that mimic prey and the hunting experience. This will help your fur friend stay both mentally and physically happy and healthy! 

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Why does my cat bring me gifts?

Why does my cat bring me gifts? If your kitty spends time outdoors, they probably bring home the occasional ‘gift’. Whether it’s mice, birds, or other prey, Mr Whiskers wants to display it proudly! They may even go so far as dropping it right at your feet. While this behaviour can seem off-putting, your cat means well. Bringing you gifts to share is a way of showing affection and labelling you a part of their family. 

It’s also likely that your feline recognizes you aren’t a good hunter. After all, we humans never bring home fresh prey. So, your fur friend is taking on the role of a mother cat and bringing you prey to practice playing with. Which is also why the prey is often still alive when your cat brings it home!

Another possible explanation is that your kitty feels safe at home. They bring their prey here so they can play with it in peace. However, even experts still aren’t completely sure why your fur friend brings live prey home to play with. No matter what, our felines remain something of a mystery to us. 

How to stop your cat from playing with their prey

It’s not possible to completely stop your cat from chasing mice and birds. Hunting and playing with their prey are ingrained natural instincts you can’t train out of your feline. However, there are ways to deter your fur friend from hunting, bringing gifts, or playing with their prey. As a responsible pet owner, it’s also important you do your part to minimise hunting as cats can have a negative effect on local wildlife. 

• Keep your cat indoors. Create a stimulating and enriching indoor environment for your kitty with scratching and climbing trees, window perches, and plenty of toys for self-play. And make sure to play with your feline multiple times a day. Keeping your kitty indoors is also safer for them and for the local wildlife. 
• Create a safe outdoor enclosure. There are ways to allow your fur friend outside that is safer for them and any birds, mice, and other potential prey. A catio or cat-proof enclosure allows your kitty to experience the outdoors without the risk of hunting and catching prey. 
• Keep your cat indoors at dawn and dusk. This is when wildlife is most active. If you have an outdoor kitty, train them to come inside, or avoid letting them outdoors at these times. 
• Use a bell collar. Putting a bell collar on your cat will help alert wildlife to their approach. For your feline’s safety, make sure it’s a quick-release or breakaway collar.
• Neuter or spay your cat. Getting your fur friend spayed or neutered will help calm their hunting instincts. 

If you spend many hours outside the home every day, you may not be able to provide your cat with the stimulation they need. One approach is to get your feline a friend who can keep them company and play with them while you’re away. You may also want to consider hiring a cat sitter to provide at-home day care. Your sitter can feed your cat, clean their litter boxes, and spend time playing with them so they get the interaction and stimulation they need!