Why do cats kill mouses?

Question

Im on my front porch and my cat was playing around with something. I let her play, you know whatever. Turned out it was a mouse. Tiny, little one. She has it in her mouth and is still alive. She played with it a bit, and eventually killed it. I was telling her to stop, but she doesn't listen. Why can't she just leave it alone?

Answer 1

instinct....the food chain, etc. And PS, its MICE not mouses

Answer 2

DUH! The only reason we have a cat is because it kills mice and gives the dog something to do when he gets bored.. The two of them are taking turns stalking each other right now.

Answer 3

Mice.  Jesus.

Answer 4

Cats are by nature predators.  Mice, other small rodents, lizards, small birds, etc., are their natural prey.  Almost all the play -- chasing, pouncing, grabbing -- your cat engages in is hunting behavior, although not all cats know this.  Be glad that, should your cat ever become lost, her hunting skills might allow her to survive.  Meanwhile, you won't have many mice in your house.

Answer 5

Because she's a cat and her instincts tell her to hunt.  The drive to hunt is separate from hunger/the drive to eat.  

Answer 6

Cats inherently love to chase (and sometimes kill) mice.

In addition to barn cats, many suburban indoor-outdoor kitties will occasionally bring home a small kill to proudly display, which we humans (depending on our constitutions) might or might not allow him to eat.  

Answer 7

it is nature, you should be glad your cat killed a mouse.

Answer 8

because they are hunters and anything that is smaller than them and taunts their natural instinct causes them to act on it!! :) That is sooo sad, poor mousie!!! Don't be too mad at her though she doesn't know that she is doing anything wrong!!! you are sooo sweet to care about the poor little mouse!!!

Answer 9

i know it can be gross finding a dead mouse or bird or any little animal that your cat killed but it is the cats instinct. I found 2 dead mice in my backyard that my cat killed and it was so gross but then i realized that if my cat was out in the wild, he would have to kill things to surrvive. So it is just in their nature.

Answer 10

Mouses=Mice.

Cats behave on their natural instincts, and to them, mice and birds are pray. So are rabbits, but they're a lot harder for a cat to catch. It's only natural for your kitty to be a hunter.

Answer 11

Cats are hunters down in their genes because they have to be: that's the way they feed themselves and their offspring in the wild. Hunting is a biological drive with them, an inherent skill even the tiniest kitten will mimic and display; they can't NOT hunt. Even indoor cats will stalk flies or moths, or paper balls you throw! Your cat isn't hunting because she's hungry, or because she hates mice in particular..she's simply doing something she was genetically pre-programmed to do in order to survive. When your cat brings something she's caught to you, this is a compliment of the highest order! She's telling you you're the leader of her pride, and she loves you for it. Tell her she's a brilliant huntress and give her an extra pet, and then toss the little mouse in the trash, yuck..

Answer 12

Like everyone  says, we love to play with the mice. And if they die in the process, then they die.

I'm not too fussed about toy mice nor about computer mice. They are different. They don't have real meat ...