Why does my cat kill mice and leave them for us?

Question

my cat will catch the occasional mouse, mole, or shrew. sometimes he'll eat it (as it's been my displeasure to watch) but most of the time, he'll leave it on the back porch, which is the door he always comes in and out of, on the mat.

why does he (and most of the other cats we've had) insist on leaving dead or...half dead rodents right by our doorstep??

Answer 1

Cats will often take dead animals that they have caught - mice, rats, birds, etc., and bring them into your house. They will leave them in random places - on your bed, near the door, near their food, wherever. Your cat is not trying to send you a Godfather-type message. Cats just don't understand why you wouldn't be pleased with something as interesting and useful as a dead mouse. To them, they are bringing you food. The basic theory is that they are giving you a "present" - you give them food, water, and affection, and they are returning the favor with something they caught. Cats often do this in the wild for others in their family groups

Answer 2

its like their gift to you. (:

(ive read up on this before)

its cute, huh?

i feel bad for the mouse, but still.

really thoughtful. (:

Answer 3

it's because it's hunting 'for the pride'

in the larger cat colonies (like a pride of lions) the lower ranked cats and the females will hunt for the others while they are taking care of the territory and family.

your cat is just making sure you get enough to eat! XD

Answer 4

actually they think of it as an accomplishment and they expect to be rewarded so when they do that give them a small treat. the bigger the catch the better the reward

Answer 5

your cat does that because it is trying to feed you...seriously....cats sometime try to take that role...idk y....but i seen it on animal planet.

Answer 6

its theyre way of showing you theyre skills, saying hey arent you proud i did my job, praise your kitty, because we dont want rodents around, even my dog does it

Answer 7

He does that because he's trying to impress you and show you what a good hunter he is!

It's good to praise him, but if you really dont want them anymore then scold him.

Good luck!

Love Zeldaforeva

Answer 8

They're Not Leaving It to You

I Think it's Jealous Caus Some New Animals In House

He/She Killed It then They Feel Better

They Think The House Only For Them

I have a Cat...When i Bring My Outdoor Cat My Indoor Cat Gets Angry & starts To Scratch The Outdoor Cat....

I Hope My Answer Is Useful & That What You Where Looking For :]

xx

  

Answer 9

It's the nature of cats to hunt and kill. Or half kill. :P

And the cat likes you, so he wants to express his gratitude with something, like a present, but the only thing cats can really do well is hunt. Cats think that if they like a dead mouse, you must like it too, so they leave it for you.

Our cat did that a lot too, and we were really grossed out with him bringing in as many as 5 dead animals a day, some not even dead.

We solved this by putting a small bell on our cat's collar, so the animal can hear him before he jumps for the kill. If your cat's bringing in dead stuff disturbs you, you can do this too.

Answer 10

Yep, he is the "great provider" and he is feeding his "pride".

My cat Shadow does the EXACT same thing, he even placed a dead mouse on the water dispenser tray on the refrigerator when my mother was in the kitchen to "display his kill"...

Your kitty loves you and his giving you gifts of food and showing off his hunting ability.

When you complain or scold him, does he give you this dirty look that just SCREAMS "how dare you, I got that for you, ya know..."? I know Shadow does, though it doesnt stop him for "providing" for us... They dont understand why we dont appreciate them "feeding" us when we feed them. Just know your kitty loves you enough to make sure your "well-fed"! ;)

Answer 11

Because you're an irresponsible pet owner who lets your cat free roam outdoors.  I wonder how long it will be till he catches a mouse or mole that's ingested poison left out for them?  If you care about this cat - and care about the fact that he's killing of the local wildlife - you'd keep this cat indoors where it belongs.

Answer 12

Maybe he caught the mouse for you and is giving you the mouse to eat.

Answer 13

Hello,

I was once told by a few vets and a professional animal rescuer that animals do these things, because they are showing their affection towards their human caretaker/s. These actions are not to gross you out and or hurt you in any way, it's just your little friends way of saying "hey, I love you guys" They really do do this to show what you mean to them. It's like their thank you! This simply means your little ones are happy and content with you and their surroundings!

Answer 14

cats like to hunt because of their instinct but if they're not hungry they will leave the corpse.  

Answer 15

I'm sorry, but isn't this why most people have cats in the first place? If my cat didn't leave at least a couple if mice a week at the door she would be replaced by a cat that could. I don't question her actions when she brings home her 'kills'. That's her job.

Answer 16

because its not going to eat it.