Why does my cat leave dead creatures on my front step?

Question

My year-old cat is constantly bringing home dead or nearly-dead creatures and leaving them on my front step -- mice, baby moles, birds, and just recently a chipmunk. Why is she doing this? Is it some sort of gesture?

Answer 1

There is more than one theory on this, but the most likely explanation is that your cat views you as an incompetent kitten who needs schooling in the ways of hunting. Spayed females are the most likely to bring home their catch. Kitty may be deprived of the ability to reproduce, but she does retain maternal instincts it seems.

"So she thinks I need to learn to go out and hunt food. But why does she bring back half-dead mice and other creatures?"

Usually the first catch a mother cat brings to her kittens will be dead. She will eat the prey in front of the kittens - this is food, and this is how you eat it. Then mom moves on to bringing home prey that she has injured and mangled. She will finish off her catch in front of her kittens - this is prey, and this is how you kill it. Finally she will start to bring home captured but unharmed creatures. Mom will let the prey go in front of her young ones and demonstrate to them how she stalks, pounces and catches - this is prey, and this is what you have to do before you can kill it and eat it.

"Well OK, my cat thinks that it is not enough that I know how to use a can opener, she thinks I should know how to hunt. It's nice of her to look after my interest but dead, half eaten or mutilated little animals disgust me. And I don't like her killing wildlife especially birds. How can I stop her?"

You can't take away her hunting instinct. Punishing her in any way would be futile. Even showing your distaste at her activities will probably confuse her, she has done you a service and you are unhappy about it!

Answer 2

She's a good hunter, and she can be seen as providing for the household. You provide food and shelter for her, and she is pulling her weight.

Cats were originally domesticated to rid home dwellings of pests. Dogs were kept because they were vigilant and protective of property. When there were intruders the dogs sounded the alarm and/or chased them away.

This bringing the kill to the doorstep is your cat's demonstrating
that she is worth her salt as a cat. That is, such a cat would be highly valued in the past, being able to kill and then additionally bring confirmation of the kill for the owner to see.

It's not that the cat *seeks* to demonstrate anything. The behavior was merely highly valued, and those cats who had it became the ones kept, the ones that therefore had the most reproductive success.

Because that particular behavior was selected for over countless generations, it's an instinctual trait now. Your cat would do it for whoever owned her.

Answer 3

You should never be proud of nor praise your cat for bringing you small animals it has killed. Nor should you punish your cat. Your cat is niether accomplished nor guilty. There are however, a few things you may not understand concerning your responsibility for your cat's behaviors at large. Cats kill small creatures because nature has programmed them to hunt and kill. That what predators do in the natural world. See, the part of a cat's brain that tells them to hunt and kill is not connected to the part of the brain that tells them that they're hungry. So when you feed a cat and then let it roam outside to kill out of instinct and not hunger you bring needless suffering and death into the world. Your cat is not killing because he loves you or because he is trying to provide for you. Your cat, because it's not hungry, simply doesn't know what to do with what it's killed, so it brings the poor dead little animal to you. You, on the other hand, have much more sophisticated connections in your brain. So, PLEASE KEEP YOUR CAT INDOORS. It is not at all cruel to keep your cat indoors. What is cruel is to let your cat keep roaming and killing othe small animals as a subsidized predator. Remember, many of those little animals that your cat kills and brings home have babies, and as a result of the mother's death they also die slow deaths of dehydration and/or starvation. For more information, you can do a Google search to look up your local wildlife preservation/rescue center to find out more specific numbers on the devastating effects of roaming cats on wildlife. Also, your cat will live a longer and healthier life indoors. Love your kitty, keep it inside.

Answer 4

Like everyone said, he's proud and wants you fed.

Just be happy it's on the step! I had a cat that bought half his catches (I mean half an animal!) to my bedroom. I can't tell you how many times I discovered them in the middle of the night with my bare feet! (I did learn to put my slippers on before heading for the john.)

Answer 5

Cats do consider these things "gifts" for the humans they are bonded with.

Then again the cat may be giving you a subtle hint that this is her natural diet and maybe you should feed her more appropriately!

My cats don't have the opportunity to hunt for themselves. They get a diet (with supplements) of raw meat.

Answer 6

The cat thinks you want these things to eat.Cats are instinctively
hunters.They kill and bring home meat for the family.The cat drops
the "kill" on the front steps,hoping you will either reward it,or prepare
a meal for all to enjoy.

Answer 7

It is a gesture of respect and the cat may be thanking you for attention that you give it. I would tell him he was a good cat, and pet him. When he goes away, put the animal in the garbage.

Answer 8

Yes, it's a token of affection from the cat world...Don't scold her, she's just doing what comes naturally...I used to get upset when my dog would kill the rabbits or squirrels, but it's not right to punish or scold them for something that is innate...just tell kitty how great she is...and then get the garden gloves out and dispose of it when she's not looking...

Answer 9

It's bringing you presents because it loves you! It may sound weird but it's true! I got a present of the front half of a mouse once...I don't even want to know where the back half ended up.

Answer 10

Yes it is. Your cat is leaving you gifts. He/she is trying to care for you as he/she would a den mate. Your cat is trying to take care of you. Just say thank you and offer praise, then dispose of the dead critters when your cat isn't looking.