Do your cats bring you presents?
29 October 2001, 04:10 PM
#1
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I have three cats, two are one year old (sisters) and the other one is an 8 month old Male. In the last 3-4 months they have started bringing me an amazing amount of little presents which as you might understand I am not exactly thrilled about.
It all started about 4 or 5 months ago and at first it was just spiders, worms, big caterpillers and the occasional stick. Now this was fine until a couple of months later we were presented with our first bird jigsaw. In the last 3 months we have been presented with around 15 mice, 8 birds (including a robin), 1 frog and worst of all last night I found a dead rat under my bed. I have also discovered various piles of unidentified entrails left on the carpet and in their food bowls.
All 3 have been neutered and have as much food as they could possibly eat. Anybody else have this problem with their cats and if so have you been able to reduce the amount of animals they kill??
It all started about 4 or 5 months ago and at first it was just spiders, worms, big caterpillers and the occasional stick. Now this was fine until a couple of months later we were presented with our first bird jigsaw. In the last 3 months we have been presented with around 15 mice, 8 birds (including a robin), 1 frog and worst of all last night I found a dead rat under my bed. I have also discovered various piles of unidentified entrails left on the carpet and in their food bowls.
All 3 have been neutered and have as much food as they could possibly eat. Anybody else have this problem with their cats and if so have you been able to reduce the amount of animals they kill??
29 October 2001, 04:33 PM
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don't recall the cat bringing any presents, he's getting on a bit now as well so don't think he's likely to.
Am waiting for maggie (our weimaraner) to bring us a pressie, hopefully she never will though, but she likes chasing birds and squirrels, worrying thing is that weims were bred to bring down wild boar and deer, thus I have this image in my head of finding a deer on my doorstep
with a very happy maggie standing there wagging her tail 
Am waiting for maggie (our weimaraner) to bring us a pressie, hopefully she never will though, but she likes chasing birds and squirrels, worrying thing is that weims were bred to bring down wild boar and deer, thus I have this image in my head of finding a deer on my doorstep
with a very happy maggie standing there wagging her tail
29 October 2001, 05:12 PM
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it's a cat thing, worst I had was a dead magpie under the bed, nice trail of blood up the stairs! The magpie was bigger than the car, apparently the other magpies were dive bombing him as he caught it!!
greg
greg
29 October 2001, 05:18 PM
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Have only had one episode in 7 years - came home to find blood splattered up the walls, a couple of feathers here and there, and two very satisfied looking cats (looked like something out of Pyscho!)
(looked like something out of Pyscho!)Trending Topics
29 October 2001, 05:24 PM
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My cats do this too.
After a nasty surprise I now make sure I have my slippers on before walking downstairs in the morning.
You could try putting collars with bells on to at least give the local wildlife a bit of a chance to hear them coming.
SOmething the size of a curch bell should also slow them down a bit ;D
A
29 October 2001, 05:30 PM
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Just been told a story by a friend. Her mother's two cats bring in the usual presents. Her daughter (2) went to stay at the Grandparents for the week and decided to do some housekeeping - they found mice in the vases, and a rabbit corpse in the drinks cabinet - RAOFLMAO
29 October 2001, 05:35 PM
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Our current moggie doesn't go out, but she does like leaving us the odd fur ball as a present. The last one was carefully placed on the bed. Lovely!
Previous cats my mother had when I was a kid used to bring all and sundry back. One tom would line up several dead rats on a regular basis outside the back door. Others would bring in birds and spray the entire kitchen with feathers. Another left us half a rabbit once. I know we lived in the country at the time, but not the nicest thing to come home to...
Previous cats my mother had when I was a kid used to bring all and sundry back. One tom would line up several dead rats on a regular basis outside the back door. Others would bring in birds and spray the entire kitchen with feathers. Another left us half a rabbit once. I know we lived in the country at the time, but not the nicest thing to come home to...
29 October 2001, 05:38 PM
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I have 5 and 4 yr old males. They dont bring in much, but when they do its usually a birds wing, or a frog (dont ask me why !)
They always put the frog down and when it runs off they chase it and torture it until i intervene and put it back outside. Not much you can do about it really.
Dave
They always put the frog down and when it runs off they chase it and torture it until i intervene and put it back outside. Not much you can do about it really.
Dave
29 October 2001, 06:01 PM
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Some people have their cats declawed, don't they? It won't be utterly foolproof (only front claws, still have teeth and back claws) but would reduce it a lot.
Disclaimer - I only heard of this in Moscow, where people walk around with Dobermanns and Rotties with choke-chains that have spikes facing inward. My parents' cats are in the country, with one aptly named Tyson, who probably will bring in one of the local deer given half a chance!
BJH
Disclaimer - I only heard of this in Moscow, where people walk around with Dobermanns and Rotties with choke-chains that have spikes facing inward. My parents' cats are in the country, with one aptly named Tyson, who probably will bring in one of the local deer given half a chance!
BJH
29 October 2001, 07:15 PM
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Hmm have heard about the declawing thing. How wicked is that? They will always run until they can't, then they know they are armed to the teeth, instinctively. Imagine thier horror as they get torn to bits because they have no claws!!! Wicked wicked wicked thing to do to an animal. They can't even escape up a tree.
We currently have 4, but at one point had 5. We have good ones, apart from the perfectly severed hen's head, (nicked off a fox we think) we have had a dozen (shrinkwrapped) sausages and a pack of unopened kippers.
I have tried to explain "bank notes" but they seem to have lost the urge nowadays!
We currently have 4, but at one point had 5. We have good ones, apart from the perfectly severed hen's head, (nicked off a fox we think) we have had a dozen (shrinkwrapped) sausages and a pack of unopened kippers.
I have tried to explain "bank notes" but they seem to have lost the urge nowadays!
29 October 2001, 07:22 PM
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we have 4 cats and just keep them in all night, they soon get used to it and dont pester to go out till the morning.
i guess some will still catch in the day but night must be the prime time,
one of ours once brought back a baby rabbit, she didnt harm it at all and was carrying it like it was a kitten.
i guess some will still catch in the day but night must be the prime time,
one of ours once brought back a baby rabbit, she didnt harm it at all and was carrying it like it was a kitten.
29 October 2001, 10:52 PM
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We've always had cats, and they all bring presents from time to time. Old age usually slows them down.
Worst was a young black rabbit which I found decapitated in the kitchen. About half grown, I guess. Lord knows how it came through the cat flap. Later that day, the guy who's garden backed onto ours came over to ask if we'd seen a young black rabbit. His daughter's new pet, very upset. "Err, no. Sorry. But I'll keep a look out etc etc."
Meanwhile, the Missus, listening in the next room, is PI55ING herself...
Richard.
Worst was a young black rabbit which I found decapitated in the kitchen. About half grown, I guess. Lord knows how it came through the cat flap. Later that day, the guy who's garden backed onto ours came over to ask if we'd seen a young black rabbit. His daughter's new pet, very upset. "Err, no. Sorry. But I'll keep a look out etc etc."
Meanwhile, the Missus, listening in the next room, is PI55ING herself...
Richard.
30 October 2001, 09:13 AM
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I thought declawing was illegal, apart from in the US 
Ours are now kept in at night - don't you just love that litter tray
- mainly after our smallest cat attacked a fox in the back garden (we were stunned, imagine the poor fox!)
Ours are now kept in at night - don't you just love that litter tray
- mainly after our smallest cat attacked a fox in the back garden (we were stunned, imagine the poor fox!)
30 October 2001, 09:40 AM
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Very similar thing that happened to Hoppy. Returned home to find a note from the neighbour asking if anyone had seen their missing rabbit. Turned the corner only to find the rabbit and a very pleased looking cat! He seems to be getting worse as he gets older 
Frogs are his latest fad!
Frogs are his latest fad!
30 October 2001, 12:38 PM
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And you wonder why the wild bird population is decreasing so much domestic cats in addition to habitat loss are the main causes. Try fitting a bell around its neck to hamper its ability to hunt.
Brendan
Brendan
30 October 2001, 01:47 PM
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We had a cat called Cosworth. He was a rabbit man. His record was three in a weekend. We usually just found the ears, occasionally a headless torso.
Some were much bigger than he, and for added sport he would bring the victims through a neighbour's garden so that he could be chased by their mastiffs.
Some were much bigger than he, and for added sport he would bring the victims through a neighbour's garden so that he could be chased by their mastiffs.
30 October 2001, 02:27 PM
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Yep,
Our mog`s the same but she always leaves them by the front door; no catflap luckily. I once unknowingly stepped in some entrails and carried them into the car.........what a stench, had to stop for a clean out.
When sister-in-law (hates cats) was babysitting for a week she presented a kill every single morning ending up with a large rat !
Cheers
Our mog`s the same but she always leaves them by the front door; no catflap luckily. I once unknowingly stepped in some entrails and carried them into the car.........what a stench, had to stop for a clean out.
When sister-in-law (hates cats) was babysitting for a week she presented a kill every single morning ending up with a large rat !
Cheers
30 October 2001, 02:49 PM
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I used to have 'Dune', everytime I got home from work he'd have left a few things behind the TV in the living room (now christened the 'Death Room'). Chunks of quivering mammal were his usual, the odd bird, mainly bits of rabbit. Rabbit stomachs are really cold once they've been lying there a few hours. Nice.
Steve.
Steve.
30 October 2001, 03:18 PM
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[from my girlfriend, a cat expert!]
You need to tell them that :
1) Worms in a domestic cat will not normally get so bad that it will
increase it's appetite. Worms are more an effect of eating wild things and
all domesic cats need worming regularly.
2) One of them is correct in that they are bringing the owner presents and
they cannot stop it as it is insctinct. The owner is the leader of the pride
and must be kept sweet. They are show offs. Perhaps they are expecting the
owners to do the same back and so far are, as cats' demeanour would suggest,
not very impressed.
3) Perhaps if they fed the cats less it would stop them bringing so much
home as they would eat more of the kill which you cannot stop happening
anyway. Usual result of this is only delicate little samples of kill, mainly
heads and tails.
4) Cat flaps are a lazy thing and if you have one you cannot police what the
cat brings in. Rather you should punt the cat out for the night and leave it
out and it will only leave bits on the doorstep which it will then be bored
with. Incidently if it doesn't pass it a second glance in the morning it
means it is the culprit. It caught it, munched it and has got the T-shirt.
If you want to limit the kill the only thing you can really do is keep the
cat in all night as most of its prey are nocturnal. Only prob here is that
it will usually have a daft half hour every night wnich may wake you if you
don't have a West wing to put it in etc etc.
5) My neighbours cat dumps in my bath so quit whining. Either they wanted
the privilege of a wild animal living with them or they didn't! What's it to
be?
You need to tell them that :
1) Worms in a domestic cat will not normally get so bad that it will
increase it's appetite. Worms are more an effect of eating wild things and
all domesic cats need worming regularly.
2) One of them is correct in that they are bringing the owner presents and
they cannot stop it as it is insctinct. The owner is the leader of the pride
and must be kept sweet. They are show offs. Perhaps they are expecting the
owners to do the same back and so far are, as cats' demeanour would suggest,
not very impressed.
3) Perhaps if they fed the cats less it would stop them bringing so much
home as they would eat more of the kill which you cannot stop happening
anyway. Usual result of this is only delicate little samples of kill, mainly
heads and tails.
4) Cat flaps are a lazy thing and if you have one you cannot police what the
cat brings in. Rather you should punt the cat out for the night and leave it
out and it will only leave bits on the doorstep which it will then be bored
with. Incidently if it doesn't pass it a second glance in the morning it
means it is the culprit. It caught it, munched it and has got the T-shirt.
If you want to limit the kill the only thing you can really do is keep the
cat in all night as most of its prey are nocturnal. Only prob here is that
it will usually have a daft half hour every night wnich may wake you if you
don't have a West wing to put it in etc etc.
5) My neighbours cat dumps in my bath so quit whining. Either they wanted
the privilege of a wild animal living with them or they didn't! What's it to
be?
30 October 2001, 04:36 PM
#29
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>5) My neighbours cat dumps in my bath so quit whining. Either >they wanted the privilege of a wild animal living with them or >they didn't! What's it to be?
LOL !
Your neighbours cat craps in your bath
It's bad enough when your own cat craps in your bath.It must have taken years of intensive training by your neighbour to teach his moggie that one.
I had a friend who's cats would perch on the edge and use the toilet as a litter tray. I thought it was hilarious the first time I went to use his loo and there was a cat squating over the bowl.
Allegedly there was no training given for the cat to do this - it just picked it up itself
Yeah right !!
Andy
