Why Do Cats Bring Gifts to Their Owners? July 31 2020, 40 Comments
If you’re a cat owner, chances are you’ve woken up to some form of a dead critter on your doorstep – or at the foot of your bed … or in your shoe. My cat, Rascal, is guilty of all of the above, including one poor little lizard left on my pillow. Let’s just say he’s lived up to his name.
If your cat has ever left a dead mouse on the back porch, or even left their favorite stuffed mouse in your shoe, you’ve probably asked yourself, “Why does my cat do this? Are they leaving me a gift? Are they just bloodthirsty killers?” The long and short of it? It all comes down to instinct.
Though they were first domesticated nearly 10,000 years ago, housecats retain the keen hunting instincts of their wild ancestors. Almost every fluffy inch of your cat is designed to hunt and kill prey, from the tips of their cute noses to their adorable paws. Consider their incredibly sharp retractable claws, teeth meant for piercing flesh, cushioned paws designed for stealth, whiskers that detect movement and vibrations in the air, and sensitive ears that can detect tiny variances in sounds up to one-tenth of a tone apart.
Needless to say, it’s difficult for a cat to deny its nature, even if their food bowl is full.
So we know why cats are so awesome at annihilating small animals. Why do they insist on bringing them to you?
It's all about prey drive.
As explained above, cats were born to hunt. And when your cat finally lets out that natural, instinctive urge to hunt and brings it back to you, your cat is acting out its inherent “prey-retrieval” instinct, which essentially means bringing their kill back to a safe place to eat. Indoor kitties that have no live “prey” to hunt might substitute a favorite toy mouse or ball. This is because while cats are natural predators, they’re also small enough to be considered prey to larger predators. They’re just looking for a safe place to snack!
How to Redirect That Prey Drive
A cat’s natural desire to hunt cannot – and should not – be suppressed. Don’t punish your cat for doing what comes naturally to them! A great way to satisfy your cat’s natural instincts is to redirect that strong prey drive with toys. If your cat seems to enjoy stalking birds, wand and feather toys are a great solution. And if your cat likes more land-locked prey like mice or lizards that move and zip really fast, the remote control Mouse Hunt Toy is a great way to redirect that natural hunting behavior; with its realistic mouse appearance and speedy movements, it gives your cat the ideal hunt: stalk, chase, and catch. And it gets you involved and playing with your cat, too, which helps you bond with your kitty!
A cat needs mental stimulation, especially if it is a cat that seems to have a strong prey drive. If it doesn’t have anything to hunt, chase, and catch, then it will find something to fulfill its prey drive … and then it’s lights out for Mickey Mouse. And you’re left with the task of rodent body removal. Yikes.
Engage your kitty in plenty of play every day to redirect their natural hunting behaviors. This not only reduces behavioral problems for cats that are prone to bringing mice or lizards to your door but also gives your cat plenty of exercise!
Your cat thinks you’re a bad hunter.
Some behaviorists believe that cats see us humans as bumbling, inferior hunters who simply can’t provide for themselves. So the gory “gift” of a dead critter (or toy mouse, for indoor kitties) is a way for your cat to try and provide for the poor, dumb human who wouldn’t know what to do with a mouse if bit us on the butt. Which … well, they’re not exactly wrong!
Your cat is trying to teach you.
In the wild, momma cats teach their young how to hunt and eat their prey by bringing home dead or injured prey. Domestic cats may be doing the same! Spayed female cats are most likely to bring “gifts” to their owners. But unable to have kittens of their own to pass on their knowledge to, their humans are the next best thing. So when your cat brings you a dead mouse (or a half-dead mouse), she may be acting out her role as mom and teacher.
Comments
Pamela A Devine on January 12 2021 at 12:43PM
My Kitty Jax Brings me things from Neighbor’s homes .If a door is left open or there is a dog or cat door he is in…Their things are his. he has brought home Bra’s, panties, shirts, stuffed animal toys, Christmas stockings, dish towels to beach bags. anything he can drag home. He was on our local news so now he is on you tube! His Video is “Jax Klepto kitty” He is the sweatiest thief!
kp199 on November 07 2020 at 07:19PM
My Mom passed away on July 9 of this year, I lived with her to take care of her and since then, the kitty that we had brings me dead mice about once a month or so. In fact, he just did, which is why I looked up this article. I’m wondering if he’s doing it because now that I’m on my own, he’s making sure I “eat.” Idk, I like to think he’s trying to take care of me.
Rita schwsrtz on October 15 2020 at 09:59AM
My cat did something that was hard to see
I have s kitten in a container bed she was
Born with ch wobble condition I hand feed
Her bath her when needed my cat put dead baby squirrel in her bed . I of course was shocked yo see that
When I checked on kitten good thing I use
Disposable pads. In the bed. That’s my story
Rita from Gastonia NC a lot of trees where I am!
Anne Marie on October 05 2020 at 10:07PM
I can understand their “gifting” but why do they decapitate the critters?? Is it because the heads are the part of the critters that give the cats the most trouble? And why do they have to leave the little decapitated bodies on top of our belongings, like ON my favorite blouse, or in my shoe?
Megan the Cat Mom on October 01 2020 at 10:47AM
My cat put some of her dry food in my lunch bag today. She brings me dead flies also.
Angel on September 22 2020 at 12:07AM
I never had a cat before. Until I fed one from outside. And she is a bundle of joy. Very very smart, caring and protective because she thinks she’s a dog. Plus she loves to hunt. She put a dead rat at my doorsteps. And it was unbelievable ..how proud she was. Wow. I never knew a cat was so smart.
Mandi on September 14 2020 at 03:49PM
My five cats are indoor cats but do have a catio so can get out into that sometimes I’ve had butterflies 🦋 spiders 🕷 but the other night there was a lot of scrabbling about about three o’clock in the morning I thought they were fighting but woke up & between our bedroom and ensuite doorway was a frog 🐸 still alive they were all just sitting watching it
REBECCA AMIR on September 10 2020 at 08:13PM
I have a male cat who I call “Jack the Ripper”. He is the sweetest cuddliest cat and leaves birds and mice at the bottom of the porch stairs but takes out the whole insides of the animal from esophogas to the end with a slit down the middle. All together. and drops it right outside my door. I have to be careful and look when I step out on the porch.
KiKi's secret on September 01 2020 at 09:31PM
Great article! As soon as I got my kiki a new cat tree for playing on coziwow.com, she stops chasing the mouse and play on her own
Jessica on August 07 2020 at 07:42AM
We have a doggie door for our dogs and my cat uses it. He brings in animals either daily or minimum of every other day. He has brought in everything from snakes to birds. Dead and alive, doesn’t matter. The snakes he brings in are always alive, though I wish they’d be dead…I don’t like live snakes in my house 😩 We used to think he brought them in for us, but now we think he brings them for one of our dogs. He used to put dead baby rabbits in her dog bed almost daily. Yesterday, I found a half eaten one, and this morning another dead one on our couch. My cat brings them home and our dog plays with them/eats them apparently 🤷♀️
Margaret cooney on August 04 2020 at 03:50PM
My male cat who is deceased once brought a bird in the house & I didn’t see him bring it in but I started to see feathers on the floor . I went to find mister that was his name & I found him laying under the Christmas tree with the bird & he just latyed there & watched it looks ke he was so proud. He came down with stomach cancer & it broke my heart he was always surprising me.
gwydion on August 04 2020 at 10:31AM
I’ve had two cats who would bring me things. One male cat, who was a part time outdoor cat, would bring me critters, both dead and alive. He seemed so proud and I learned to congratulate him on his prowess. I have a girl, indoors only, who brings me one particular stuffed mouse. Sometimes several times a day. I always tell her what a good hunter she is and thank her.
jane perry on August 02 2020 at 07:45AM
my male , neutered cats has brought me , frogs, toads, snakes, birds, mice.when he come in he is howling enough to wake the town up, I have to get up and get the treat and give him a little cay food.
He is 14 now and still does this , had a small snake last week.
Dumb Hooman on July 31 2020 at 06:55PM
This time of the year the mice sneak in (through an open window, or forgotten open door) and she brings me something almost daily. From crickets to moths to mice to real mice toys and hair ties.
Adele Peace on July 28 2020 at 02:13AM
My ruby is 3 years old she cannot have kittens but she is brings small animals in all the time. she eat all her meat and treats and has sliced chicken as well but just keeps bring then in and eating them she is very thin but is long and tall i worm her every 2 months
Irene on July 13 2020 at 08:38PM
My cats, a male and a female live exclusively indoors, but they go in the garage often. My female cat proves to be th more avid hunter, as she brings in crickets and flies all the time and drops them in front of me
Stacy on July 13 2020 at 08:13PM
My kitten has brought me a mouse two times in the past 2 weeks the first time I was sleeping and she kept chirpping and nudging me in my sleep so I was petting her head but she was insistent. I open my eyes and saw something dangling from her mouth. She had a poor mouse by its tail. He was just hanging there, eyes open not moving. Not sure if it was alive or dead but I panicked and yelled at
Her and pushed her off my bed. I probably hurt her feelings because she went and got rid of the mouse and came back to bed without it. UNTIL LAST NIGHT. Again she was chirpping and judging me fluttering around in circles … my gut told me she had another mouse. I woke up and she was so proud of herself and excited.. she chirped came up to me rubbed against my face then twirled in a circle toward where the mouse was…..on my bed next to me….. dead ! 😖😫….. I told her thank you but the mice aren’t invited into bed with us… next time please leave it on the floor for me. I’d rather not snuggle with dead animals….. me and my kids ended up digging a hole and giving the mouse a proper burial.
Aileen on June 26 2020 at 02:18AM
I have a neighborhood cat that I basically took in even though I do know where he’s really lives. But I love him and all he does is bring me dead mice. Once he brought me a really cute small mouse alive. I saved that mouse took him back out to the neighbirhood but he and end up killing that mouse and bringing it back to my doorsteps.
Kelly on June 02 2020 at 08:31AM
Just freed a small bunny rabbit from the clutches of our cats jaws. This is the 3rd bunny he has captured in the last 6 months. Unfortunately for the previous two bunnies I did not see them before their untimely demise. Our cat has also brought numerous lizards, moles, mice, etc.. The bunnies, however, are about 1/2 the size of our cat and much bigger than lizards and moles!
Jacqueline on May 24 2020 at 02:18AM
My female has brought mice and bird bk but my males do it more. Why? If it says females do it more
Jacqueline on May 24 2020 at 02:17AM
My female has brought mice and bird bk but my males do it more. Why? If it says females do it more
Jay on May 23 2020 at 08:18PM
I don’t have a cat but my neighbors cat always leaves dead mice on my patio and the side of my house. I rarely see their cat so I’m guessing he/she hunts at night in the field behind my house and eats it on my patio. So weird how cats leave different parts of the mouse at my patio. Today, I found a mouse head and part of the entrails on my patio. It was very clean and not messy, I don’t mind, I just look in amazement and clean it up. Does anyone know why the cat leaves it at my house and doesn’t eat it at their own house? Thanks.
Jay on May 23 2020 at 08:17PM
I don’t have a cat but my neighbors cat always leaves dead mice on my patio and the side of my house. I rarely see their cat so I’m guessing he/she hunts at night in the field behind my house and eats it on my patio. So weird how cats leave different parts of the mouse at my patio. Today, I found a mouse head and part of the entrails on my patio. It was very clean and not messy, I don’t mind, I just look in amazement and clean it up. Does anyone know why the cat leaves it at my house and doesn’t eat it at their own house? Thanks.
Charles Kitzmiller on May 13 2020 at 02:08AM
I have two cats. sisters actually. One is fat and lazy, one is thin and a hunter. The hunter brought me.. mice, moles, squirrels, baby bunnies and even a few bats. She eats the entire bunny! The crunching sounds are a little difficult to handle.
Lately she brings them to me.. usually dead and intact. She is so proud. I praise her and secretly dispose of the carcass.
The non hunter cat is cute… she carries her bunny or whatever, very carefully. Like it was her kitten baby. Usually it’s not even injured and easy for me to accept her “gift” and ruturn it to the outdoors.
Istvanne Papp on May 07 2020 at 08:03PM
I adopted a cat a month ago when she appeared one day at my door. She sleeps every night with us. She had been sitting on the stairs watching something every night. Tonight she has caught a mouse under the stairs. Straight away she went to the door, jumped out of the fence with the mouse and took it to the other side of the road to the block of the house where she disappeared. Why did she take it there? Does she consider others as an owner?
TVo on March 09 2020 at 02:19PM
Our female cat does nothing of the sort but our young male cat has been on a roll. He started out with a rat, then a bird, then a rabbit. I don’t know what else is next. He is only a little over 1 yr old, and very loving, I think he thinks he’s providing for us. I think the prey gets bigger because he sees his dad as a giant and probably needs the extra food.
Joanne Zaharczuk on February 11 2020 at 01:52PM
Thank you
Hi on January 31 2020 at 04:20AM
@hello
Meow.
Hans on January 25 2020 at 09:38AM
The article is very interesting, and explains our experience with our spayed female Lilac Burmese. She frequently comes in through the kitty door, meows loudly and drops a hibiscus flower on the floor in the kitchen.
On the other hand, her male sibling couldn’t be bothered to hunt at all, not even a flower! (He’s so relaxed with everything, we call him the Clint Eastwood of cats!)
jesus on November 03 2019 at 07:47AM
hey cheyenne! omg my cat had been doing the same exact thing. after halloween she stopped but for a couple of days up to halloween we’d find her huntings outside our door. very interesting lol
Hello on November 01 2019 at 01:07PM
Meow?
Cheyenne on October 29 2019 at 10:51AM
For some reason on of my cats keeps being me and my family dead mice and It stared 3 day ago and its almost Halloween I was the first one to see them but I just don’t get it they never did that before like I said 3 days ago and each day its 1 dead mouse at a time. So what does it mean because like I also said its almost Halloween.
Annie on October 22 2019 at 03:59PM
My two year old female domestic short hair likes to bring food home and always they are headless. My vet recommended pro fender because of this behavior to keep her from getting intestinal parasites. I usually tell her thank you but I am not hungry at the moment so I hope you don’t mind if I toss it into the woods do you? She never even goes looking for it!
Annie on October 22 2019 at 03:59PM
My two year old female domestic short hair likes to bring food home and always they are headless. My vet recommended pro fender because of this behavior to keep her from getting intestinal parasites. I usually tell her thank you but I am not hungry at the moment so I hope you don’t mind if I toss it into the woods do you? She never even goes looking for it!
Jo on October 21 2019 at 05:37AM
What I’d like to know is why my cat brings her kills into not only the same room every time for us to find but leaves it in the exact same spot aswell?
Any ideas?
She takes then to my eldest daughters bedroom and leaves them right infront of her chest of drawers each time.
Babette on September 11 2019 at 03:12PM
Oh my precious Max is quite the hunter. I ’ve been a cat owner for 30 years and never had a cat bring in their “gifts” to the house.
Max, is quite young only 2 years, and has left me a baby bunny, baby mouse, and birds. Likes to leave them in the bathroom or right beside my bed!
Freaked me out at first, but I get that he must be very proud of his catch! Never eats them….just a gift.
Thanks for the info!
Donna on September 09 2019 at 11:18AM
Periodically the two spayed feral cats my neighbor and myself take care of bring home dead rodents. They leave them where we will find them and never eat them, Is this their way of saying thanks for taking care of them and sharing their catch?
Emma on September 07 2019 at 08:05AM
My cat likes to bring home her dead mice and leave them in her empty food dish
Melissa on June 01 2019 at 07:40AM
If this is so, then the reason for males exhibiting this behavior?
Also the cat sees us feeding them?!
Providing them with " fresh " kill.
Nicky Higgins on January 31 2019 at 10:42AM
Great article! My cat brings them in alive and then seems to enjoy watching us scramble around trying to catch it! So your theory that our cat might be teaching us to hunt is most likely spot on as we do play with him regularly. Still an amazing pet none the less, we adore him!