Why Cat Brings Dead Animals Home Strangest Thing ?

The simple answer to why your cat brings you dead animals is because it is their natural instinct to do so. Your feline is a tiny predator and although they have been domesticated for thousands of years, this instinct to stalk and hunt can still be seen in your Cat today even though they have no need to hunt for food. In the wild, mother cats would teach their kittens how to survive, which included finding food and eating it. Even in a litter of tiny kittens, you can see them practicing their stalking, pouncing and ‘killing’ behaviors. With castration and spaying becoming the norm in owned cats, pets often do not have any offspring to pass their hunting know how down to but the natural inbuilt instinct to hunt remains strong in our cats as they were taught by their mother.


It used to be thought that cats bringing home presents was an indication of affection and that we should look on it as a compliment. Or maybe that they thought that we are obviously totally useless at hunting and need some help in that department. However unpleasant you find this, it is important to remember that this is normal cat behavior and if your cat has free roaming access outside, it is impossible to stop, however, it can be minimized.



Whilst your cat means well by bringing you home dead animals, it is not a very nice thing to receive and can also be quite damaging to the environment. As this behavior is part of what makes a cat, it is impossible to train the behavior out of them, but there are some simple steps you can take to protect the wildlife in your area and prevent most of those unwanted presents.


Putting a bell on your cat’s collar is one of the easiest ways to prevent many of your cat’s successful hunts. A bell will sound your cat’s approach to wildlife and give them time to fly or scurry to safety. Always make sure that it is a quick-release collar though as this will undo if your cat happens to get stuck on something.


If you have bird feeders in your garden and also happen to have a cat, be really cautious about where you place tables and feeders. Avoid putting any low to the ground that your cat can easily get to, and if your cat is a bit of a climber, it may be best to avoid bird feeders in the garden entirely. Encouraging birds to your garden is giving your cat almost endless opportunities.


Avoiding letting your cat out at dusk, night and in the early morning is one of an effective way to reduce them killing prey, as this is when small mammals and birds tend to be most active and at their most vulnerable. This may be easier said than done as cats, like many other mammals and birds, are crepuscular (meaning that they are most active at dawn and dusk), so you may find them yowling at the door and wreaking havoc, begging to be set free!

If you give your cat an outlet for their instinct to hunt, it will help to satiate their prey drive. This isn’t just throwing them a catnip mouse however! Cats need to stalk, chase and pounce on things that move – so that means joining in with these games. There are endless toys on strings that you can buy to indulge your cat’s hardwired predatory behaviors. There are also some great toys you can find that move unpredictably on their own accord, which provide great cat enrichment along with food dispensing toys (which give them a yummy rewarding treat in place of devouring birds or mice.


The best prevention however for an outdoor cat is to build them their very own outdoor area full of enrichment opportunities but also fully enclosed so they can’t roam around the neighborhood hunting (or indeed getting into danger or getting stolen). This can be attached to the house by a cat flap and will give your cat the opportunity to go outdoors but not to hunt and kill. If, despite your best efforts, your cat still goes outside and catches and kills animals, it is even more important for you to keep on top of their flea and worm treatments. Hunting is one of the most common ways for your cat to catch worms and in addition, fleas will often hop from the deceased animal onto your pet.

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Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

1. Do cats bring dead animals to show love or affection ?
   Yes, in many cases this behavior is a sign of trust and affection. Your cat feels safe with you and wants to share the results of its successful hunt.
2. Is my cat trying to teach me how to hunt ?
   Some experts believe cats bring prey to “teach” their humans, similar to how mother cats teach kittens to hunt by bringing them dead or injured prey.
3. Is it normal for indoor or outdoor cats to bring dead animals ?
   Yes, it is completely normal, especially for outdoor cats. Even well-fed cats hunt because it’s an instinctive behavior, not because they are hungry.