I don't think this belongs in Behavior, because it's human behavior in question. I had Jamie outside on his long lead (20 ft.) today, so that I could sit in the shade and read the Sunday paper while he enjoyed the outdoors. Well, the "Great Black and White Hunter" caught a sparrow. I checked to make sure the bird was actually dead, and then let Jamie eat it.
He's caught stuff before - garter snakes, lots of bugs, mice, a rat, three bats, and two other birds. The garter snakes just drop their tails, which he eats, he sometimes kills the rodents, but won't eat them, the bats he releases (in the house, as he catches them on the balcony and brings them downstairs - they manage to get in above the cat net), but my husband rescued one bird, and took the other away from Jamie.
Hubby says I shouldn't let Jamie eat what he catches, as it will just encourage him to hunt more, but I say that's poppycock. He's a predator, and will hunt because his instincts tell him to. I felt sorry for the poor bird, but felt Jamie had "earned" his meal, so I just didn't watch too closely. He's an indoor cat who only gets to go outside on a leash/lead, so it's really exciting for him to hunt and catch something.
He didn't get to enjoy the whole bird, either. He saw another bird, and started to stalk that, and while he was doing so, Miezi (neighbor's cat) slipped in under the fence and stole his prey.
What would you do? Hubby is now threatening to take down the bird feeders. Jamie has only managed to catch three birds in nine years, and I usually have him on a shorter leash and walk beside him, so I think that's an overreaction.
He's caught stuff before - garter snakes, lots of bugs, mice, a rat, three bats, and two other birds. The garter snakes just drop their tails, which he eats, he sometimes kills the rodents, but won't eat them, the bats he releases (in the house, as he catches them on the balcony and brings them downstairs - they manage to get in above the cat net), but my husband rescued one bird, and took the other away from Jamie.
Hubby says I shouldn't let Jamie eat what he catches, as it will just encourage him to hunt more, but I say that's poppycock. He's a predator, and will hunt because his instincts tell him to. I felt sorry for the poor bird, but felt Jamie had "earned" his meal, so I just didn't watch too closely. He's an indoor cat who only gets to go outside on a leash/lead, so it's really exciting for him to hunt and catch something.
He didn't get to enjoy the whole bird, either. He saw another bird, and started to stalk that, and while he was doing so, Miezi (neighbor's cat) slipped in under the fence and stole his prey.
What would you do? Hubby is now threatening to take down the bird feeders. Jamie has only managed to catch three birds in nine years, and I usually have him on a shorter leash and walk beside him, so I think that's an overreaction.