My cat loves to hunt for birds. Rajah for some reason occassionly likes hunt for Blue Racers and other small snakes. He is quite the cat. We never have birds anywhere near our house. He is also a very good mouse catcher.
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Does your cat hunt?
- Thread starter siberian tiger
- Start Date
Harley is an indoor only cat (we take him out on a leash occasionally and he hunts bugs flies...)
But other than that, he thinks I am his prey, and he stalks and hunts me...haha
But other than that, he thinks I am his prey, and he stalks and hunts me...haha
Yes, my cats LOVE to hunt. They are mostly inside cats, but our house is an old, fixer-upper that used to have a very bad mouse problem (and the deer mice around here carry the dreaded Hanta Virus), so the kitties have been a VERY good thing!! Once in a while, a scorpion or vinagaroon will manage to sneak in, and my cats seem to think that I ordered "take-out" just for them!
after they finish the treat, I am showered with head-butts & loud purrs.
Flash has caught a few birds when she got out, but mostly she will find crickets and bring them alive to me in her mouth, and they hop away. Stinky goes into the hunting position, but he never actually "hunted" anything, he just likes to pretend. Although ocassioanlly he too will find a cricket or moth.
Hammie hunts. I have zero-worries about bugs, spiders, flying things, centipedes, you name it. Cuz he sees stuff no one else sees and eats it before it has a chance in life!
Snickers tried to hunt a squirrel last year on our deck. He'd just moved in with me... didn't realize I guess that there was GLASS separating him from the squirrel on the deck? And ran headlong, smack-dab INTO the glass headfirst!
He backed away & shook his head... I felt like that would have been a great Windex commercial or something. I like clean windows but I don't like seeing Snickers bonk his head like that!
Snickers tried to hunt a squirrel last year on our deck. He'd just moved in with me... didn't realize I guess that there was GLASS separating him from the squirrel on the deck? And ran headlong, smack-dab INTO the glass headfirst!
He backed away & shook his head... I felt like that would have been a great Windex commercial or something. I like clean windows but I don't like seeing Snickers bonk his head like that!
Fawn is our predator.
I vaccuum up feathers fairly frequently, and rescue and release trembling mousies (and earthworms in wet weather) from time to time. Occasionally Cindy will bring something in, but she's more likely to go after the bug population. Suzy doesn't bring stuff home, but she used to, so I wouldn't be surprised if she's still hunting when she's out.
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Peter is the great yellow hunter! He is a master snake catcher; with eight catches to his favor this year alone. When he was strictly an indoor kitty, he would sit on the back porch and watch the birds with the most amazing expression. It was like "Woooowwww!"
Kit Kat is a superb hunter and mommy. She often supplements her litters with fresh kills. She will catch mice, moles, small rabbitts, birds (occassionally-too many feathers, not enough meat, I guess), voles, rats, etc.
Angel has inherited her mother's (Kit Kat) prowess. She has caught two snakes, several mice, moles, and tons of crickets and grasshoppers. She is only about a year and a half old.
Stormy II has also inherited Kit's hunting ability. He had a rat on the front porch a few weeks ago that was still kicking, so I am sure it was his. He is only about 7 or 8 months old.
Living in the country, my kitties get lots of opportunities to exercise their skills. The mice are starting to look for indoor accommodations since it is getting cooler. Hunting season is open!
Kit Kat is a superb hunter and mommy. She often supplements her litters with fresh kills. She will catch mice, moles, small rabbitts, birds (occassionally-too many feathers, not enough meat, I guess), voles, rats, etc.
Angel has inherited her mother's (Kit Kat) prowess. She has caught two snakes, several mice, moles, and tons of crickets and grasshoppers. She is only about a year and a half old.
Stormy II has also inherited Kit's hunting ability. He had a rat on the front porch a few weeks ago that was still kicking, so I am sure it was his. He is only about 7 or 8 months old.
Living in the country, my kitties get lots of opportunities to exercise their skills. The mice are starting to look for indoor accommodations since it is getting cooler. Hunting season is open!
Our barn cats of course hunt mice and other critters. We have birds in the yard - they are brave enough to come down and steal some of the dry cat food on the table (we feed on the table, as we've had problems of visiting coons or skunks!). We don't see any squirrels or rabbits in our yard but do have occasional groundhogs.
As long as they keep catching mice, we are ok.
As long as they keep catching mice, we are ok.
Mine are all indoor but also love to stalk birds through the windows!
what is the longest snake your cats have ever caught?
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Not sure now long it was. My guess was it was pretty close to 3ft. Rajah is a very impressive cat. I have many cats over my years but none as brave as he is. I did save his tale one time. He wanted out so bad one night. He was not going to rest until I let him out. So I did and I heard a banging by my trash cans. Then I heard Rajah hissing and growling. He was ready to go with something. Then I looked over where he was at and maaan there was a Badger.
I quickly grabbed a golf club and starting chasing the Badger away. Before that the Badger and Rajah tangled a little bit. Rajah did not get any injuries. Which I still to this day don't know how.
If I was not around with that Badger their it would have killed Rajah.
So that is one of the reason I don't let him wonder off so much. He gets mad because he is a very territorial cat but I get to worried about my baby.
My cat does all her hunting from the windowsill.
For anyone who allows their cats to hunt outdoors, I would urge you to keep a close eye on their whereabouts. Non-cat-loving neighbors can often be very upset about roaming cats, especially if they think your cats are killing songbirds. Not only does it cause hard feelings among neighbors, but some people also will escalate to using poison, BB guns and so forth... and your cat can end up paying the ultimate price.
Rodents can be a source of roundworms. Snakes are just... blech, I can't imagine how a cat would benefit from eating a snake. Badgers, coyotes and the like are not safe for a cat to tangle with. Think of the injuries, the potential for infection and the huge vet bills if your cat gets in a fight with another animal.
You can tell I don't agree with letting cats wander and hunt outdoors. Too many risks, too many problems...
For anyone who allows their cats to hunt outdoors, I would urge you to keep a close eye on their whereabouts. Non-cat-loving neighbors can often be very upset about roaming cats, especially if they think your cats are killing songbirds. Not only does it cause hard feelings among neighbors, but some people also will escalate to using poison, BB guns and so forth... and your cat can end up paying the ultimate price.
Rodents can be a source of roundworms. Snakes are just... blech, I can't imagine how a cat would benefit from eating a snake. Badgers, coyotes and the like are not safe for a cat to tangle with. Think of the injuries, the potential for infection and the huge vet bills if your cat gets in a fight with another animal.
You can tell I don't agree with letting cats wander and hunt outdoors. Too many risks, too many problems...
Hi
I dont think some cats should be let out but some cats seems like were meant for the outdoors. The small frail ones with small paws or ones that are declawed or just delicate should stay in. But the tougher cats usually do good outdoors. For example my cat has been an outdoor cat for 10 years and this neibourhood is swarmed with foxes. Ive seen many interactions between my cat and a fox and the foxes usually dont get to close. However my neibour had a very small female cat that got killed by something so i think it really depends on the cat. BUT if you have badgers in ur area and your cat is one of those overly confidant cats i would never let it out. PRobably take a badger 3 mins to finish off a cat. Ive seen them go right up to bobcats and even pumas and take their kill away from them. They are ONE EXTREMLY tough animal. But they usually wont bother a cat unless the cat is in its way or bugging it. COyotes and fishers are another serious threat. Rajah just curious do you have a picture of your cat? how big is he? he sounds like my kinda cat lol
I dont think some cats should be let out but some cats seems like were meant for the outdoors. The small frail ones with small paws or ones that are declawed or just delicate should stay in. But the tougher cats usually do good outdoors. For example my cat has been an outdoor cat for 10 years and this neibourhood is swarmed with foxes. Ive seen many interactions between my cat and a fox and the foxes usually dont get to close. However my neibour had a very small female cat that got killed by something so i think it really depends on the cat. BUT if you have badgers in ur area and your cat is one of those overly confidant cats i would never let it out. PRobably take a badger 3 mins to finish off a cat. Ive seen them go right up to bobcats and even pumas and take their kill away from them. They are ONE EXTREMLY tough animal. But they usually wont bother a cat unless the cat is in its way or bugging it. COyotes and fishers are another serious threat. Rajah just curious do you have a picture of your cat? how big is he? he sounds like my kinda cat lol
Mabby hunts Poppy....
ted brogan would hunt if i would let him, he is always trying to go after our pet bird.
sometimes he chases after flies or moths if they get in the house.
my cat that passed away last year, she would hunt rats, mice, and birds while she was outside. when she was inside and saw a moth she wold start to drool, which i thought was weird and she would pace and look at it. she was quite a handful, and awesome.
sometimes he chases after flies or moths if they get in the house.
my cat that passed away last year, she would hunt rats, mice, and birds while she was outside. when she was inside and saw a moth she wold start to drool, which i thought was weird and she would pace and look at it. she was quite a handful, and awesome.
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I believe that cats are natural hunters and like with any predator sometimes there are bigger predators. That is why we are around!
The longest snake that Pete has caught was 2-3 ft. I didn't get out the tape measure! And he don't eat them, he just stuns them until I can finish them off or kills them and brings them to me. Yuck! But I always dispose of the nasty little vermin, so that there won't be any danger to my babies.
Peter is my hero and is worth his weight in gold (and that is considerable!). The kids were all over at my house one night and had been playing on the computer and generally just monkeying around in the dining room. Well, I got up the next morning for work but was sick and was going to go back to bed. Peter was scampering about under and around the computer desk like he was after a mouse. I sat down in the desk chair and looked around underneath but didn't see anything. Pete kept pawing at a box next to the desk. I told him that I would move the box but that he had better not run the thing up my leg. I flipped the box over and there was a small copperhead snake. Yikes!
I jumped up the chair, over the table, and went to get my ball bat. Pete had drug it out into the middle of the floor and had stunned it. And I finished it off. If he hadn't caught the thing and I hadn't stayed home from work, I shudder to image what would have happened when the kids had gotten up and started playing on computer. Needless to say, I had every crack and crevice that I could find sealed up tight after this.
As I tell everyone when they complain about Peter's bad attitude (he's a biter), Peter has earned his place in front of our fire! And the amazing thing is that he catches and/or kills snakes on a regular basis.
Snow, bless his little heart, had a thing for our now deceased fish, SunBlue. Snow didn't eat it but just continuously tramatized him. From the time that Snow discovered SunBlue, he would not leave him alone. Snow would push his 5 gallon tank off every surface that we put it. He pushed it off the dresser. He pushed it off the buffet. He pushed it off the bedside table. I came home from church one day to find SunBlue flopping in the kitchen floor. I rushed SunBlue to the bathroom and rehydrated him and he survived. But he was just never safe. He finally passed away, but I am afraid that his little life was shortened by Snow tormenting him. Snow can be a very determined kitty when he has something in his little mind.
Angel, one of our snuggle bug kitties, is mistress of the raccoons. We have been invaded by raccoons and possums this year due to the drought. There were five raccoons on the front porch in one night! Well, Angel doesn't take anyone messing with her food and she proceeded to womp the poor raccoon. It just humped up and covered his little head with his hands! She womped him so bad he finally ran away. Normally, raccoons can be extremely vicious. I don't know what made this encounter different.
Possums are an entirely different story. Nasty, mean animals they are. One bit poor Snow on the back leg and tail back during the spring when they first started coming up onto the back porch. Before we got Sassy (our dog that stays on the back porch), the stinking possums would invade every night. There were four at the same time one night. I used to keep feed out on the table at night for the yard cats(feral), but the possums and raccoons won't be dissuaded by any means. I have to feed mid morning and take the feed in before night.
I even had one raccoon that got wise to me feeding in the morning. She would come by about 7 am to chow down!
The longest snake that Pete has caught was 2-3 ft. I didn't get out the tape measure! And he don't eat them, he just stuns them until I can finish them off or kills them and brings them to me. Yuck! But I always dispose of the nasty little vermin, so that there won't be any danger to my babies.
Peter is my hero and is worth his weight in gold (and that is considerable!). The kids were all over at my house one night and had been playing on the computer and generally just monkeying around in the dining room. Well, I got up the next morning for work but was sick and was going to go back to bed. Peter was scampering about under and around the computer desk like he was after a mouse. I sat down in the desk chair and looked around underneath but didn't see anything. Pete kept pawing at a box next to the desk. I told him that I would move the box but that he had better not run the thing up my leg. I flipped the box over and there was a small copperhead snake. Yikes!
I jumped up the chair, over the table, and went to get my ball bat. Pete had drug it out into the middle of the floor and had stunned it. And I finished it off. If he hadn't caught the thing and I hadn't stayed home from work, I shudder to image what would have happened when the kids had gotten up and started playing on computer. Needless to say, I had every crack and crevice that I could find sealed up tight after this.
As I tell everyone when they complain about Peter's bad attitude (he's a biter), Peter has earned his place in front of our fire! And the amazing thing is that he catches and/or kills snakes on a regular basis.
Snow, bless his little heart, had a thing for our now deceased fish, SunBlue. Snow didn't eat it but just continuously tramatized him. From the time that Snow discovered SunBlue, he would not leave him alone. Snow would push his 5 gallon tank off every surface that we put it. He pushed it off the dresser. He pushed it off the buffet. He pushed it off the bedside table. I came home from church one day to find SunBlue flopping in the kitchen floor. I rushed SunBlue to the bathroom and rehydrated him and he survived. But he was just never safe. He finally passed away, but I am afraid that his little life was shortened by Snow tormenting him. Snow can be a very determined kitty when he has something in his little mind.
Angel, one of our snuggle bug kitties, is mistress of the raccoons. We have been invaded by raccoons and possums this year due to the drought. There were five raccoons on the front porch in one night! Well, Angel doesn't take anyone messing with her food and she proceeded to womp the poor raccoon. It just humped up and covered his little head with his hands! She womped him so bad he finally ran away. Normally, raccoons can be extremely vicious. I don't know what made this encounter different.
Possums are an entirely different story. Nasty, mean animals they are. One bit poor Snow on the back leg and tail back during the spring when they first started coming up onto the back porch. Before we got Sassy (our dog that stays on the back porch), the stinking possums would invade every night. There were four at the same time one night. I used to keep feed out on the table at night for the yard cats(feral), but the possums and raccoons won't be dissuaded by any means. I have to feed mid morning and take the feed in before night.
I even had one raccoon that got wise to me feeding in the morning. She would come by about 7 am to chow down!
My 2 are both indoor cats...so the only thing they "hunt" besides the occassional bug that makes it`s way into the house, is thier kitty mice and toy balls.
Linda
Linda
My Previous cat Smokey
was an outdoor cat at my parents home in the Country. He was quite a hunter and brought "offerings" of dead mice to the front door several times a week.
Smokey was also not exactly the smartest cat and had a hawk attack him (he was cut up badly from that one) a small Tiff with a Racoon (the fir flew on that one too) But I also saw him stalk and take down a rabbit one day while eating lunch on the patio.
My Current Cats Duke and Sibohan are indoor hunters... there is a lot of excitement when a house fly gets into the apartment.
Duke is also an incredable mouser for the size of him and has controled the vermin population at my parents since he was a kitten. Sibohan would rather play with a mouse to death, she tends to try to groom them and ends up licking / mauling them into unconcioousness.
Smokey was also not exactly the smartest cat and had a hawk attack him (he was cut up badly from that one) a small Tiff with a Racoon (the fir flew on that one too) But I also saw him stalk and take down a rabbit one day while eating lunch on the patio.
My Current Cats Duke and Sibohan are indoor hunters... there is a lot of excitement when a house fly gets into the apartment.
Duke is also an incredable mouser for the size of him and has controled the vermin population at my parents since he was a kitten. Sibohan would rather play with a mouse to death, she tends to try to groom them and ends up licking / mauling them into unconcioousness.
my girl leaves us the occasional unlucky mouse, neatly laid out in the kitchen doorway as if it were sleeping, usually with no sign of wounding outside of a single bitemark.
