Interesting. When we had the feral colony on our property and I started to offer them food I started finding dead things on my porch.
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Why do cats give "gifts" to their human owners?
- Thread starter nano
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Thank you for your responses. As bizzys'mom I must say I am grateful she is only bringing me Q tips and cotton and the occasional purple ear plug seems to be a favorite anything alive or that used to be alive I too would have screens going out into the universe, god bless all
Yes, they do that. Some of the feral cats I take care of would turn up with a mouse as an offering in exchange for their bowl of kibble. It's kind of sweet really.
The shelter's feral cats do that, too. There were two dead mice laid out at the enclosure gate yesterday when I went to feed them. After I disposed of the present I went back and there were four more! In winter they line them up right inside the door to their feeding room.
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I think your right and i also think they bring it to for a show of pride
The one time I saw a mouse here about 12 years ago, I woke up the next day by rolling onto it's carcass in the bed. I'd told Bugs before I went to bed 'If you catch that thing, please don't bring it to me here in bed.' She must've missed the 'don't' part. lol I thanked her and threw it outside. Never saw another one in here.
Clyde regularly brings me one of his two favorite toys. An orange motorized mouse or an old lace from one of my work boots. Some times I'll return the favor and set them down by him while he's sleeping.
Clyde regularly brings me one of his two favorite toys. An orange motorized mouse or an old lace from one of my work boots. Some times I'll return the favor and set them down by him while he's sleeping.
Mingo doesn't bring me his mice; he eats them. I was reading late one night and I heard a ka-thunk and an "eeek" down in the basement. Then silence. A while later, Mingo came up, climbed in my lap, very happy with himself. His breath smelled like fresh meat.
He regularly goes down to the basement at night on mouse watch. One of his jobs is pest control. He's really good at it.
He regularly goes down to the basement at night on mouse watch. One of his jobs is pest control. He's really good at it.
Our outdoor cat, Cindy, sometimes leaves gifts on the door mat--a mouse, a mole, a perfectly excised liver or other tiny organ. I've pondered these as "gifts to the gods."
Last night, she outdid herself. It was surreal.
After midnight, our dog led me to the back door, which was unusual, but I let him out. When the door opened, I was struck by two things simultaneously. One was the cat, sitting straight up, so straight she was about 6 inches taller than normal, proud and still as an ancient Egyptian monument. Her gaze was on the door mat.
On the mat was a "gift" that I couldn't identify. It was white, roundish, maybe a big albino frog? No.
Looking closer, it was almost tulip-shaped, laid exactly in the center of the mat, perpendicular to the door. It was gently rounded, white, presenting a starkly-contrasting perfectly round vivid bright red hole.
I eventually identified it as the bottom half of a white rabbit, little feet posed artfully on top so they did not look at all like feet, and not a speck of blood anywhere on that white fur or on the porch.
Why I didn't take a photo, I don't know. My dog, who had leapt over it going out, wouldn't come back onto the porch to come back in.
I went to the other door to call the dog, who wouldn't come, and when I went around back again, the magic was over, and my dog was out in the yard with something I didn't want him to eat. He left it without an argument, which surprised me, and came inside.
In the morning the gift was gone, and I wondered whether the cat would be offended, but she seems her normal self.
Last night, she outdid herself. It was surreal.
After midnight, our dog led me to the back door, which was unusual, but I let him out. When the door opened, I was struck by two things simultaneously. One was the cat, sitting straight up, so straight she was about 6 inches taller than normal, proud and still as an ancient Egyptian monument. Her gaze was on the door mat.
On the mat was a "gift" that I couldn't identify. It was white, roundish, maybe a big albino frog? No.
Looking closer, it was almost tulip-shaped, laid exactly in the center of the mat, perpendicular to the door. It was gently rounded, white, presenting a starkly-contrasting perfectly round vivid bright red hole.
I eventually identified it as the bottom half of a white rabbit, little feet posed artfully on top so they did not look at all like feet, and not a speck of blood anywhere on that white fur or on the porch.
Why I didn't take a photo, I don't know. My dog, who had leapt over it going out, wouldn't come back onto the porch to come back in.
I went to the other door to call the dog, who wouldn't come, and when I went around back again, the magic was over, and my dog was out in the yard with something I didn't want him to eat. He left it without an argument, which surprised me, and came inside.
In the morning the gift was gone, and I wondered whether the cat would be offended, but she seems her normal self.
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They want you to think that they are nice so you give them treats
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