Why does my cat bite the heads off his kills?

[sarrow82]

My 1 1/2 yr. old male cat, Mario keeps bringing me his poor victims, many of whom have had their heads removed. He'll bring them on our screen in porch or even through the kitty door and lay them on the floor somewhere close by. I'm pretty sure he's slayed much of the lizard population in our area..lol!

This morning I wake up to a bunch of noise, go into the dining area and find Mario with something that looks like a baby squirrel. He's brought it to his food bowl and I watch in horror as he rips it's head off. It made possibly the nastiest sound I've ever heard! Then he proceeds to eat some of the poor animal. I can't watch and leave the room, completely disgusted. Not five min later Mario comes over my way, giving me the most innocent look, like he never just pulled an Ozzy Osbourne.

Why does my cat feel the need to take the heads off his victims? It seems kind of gruesome... The dead body is lying on my dining room floor. Apparently he wasn't so hungry..my other cat is not amused by his brother.

 

[otto]

Cats are natural hunters, and whatever they do to their kills is an instinctual action. If you keep them inside, and play Games with them to satisfy their need to run and pounce and bite on things, you won't have this problem!

 

[yayi]

None of my cats ever done a beheading. They break the neck/spine for a quick death. Hope I never get to see a headless carcass

 

[strange_wings]

He's being thorough.

As long as you don't wake up with a head on the pillow beside you, don't worry.


You said he's eating lizards, too? Lizards in warmer states can be host to liver flukes as well as worms. All of the small mammals will carry worms. Make sure you get him dewormed regularly and let your vet know the variety of his meals.

 

[animalover1]

Only one of my 5 cats hunts, he is a black and white tuxedo cat and I've been told they're great hunters. My other cats could care less about hunting anything. He doesn't anymore because he's 11 and getting older I guess and doesn't go outside at night too much but when he did, he would bring me just the heads of gophers. I guess he ate the rest of them. One morning on Mother's Day, thanks!  He's killed 2 birds, but theft them whole. I don't know why. One time he brought a live one in the house! I don't know why he didn't just kill it outside, but I saved it and let it go. I'm not about to watch him do that. Another time he left just the intestines next to the head. I don't know how he managed to pick just them out.    ewwww.....

 

[animalover1]

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