One aspect of cats’ behavior which some owners find difficult to accept is hunting, especially when the cat insist on bringing her prey home. Hunting is a very strong instinct in cats and the techniques can be seen while watching young kittens at play. As kittens grow older, the skills are finely honed through further play and by watching the mother and mimicking her when she hunts.

Hunting is entirely natural for cats and takes place even when they are well fed at home. They evidently enjoy the hunt, stalking patiently and carefully, moving forward and freezing with single minded concentration until they are close enough to pounce. If the cat returns with her kill and presents it to her owner, the reason is possibly because you should congratulate her on her hunting prowess. There is really no point in trying to punish your cat for hunting, as it is a part of her nature. The hunting instinct is so deeply rooted that to try and eliminate it may well cause her a lot of confusion. Playing catching games with your cat using toys may help to relieve some of her urge to hunt.

One solution is to put a bell on her collar so that the birds and other likely victims can hear her coming. If you do this, make sure that the collar has an elasticated section so that she can escape if it gets caught up on some object. It is important to worm your cat regularly, particularly if she hunts. Consult your veterinary hospital for more advice on de-worming.