I've started getting 'presents'!

[Em]

I was so lucky! When Rosie used to go out, the only think she would bring back were leaves!!!

I used to get leaves (back in the heady days when Seth had energy)! And one Saturday Seth brought a big stick through the cat flap! It started off quite long but he kept bringing it in then taking it out again, and each time he brough tit in it got a teeny bit shorter until finally it was only an inch long!!!  He was still soooo proud of it... the only live things he's ever brought me were spiders (see cc;s thread), thank goodness... he left the bigger stuff to his brother 

[ccmacey]

I keep walking past a toy mouse and think its real and jump out of my skin, I know its only nature for them but I still dont like it. If the prey is killed without me seeing it I'm not bothered, its when it gets brought home alive and battered to death thats what I cant watch. So I help. I have never been bitten from a mouse, so I dont see how they can defend themselves against a cat thats a lot bigger.

[Hippykitty]

cc I think you are referring to me and have misinterpreted what I was saying on your thread.

[rosiesmum]

I was so lucky! When Rosie used to go out, the only think she would bring back were leaves!!!

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

Just tripped over a mouse in front room grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. I initially thought it was one of the toy mice but noooooooooo, second one in under a week.

I have two hunters and both spend lots of time camping out  just waiting for the poor little things to walk past 

[Reynard]

It isn't torture, ccmacey.

I've had the privilege of watching Madam Pearl at work on many occasions and believe me, the mice / voles / shrews do bite back. It isn't a one-sided contest by any means - I have seen a one-legged vole barely miss sinking its teeth into Madam's foot. The reason a cat employs the method of hunting that is does is that it doesn't want to get bitten - rodent teeth are very sharp - and therefore attempts to stun the prey before administering a killing bite. From a cat's perspective as a solitary hunter, it is the optimal way to go about this task.

I'm well used to presents of all shapes and sizes. Toby brings the whole thing home and leaves it by the door. Madam Pearl will leave feathers, tails and legs on the carpet... 

[ccmacey]

Yes you have the same attitude as me about this, its only nature but if youcan help you will. Although some people think if you dont let your cat tourcher the animal you shouldnt have a cat, well thats what someone said to me, a*******s.

[Catjane]

Usually it's dead once it reaches the back yard, and I can be fairly detached ... if we have kitties we have to accept that they hunt!  But if I have the opportunity of saving one, then I do!  When I was a kid we lived in the country and our cats were always catching mice and birds.  I learned from my dad how to check if the prey was badly injured or not (as best you can under those circumstances, of course) and also how to put the poor mites out of their misery if they'd been too badly wounded.

Once I rescued a sparrow that was hurt, but not terminally so.  I put it in a cage and called it Liverpool lol!  (I set him free after about 2 weeks, I think.)

[ccmacey]

Do you feel awful for they prey and feel you must help it?

I have a hunter too

[Catjane]

Oh dear ... well I guess it had to happen given their characters!

Shanti and Sabu have both started hunting, and when either of them have caught a mouse they bring it to the back yard and repeatedly toss it high into the air with great pride!  Shanti even comes rushing indoors to call me outside to watch!  At least they don't bring them into the house, I suppose I have that to be grateful for!

The other evening I looked out the window and saw all three of them worrying a little mouse, so I dashed outside and managed to get the mouse to run into a handy seed tray that was lying around, and checked to see if he was hurt.  He seemed to be ok, no blood and he was moving normally, so I scooped him up in my hands .. he was so, so tiny! ... and put him far back in the hedge.  Each of my three were trying to get to him, so I got them all indoors to give the little mouse a chance!  And whilst they were in, I Frontlined them as well .... hahaha ... they were NOT best pleased with me!!!