Why do cats often bring prey to their owners?

You don't need to be a pet parent to know that cats often bring prey to their owners, right?

Everyone has heard a story like this about someone who has a cat. Out of nowhere, the feline appears with a cockroach – or even larger prey – and presents it to its owner as a gift.

For cat owners, it is quite common to come across some little surprise – which is, in almost 100% of cases, unpleasant – from time to time.

But do you know why cats often bring prey to their owners?

It was with this question in mind that we decided to develop today’s material. 

Throughout this content, we will embark on the feline routine to understand the origin of this type of behavior. Let's go!

A matter of instinct

Before we get into the subject of the gifts themselves, we need to understand a little more about the process that resulted in cats as we know them today.

Even though cats have undergone a process of complete domestication today, many of their natural instincts are still present in their personality traits.

And one of them is the hunting instinct.

When we talk about other felines – like wild cats, for example – hunting is essential for them to survive. 

This type of behavior begins when they are cubs. While they are under the care of their mother and are not yet able to go out hunting, the mother is responsible for bringing the prey for them to feed on.

Only after a while, when the felines' instincts are more acute, will this mother teach them the techniques to chase and capture their prey.

And it is this type of instinct – even if to a much lesser extent – that the cat is following when it engages in this type of behavior.

Why do cats often bring prey to their owners?

Now that you understand a little more about the instincts that felines have, it's time to talk about these peculiar gifts that every cat parent is likely to receive.

Having a feline at home means being aware that, at any moment, you may receive a 'treat' from your cat. And believe me: these treats are not at all pleasant.

And the worst part is that these 'Greek gifts' – which, in most cases, consist of insects, small birds and even small rodents (like baby mice, for example) – are almost always given at the most inopportune times.

Your cat will probably climb onto the bed or couch while you're watching TV and, with the 'gift' in its mouth, drop this little surprise in front of you.

But why do cats often bring prey to their owners?

To explain this type of behavior, there are two plausible answers. Let's talk about each of them.

Just a little gift

One of the explanations for this type of behavior is simply the desire to give your guardian a treat.

This happens because, in most cases, felines really enjoy playing with their prey. 

And, since they like to do this, they may also think that their guardians are also adept at this type of behavior.

In other words: your cat may be bringing its prey to you, hoping that you, like it, will also enjoy playing with the dead animal.

Survival First

The second theory – which is the most accepted – has a direct connection with the issue of instinct that was mentioned in the first topic.

Just as mothers go out in search of prey to feed their kittens – who, in this case, do not yet know how to find their own food – cats think the same thing about their guardians.

By observing our daily routine, cats can understand that their owners are unable to obtain their own prey. 

This observation may be the origin of this type of gift: when imagining that their owner is not capable of hunting their own food, the cats' latent instincts go out in search of prey and, when they find and kill it, they take it to their owners.

In other words: if this explanation is indeed correct, cats think that their owners and humans in general are weaker, since they are not capable of catching their own food.

That's pretty interesting, right?

Why do domestic cats still have the instinct to bring prey to their owners?

You must be wondering how, after so many years of domestication, cats still have this instinct?

In fact, it is estimated that the process of domestication of cats began around 10,000 years ago. This may seem like a long time. 

But when we compare it to the beginning of dog domestication – which is estimated to be between 20 and 40 thousand years ago – we can see that it wasn’t that long ago.

In addition to this issue of the habit of bringing prey to their owners, if we think about this factor of time of domestication, we can understand the behavioral differences that cats and dogs have.

What to do when you receive one of these gifts?

Even though this type of surprise may not be the most pleasant, it is important to keep in mind that your cat is not doing this on purpose.

In either of the two theories mentioned here, in both the feline is valuing its well-being, even if in an erroneous way.

Therefore, you should not fight or get angry with your cat. It is advisable to get rid of this prey as quickly as possible and in the correct way – prioritizing hygiene.

And then look for ways to curb this type of behavior.

Even though it may be something innocent that your cat is doing, direct contact with these types of animals – such as rats, spiders, birds and scorpions – can be harmful to your cat's health. 

In other words: the ideal is to prevent your cat from having access to these types of prey, helping to reduce the frequency of this type of extremely unpleasant surprise.

Did you like this content? Then take the opportunity to read it too Catification: learn how to catify an environment cheaply