¿Has your cat ever brought you an object without any apparent explanation? Consider yourself lucky if your pet has delivered you their favorite toy, since other owners have been woken up in the middle of the night by the lovely present of a dead mouse.
Believe it or not, these objects are presents and there are various explanations on why your cat does this curious gesture.
Looking for a safe place
It is impressive that, even after 5,00 years of domestication, cats still have a strong hunting instinct. So, it comes as no surprise that they still present us with their prey, commonly rats, mice or small birds.
But, sometimes we face the unfortunate surprise of finding these dead animals next to our belongings or even in our beds. There is no worse nightmare than being woken up by our cat holding a dead creature.
It is quite simple to explain, just like most animals, your cat wants to feed itself in a safe place. It is true that most times they only play with their prey, this behavior prevails because if you weren’t feeding your pet, hunting would be their only food source. It is simply an instinctive memory that has prevailed.
Play time
When the offer comes in the form of toys, it is a sign that they are very fond of you. Your cat wants to share with its most prized possessions since you are so special to them.
It also indicates that they want more play time with you. Try to save at least a few minutes in your day to be dedicated entirely to your pet, this will mean the world to them and will contribute to their general wellbeing.
You are being taken care of
When a cat doesn’t have any kittens, it may replace this protective instinct with you. Bringing gifts is a way of showing that you are accepted as a member of the family and that you are being taken care of.
Lets not forget that cats are hunters, and bringing a prey is their way of taking care of you by feeding you.
¿How to stop it?
It can be a cute gesture, but we know that being greeted by dead animals can be really unpleasant and that most owners wish for this to stop. There are various solutions to this problem, but even with this we must remember that there is no way of fighting nature and instinct in animals.
The first thing that you can do is limit the time that your cat spends outside of your house. For this, we recommend that you create the habit of walking your cat with a leash so it doesn’t return home with a surprise.
You can also spend more time with your cat, actively playing in order to burn all the accumulated energy. Buy some dynamic toys that will distract and entertain them.
It is also very important that we keep calm at the gift giving moment, remember that cats are great at reading your body language. To get rid of the prey, you will have to be clever, use some food so your cat releases it to eat the treat.
Now that you know that these gifts are a display of affection, you will be able to appreciate the gesture. Remember to always respect the instincts of your cat, it may be a domestic animal, but nature can’t be forgotten.
We invite you to keep exploring our blog to learn more about cat fun facts.