Cat Training and Behavior (Domestic and Feral)/HUNTING BEHAVIOUR

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Expert: Dear Tabbi - 6/7/2008


Question
Do cats hide their prey to eat later? I have just seen a domestic cat retrieve a half eaten rabbit (baby rabbit) from a hidden corner of my garden. The cat then proceeded to eat, he clearly knew where to find the carcass. The blood spots around the hidden corner led me to believe that the half carcass had been put there when freshly killed. If they do hide their prey could it be that "gifts" brought home are a form of hiding prey?

Answer
Rosemary,

Yes, it goes back to the history of wild cats. Cats would hide or bury their extra food to protect it from other animals. Cats in the wild still do it and some domestic cats do it from the hunter instinct and not from the need of food.

It is a tossup whether a cat is bringing in part of a fresh kill to show it off to you or whether cat the feels bringing it in will protect it from other animals.

Tabbi  

Cat Training and Behavior (Domestic and Feral)

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Dear Tabbi

Expertise

My expertise is in helping people understand their cat (or cats) and their behavior. Questions are welcome even if you don't have a cat....just a question about them. Hopefully my experience, suggestions, and comments will be of help to you...and your cat (or cats). Looking through my past responses to questions will give you additional information and/or answers too. Domestic Cats = cats (no matter what breed) who are tame or not wild, or abandoned cats who were pets that became wild, but can be tamed again. Ferals = cats who are born with one or more parents who were wild stray cats. They usually have had no interactions with people. They have an inbred distrust of humans and are difficult to socialize. They are skittish, hide, and are afraid of people. They take a lot of time and patience to work with them. A lot of kittens from shelters had a feral parent.

Experience

Since I was a child, over 45 years, I have been owned by a LOT of cats and kittens of almost every temperament, behavior, and personality. I have had experience with neurotic, disabled (including blind), stray, and 'problem child' cats and kittens. (A few normal cats too!) Plus all the things a lifetime of owning cats and research has taught me. I also have experience in feral cat behavior (which is different from domestic cats), and some experience with feral colonies that includes colony feeding and feral cat TNR (trap/neuter/release).

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