Cats have a reputation for being excellent hunters, especially of rodents. In this article on our site we are going to explain what is true in this belief and what are the characteristics of hunting these animals. We will start by establishing at what age do cats catch mice, how they learn and develop it. In addition, we will talk about the myth of sterilization as an interference with this instinct and a custom, unpleasant for some caregivers, such as the cat bringing home its dead prey.
At what age do cats start hunting?
If we have just adopted a kitten that is a few months old, we may wonder at what age cats hunt mice, which are usually their favorite prey, or, to a lesser extent, birds. It is the cats that teach their kittens to kill, since hunting is an instinctive behavior They begin by familiarizing them with prey by taking them to the nest. At approximately seven weeks, it comes with dead prey to eat in front of the little ones. Later it will repeat the behavior, but will play with the carcass for a while to demonstrate hunting techniques. The next phase involves the kittens being the ones to eat the prey. When they have grown, it will arrive at the nest alive or half dead. The cat will kill her in front of them and when they are ready they will accompany her mother on the hunt and initiate the kill attempts themselves.
Seeing other cats, even if they are not the mother, also helps kittens develop their hunting skills. At about six months cats are able to hunt on their own. This would be the usual course of learning in wild or stray cats, but we must know that, although hunting is innate, it can be greatly reduced depending on the conditions of upbringing. Cats that have never seen hunting may not be able to kill prey or they succeed but do not eat it. Specimens that live with rodents may stop seeing them as prey. Hunting efficiency also decreases if between 6 and 12 weeks of age the cat does not expose her kittens to prey as detailed. For this reason, many domestic cats are not used to hunting other animals, others do hunt them but do not eat them, and a few carry out the entire process explained above.
Are all cats hunters?
Now that we know at what age cats catch mice, the next question is whether all cats will display their hunting ability. The truth is that everyone will have the hunting instinct and, because of it, at least periodically, they will go hunting. But we must bear in mind that the current living conditions of domestic cats will influence the need for these outlets. The rodenticide control exercised by humans has reduced the rodent population around homes. As a consequence, the cat will have fewer opportunities to hunt.
Do neutered cats catch mice? And the cats?
It is common to ask if neutered cats catch mice and the truth is that yes, just like neutered cats. The removal of the sexual organs does not diminish, at all, the animal's hunting instinct. In fact, specifically castrated females usually hunt and offer us the prey, as we will see in the last section.
Why cats hunt mice?
Instinct is behind hunting behavior, which in each species will present different characteristics that are going to determine when cats start hunting their prey and how. Logically, cats hunt to eat, although, nowadays, not all of them would need it, since they are well fed by their keepers.
Mice are ideal prey for cats due to their size and abundance, especially in the past. For this reason, they have become very specialized in hunting them, which does not mean that they rule out other prey. Cats are also capable of hunting birds, even of a considerable size, in proportion, such as pigeons or thrushes. And, although the cat is considered to hate water, they also manage to be very good fishermen.
Do cats eat mice or just kill them?
Cats can eat mice but they don't always do it due to their living conditions. Cats are skilled predators that have a refined and precise technique to kill their prey. It would be easy for them to hunt and eat. But sometimes, instead of delivering a deadly bite, we can discover the cat playing with the rodent, hitting it and throwing it into the air. This behavior occurs in well-fed cats that have no need to hunt for food. They do not do it out of cruelty, but because, for them, catching prey is an exceptional event, so they prolong the moment to the maximum.
This behavior is also observed in the female who wants to teach her to kill her kittens. This may explain the greater tendency of cats to delay the death of prey. On the other hand, the most inexperienced cats may present a less effective hunting technique, so that, since they do not look safe, they kick the prey before daring to approach their faces to deliver the final bite. In any case, the intention is to eat the game, although, after killing the rodent, the cat may wait to relax from the tension of the hunt before eating.
Finally, we insist that the drive to hunt is independent of hunger, so it is not true that we have to reduce the cat food for hunting. In fact, that makes it expand its territory looking for food. On the contrary, it will stay close to the house and, therefore, will be able to hunt the rodents that are around the house.
How to prevent my cat from bringing mice?
We already know at what age cats catch mice and how they develop this behavior. It is now our turn to talk about the associated custom of bringing the hunted prey home. It is considered that they do it because the cats understand that we are part of their family and, seeing that we do not hunt, they try to teach us, just as their mothers did with them. It is a behavior that has been observed more frequently in neutered cats who do not have kittens of their own to train.
We can understand it as a gift from the cat and a demonstration of trust. Therefore, our reaction should never be negative, no matter how much we dislike it. What to do when a cat hunts and brings us the prey would be to congratulate the cat, pick it up and get rid of it. Therefore, it is a natural behavior that we will not be able to avoid, unless we keep the cat indoors without the possibility of going out to hunt.
On the other hand, if our cat does not have access to the outside and, therefore, cannot hunt, it is highly recommended to cover this basic need for him through play. To do this, we can buy toys that simulate hunting and have a fun time with our cat. In these game sessions it is essential to let the animal "hunt" the prey at some point, because if it never achieves its objective it could become frustrated and stressed. Do not miss this other article to learn everything related to this type of game: "How to play with a cat?".
