Do cats supplement their home food when out?

[Kimmikins]

Kind of following on from kimthecat's thread. I'm not a cat owner, never have been, but we have two sets of brother cats in the two houses opposite, so whereas before I wasn't a big fan of cats now I'm definitely a changed girl! I don't really know much about cats at all, other than that they purr!

So, do kitty cats actively supplement their home diet with stuff they catch out and about? Have you ever caught your cat munching on something? Do they ever bring you gifts?

[sarahhound]

Rigsy and Skye both hunt, Lucky doesn't anymore, he's too lazy, but if the girls bring in something alive he'll get that in minutes, he's a great hunter!

Rigsy leaves mice on the kitchen floor, she brings it in, sits with it, and miaows at the top of her lungs until someone goes to acknowledge the 'gift', and then off she trots to bed. It's as if she wants a thank you

Skye puts them under the bed, and usually, the head is eaten, but quite often she'll eat the whole thing because all I find is feathers/fur in a little pile and some blood marks. Must be tasty!

They all eat good food, and plenty of it, but she still does it. I think that's actually why she's a bit overweight, she's supplementing!

[kimthecat]

Kim used to bring home live baby mice. Sometimes she would kill the odd small bird but never ate them .  My neighbours cat used to kill larger birds like pigeons, she was a prolific hunter.   I doubt if a well fed cat would hunt soley because it had feeling of hunger. It takes practise to be a good hunter and I expect many cats are rather half hearted about it .  The better they are at hunting the more they will do it , they might eat part of the prey but some parts of birds arent edible . 

None of my dogs have ever caught anything . Pip  will give serious chase but I dont know what he would do if he caught a squirrel ot rabbit.  My Ohs dog Penny whippet catches squirrels and expertly kills them now . :  She doesnt eat them after .

 

[Kimmikins]

Dec 5, 2013 11:05:10 GMT sarahhound said:

Rigsy and Skye both hunt, Lucky doesn't anymore, he's too lazy, but if the girls bring in something alive he'll get that in minutes, he's a great hunter!

Rigsy leaves mice on the kitchen floor, she brings it in, sits with it, and miaows at the top of her lungs until someone goes to acknowledge the 'gift', and then off she trots to bed. It's as if she wants a thank you

Skye puts them under the bed, and usually, the head is eaten, but quite often she'll eat the whole thing because all I find is feathers/fur in a little pile and some blood marks. Must be tasty!

They all eat good food, and plenty of it, but she still does it. I think that's actually why she's a bit overweight, she's supplementing!

Awww, Rigsy wants to show you what a good job she did

Posted by kimthecat
24 minutes ago
Kim used to bring home live baby mice. Sometimes she would kill the odd small bird but never ate them . My neighbours cat used to kill larger birds like pigeons, she was a prolific hunter. I doubt if a well fed cat would hunt soley because it had feeling of hunger. It takes practise to be a good hunter and I expect many cats are rather half hearted about it . The better they are at hunting the more they will do it , they might eat part of the prey but some parts of birds arent edible .

None of my dogs have ever caught anything . Pip will give serious chase but I dont know what he would do if he caught a squirrel ot rabbit. My Ohs dog Penny whippet catches squirrels and expertly kills them now . : She doesnt eat them after .

Scrumpy Jack has caught a baby blackbird (thankfully didn't hurt it) and 2 pigeons!

Do you think they're gifts that the bring back? Show of prowess? Or do they think you need to practice being a hunter, so they bring back half dead catches for you to "finish"?

[kimthecat]

Its generally instinctive for female cats to  bring home live prey or half dead prey,  in the natural world it be for their kittens to practise stalking and killing . 
 Other reasons might be they are bringing the catch home to store  for later or to eat it safetly. 

 Perhaps cats think we are incompetent hunters and are trying to help is out