How To Stop Cats Hunting

[MartinMillar]

Yesterday Brice gifted me a rabbit, today it’s a huge wood pigeon!
I know it’s natural but he doesn’t eat them just toys with them.
The main problem is that he is allergic to protein so I pay a small fortune for special food for him and my other cats other wise he ends up with huge weeping sores.
He has never worn a collar.
Help

[AuntPollyGrey]

I don't think you can stop them. My house cat used to wear a collar with a very tinkly bell and still used to bring baby rabbits, birds& mice. Some would say just keep your cat in, but that was not an option for me as cats are'nt meant to be kept indoors 24/7. She died a few years ago and we can now feed the birds again in our garden . I would'bt have another house cat. Our barn cats have a job of work to do (rats mainly) but still catch the odd bird which is not nice.

[MartinMillar]

I couldn’t keep him in he would do my head in within half an hour as he has such a loud yowl (think Siamese on steroids)
The girls don’t hunt thankfully!
I love him but he is a devil

[ummmm]

Mine brings in mice (or baby rats, I can't tell the difference) he only brings in tiny birds I assume are already injured.

[MartinMillar]

Brice is 5 now and has definitely ramped up his hunting this year

[Patsy33]

My cat is a coward. Only goes after tiny birds, then doesn't manage to catch many, which I'm pleased about.

[ToraToraTora]

how can he be allergic to protein, what do you think his body is constructed out of? What a load of cobras! You can't stop cats being cats it's what they do.

[MartinMillar]

Brice was feral when the dogs found him so I always knew I would have issues lol

[ToraToraTora]

They'd love him in Australia at the moment:
https://www.itv.com/news/2021-05-26/theyre-everywhere-mouse-plague-spreading-chaos-in-australia

[MartinMillar]

If he eats protein his fur drops out and he is left with huge weeping wounds, when he doesn’t eat protein his fur is fine.
This is vet diagnosis

[MartinMillar]

https://wagwalking.com/cat/condition/meat-protein-allergies

[ToraToraTora]

so he's allergic to himself then is he? What do you think his muscles are made of? Rubbish, you're making it up.

[MartinMillar]

Oh my thank you can I send you my vet bills then please

[ToraToraTora]

apologies, It just seemed fanciful, to me, I could not see how a carnivore could be allergic to protein, my bad.

[MartinMillar]

Thank you

[Khandro]

Put a bell on his neck when he's outside.

[andy-hughes]

Obviously you can't stop him hunting, it's part of what he is.

I think a bell on his collar is a good idea.

[Fitzer]

Having just rehomed a new cat I was talking about this to the vet as our last one was a major hunter. Apparently you can curb some of the instincts by indulging in lots of mock hunting play especially outdoors. Chasing things on threads, laser spots etc. are all supposed to be good but it does need to be done pretty well daily. Various videos on You Tube etc for structured play for cats plus articles etc.

[MartinMillar]

Thanks fitzer I already do that.
I have had cats my whole life and I have never had a hunter like Brice!
Will try the bell he may spend so long trying to get the collar off he won’t have time to hunt

[Barmaid]

You could try a bell on a safety collar - but they dont work for all cats. ASBO used to have one (mainly so I knew where he was when he was a kitten since he used to get under my feet or launch surprise attacks on me) and he used to bring stuff back regularly. I think some cats can move in such a way that the bell just doesn't ring.

Other than that, there is not much you can do. If he is not eating the prey then it shouldnt trigger his allergy - although he may progress to doing so (ASBO is particularly partial to rabbit brains). Many cats will bring their prey home so you could take it off him before he gets stuck in for a feast - although that will mean you will have to confine him to base when you or Mr MM aren't there.

I spend an awful lot of time just shaking my head at mine. Still, at least he hasnt tried to bring a live squirrel in the house this year. Yet.

[SparklyKid]

Our female 10 year old cat "Cleo" is a voracious hunter.
We dare not put any bird feeders out which is a shame.

We have had numerous presents, she once dragged a young pigeon through the cat flap which I managed to save.

If I see her outside tormenting a mouse or a vole, I intervene and rescue it.