The legacy of a predator

Felines are considered predators, they all hunt in the wild. They have sharp teeth, perfect night vision, quiet paws, and remarkable physical capabilities that are best suited to a cat’s nature as a lone night hunter.

In fact, his history, which dates back to ancient Egypt, involves his hunting skills. Cats were brought to Egyptian cities and towns to control rodents in their barns. Since cats were successful as hunters, they were well admired, appreciated, and even given the status of gods.

The hunting abilities of the cats allowed them to be distributed throughout the world, boarding ships that transported them to protect themselves from mice. So far, stable cats around the world are still prized for this ability.

However, in recent decades, the attitude towards cats has changed as they have become beloved companions rather than working animals. Simultaneously, a problem related to wildlife conservation has developed. Concerned animal lovers have been blaming cats for endangering the lives of birds and rodents, demanding that they be banned from hunting.

His plea came simultaneously with a growing desire to protect house cats from harm by keeping them indoors. That is why cats no longer hunt today. However, cat owners can still enjoy watching their hunting skills during interactive playtime.

A bad game

The game of the cat not only seems to hunt, but the hunting routines can also seem like a game.

A cat will not immediately kill the prey it has captured. Instead, it will carry the prey in its mouth and take it to a location it is familiar with to start the long vicious cycle.

The cat will release the creature, letting it try to escape, and then use its paw to hit it, occasionally flinging it into the air. This can take hours and this is how your cat plays with the toy mouse.

Observers of cat hunting have long blamed them for unnecessary cruelty. According to modern behavioral studies, there is no game going on. While it may seem like a cruel sport, it actually involves basic safety measures that the cat needs to survive.

Look at it from a cat’s point of view. The rodent, whether small or large, can defend itself and bite when given the opportunity. Their bite can be small but deadly, resulting in infection, illness, and worst of all, death. Cats will not want to take that risk.

Since their vision is clearer from afar, it is difficult for cats to bite on live prey. As a solution, they chase and exhaust their prey until it is too weak to protect themselves. This is the time when the cat will kill its prey.

So when your cat is gone for a while and then comes back with a living creature, don’t punish or scold it. Consider the fact that this is what you have learned over years of evolution. Now, if you don’t want your cat to go hunting, you should let him stay inside.