My cat is too good of a hunter

[Shura]

When Hubby and I moved from the city into the country, we brought our cat. We had not a slightest idea that she would actually start mouse hunting. She was so young when we found her, only 5 weeks old. And we had 2 parakeets, yet she never hurt them. In fact, a few times one got out of the cage, she would find where he was and show us.
A few days after we got to our destination... she caught a mouse and proudly showed it to us. This has been going on for 2 months, except we notice she catches the mouse in her teeth, then walks with it a bit, then drops and tries to play with it. Is this normal?
In the past 2 days she's been hunting rabbits. We got so many cottontails here, and she's been hunting them. Today, I took from her a by cottontail. It wasn't a newborn, was very energetic and eyes wide open.
How do we break her from hunting rabbits, without making it so that she she stops hunting mice.

 

[Judy]

You don't. You will not be able to break her from hunting either one. You can confine her indoors, or leave her alone to do what she has been programmed to do, but you cannot change this behavior.

You have a useful cat. I would leave her alone. Rabbits are not exactly endangered, and a mouse controller is a valuable asset. If you plant a garden, you will benefit from the rabbit control, as well.

Cats will bring you "presents" from time to time. They will also play with the prey before killing it, or in the process of killing it. Not a pleasant sight, perhaps, but normal for them.

 

[saddina]

All normal, plant a garden and let her patrol it.

 

[tigerlilly2588]

Yea I agree. There is really nothing you can do. Although.....I can tell you that when one of our outside cats started bringing more baby bunnies then moles or mice....we put a bell on him! Fixed that problem right up! Course he can't catch any thing else either but thats ok with me! And the jingle is pretty cute to hear as he walks by even though I can tell he himself do not full appreciate it...lol

 

[crtrlovr]

yep, what they ^ said. Hunting is an instinct, and sometimes the very best hunters are the well-fed, usually indoor cats.

As for playing with their catch, this too is normal. It is honing their hunting skills, especially the "catch and release" and the tossing and catching. Not pleasant for any creature that may still be alive. I have 9 cats who leave my indoor birds and chickens alone, but I still occasionally find one with a young (wild) bird or mouse. If the prey is still living, I take it far back into the field and release it. My mom disagrees with me on this part and says I should let them keep their prize. I told her she doesn't have to pay for the tapeworm meds after their "prize" has given them a nasty parting gift...

 

[annanicole18]

playing with their catch is normal its is actually fun to watch them play with crickets and grasshoppers if they can find nothing better.

 

[2468Chickensrgr8]

She loves you ! She's providing for her tribe .....
Lucky you ....I am waiting for hubby to go on a fishing trip and then I am going to bring home a barn cat or two for rodent patrol...we have an indoor cat that catches the odd mouse inside...

 

[CaGoatLady]

Yep, normal. My barn cat catches moles from the neighbor's garden, carries them up to our yard, and then plays and taunts it. If it quits running, the cat gently nudges its little tail, like its a wind-up toy.