Just a killer or jealous?

1DMF

1DMF

Old School Cheesy Quaver
In the space of 3 days, one of our cats has killed 5 rats and left them outside the back door.

Now OK, Furbie has always been a killer, he usually likes to catch small baby birds and eat them, and does on occasion kill mice and rats (usually eats half the mouse).

The culprit... (Arthur 'Furbie')

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However, this spate of mass murder is un-characteristic even for him.

The victims...
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The house next door has just been purchased and was in disrepair for many years with an overgrown back garden, so perhaps as there is work going on and the back garden has been cleared, perhaps it is making it easier for Furbie to see and catch the rats?

It's also highlighting a vermin problem the derelict house next door was posing (though our cat seems to have now dealt with it!)

Or is this a jealousy thing with our new son, and he is desperately trying to please us by bringing us presents?

The picture of him above is him currently lying on the changing mat (errr, yuk!), so should we be worried, he's feeling jealous, or is he simply a happy member of the family who wants to be involved and is showing his appreciation with presents?

Perhaps one of you may know more about cat phycology or have experience of this, having children and pets yourselves.

Thanks,
1DMF.
 
HD Springer

HD Springer

Well-Known Member
I've heard that when a mouse leaves their kill it's a way of showing love and respect to there owners. Also they did a study on cats and come to find out they are killing machines. Turns out they kill in a day like 10x what was previously known. I'm not a cat lover or owner but those animals are straight up gangster. Much respect.
 
Delta3DStudios

Delta3DStudios

Well-Known Member
Accessory Maker
HD Springer said:
I've heard that when a mouse leaves their kill it's a way of showing love and respect to there owners. Also they did a study on cats and come to find out they are killing machines. Turns out they kill in a day like 10x what was previously known. I'm not a cat lover or owner but those animals are straight up gangster. Much respect.
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Further adding to this concept. I've heard many times cats return dead animals to their owners because they're attempting to "feed you". In the cat's mind - you're just a bigger cat, and a poor hunter. Has there been a change in someone's diet recently? Maybe you changed what you're feeding the cat (and he thinks you're eating the same terrible food)

Although I have seen in several occasions where cats like to return other stuff like children's toys and stuffed animals to the owner (maybe those cats think it's people food, or maybe they're just bad at hunting live rodents? lol, I dunno).

Haven't had a cat in a long time, but I'm the only one in my family who's a "cat person". Although I love dogs too, nobody else in my family (even extended family) likes cats :lol:

Stoners trying to read the minds of a feline :sherlock: :mental:
 
1DMF

1DMF

Old School Cheesy Quaver
Ratchett said:
Has there been a change in someone's diet recently?
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No, they get spoilt like usual by the wife. Everything is as it has been for his entire life (7 years), other than us having a new baby. Perhaps he doesn't like the smell of baby formula and thinks a juicy rat would help?

Our other cat stopped hunting and bringing back dead animals years ago (he's 8), it's just Furbie, who always kills things, including snakes (slow worms).

He just never killed quite so much in such a short space of time and left it at the back door.
 
HD Springer

HD Springer

Well-Known Member
Oops!! Love your pic @1DMF. Made me laugh as much as my mistake. Maybe your cat understands there's more mouths to feed. Ha even though I'm half heartedly saying this I wouldn't put it past him.
 
Delta3DStudios

Delta3DStudios

Well-Known Member
Accessory Maker
1DMF said:
No, they get spoilt like usual by the wife. Everything is as it has been for his entire life (7 years), other than us having a new baby. Perhaps he doesn't like the smell of baby formula and thinks a juicy rat would help?
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Sounds like the new baby might be the reason! Lol, gotta feed that baby some nice fresh juicy dead rats! :rofl:
 
1DMF

1DMF

Old School Cheesy Quaver
Do you know what, You could be onto something, I just realised that Aodhan had those new Men A & B jabs last week, and the first night screamed all night.

He took a few days to settle down, and the screaming was unlike anything he had done before, not his usual, I'm hungry / tired / dirty / just want a cuddle / type crying.

Perhaps Furbie thought "Jezus humans feed him already... tell you what, I'll go get him something to eat myself if it will shut him up!"

You never know :shrug:
 
F

farscaper

Well-Known Member
A cat whether you want to admit it or not is specifically a predator. Just cause you can get them to eat kibble sit on a sofa while it cleans its ass with its tongue and shit in a clay filled box doesn't mean they wouldn't catch and kill anything they get their claws in. They are hardwired for it instinctually.

I read in a journal that domesticated cats have been responsible for the complete irradication of certain bird species in some areas.

The little ones think just like the big ones really...

Kinda like how humans and chimps are similar. Did you know that wild chimpanzees go to war with each other over territory. Interesting but unrelated.
 
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1DMF

1DMF

Old School Cheesy Quaver
@farscaper while I agree to a point, we have one cat that doesn't bother hunting. He may help the other one on occasion, like a pack of Velociraptors, but generally he hasn't hunted in years.

It was odd, he used to hunt all the time, then we got a second cat 'Furbie', it was like Dillon taught Furbie to hunt, and passed the baton on.

As soon as 'Furbie' learned to hunt, Dillon 'Chuckle Puss' (The grey one) stopped?

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Dillon hasn't brought anything back in years, he may torment the odd mouse if 'Furbie' turns up with one as a toy, but he hasn't openly hunted that we can tell for many, many years.
 
howie105

howie105

Well-Known Member
Cats hunt and kill when their instincts kicks in, doesn’t mean they are full time hunters just that survival drives are part of their makeup and those behaviors kick in when stimulated. You see evolutionary drives it in all kinds of domesticated animals and allowing for and using those drives is what gives us bipeds a leg up in management.
 
howie105,
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farscaper

Well-Known Member
1DMF said:
@farscaper while I agree to a point, we have one cat that doesn't bother hunting. He may help the other one on occasion, like a pack of Velociraptors, but generally he hasn't hunted in years.

It was odd, he used to hunt all the time, then we got a second cat 'Furbie', it was like Dillon taught Furbie to hunt, and passed the baton on.

As soon as 'Furbie' learned to hunt, Dillon 'Chuckle Puss' (The grey one) stopped?

jVlfgFi.jpg


Dillon hasn't brought anything back in years, he may torment the odd mouse if 'Furbie' turns up with one as a toy, but he hasn't openly hunted that we can tell for many, many years.
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That's called pack mentality.

You will find many species of animal that once a younger more capable body is around... the old often take a position of authority while the younger of newer of the two will do the work such as hunting and what not.

left to their own untrained devices.... cats will always revert to killing before starvation...
However if a dude put a bowl of cereal in front of me every day you can bet your bloomers I would omit hunting from my daily life and just chill with that cereal hang out and just wait for.... the next bowl of cereal.

We have 4 cats right now... had over a dozen Last summer after a breeding surge... we found many good homes... but I know of the cats we have.... they won't hunt mice... if you feed them. If you don't feed them as much they happily fend for themselves....

Its not like the cat is over there being pissed off that bird isn't the right color contemplating how to kill it.... or maybe they do... we had a Manx that hated bird like they had different religious preferences... of course I also know that our black lab mix does not give a care if he sees a black cat... he will sit right next to one and not care... but that blonde tabby shows its head and he's on it like he wants to eat it. And although we feed our lab mix more than enough he still wants to catch rabbits.

Crazy nature.

@VegNVape all in academic fun. Here are my thoughts.

What do you call a territorial dispute that involves a large group entering a neighboring territory and seeking out all the youngest and brutally killing and eating them... keep in mind they are all the same species and target the young specifically to prevent that groups future offspring from reaching maturity to allow the incorporation of their territory into the winning groups?

Chimpanzees do this frequently.

Cats eat their own dead young if they are stillborn if left to their own devises.... and inbreed as do chimps.

Are chimpanzees and cats not cannibals and inbreeders because those are human concepts?

We are all animals really.... humans just make up words for actions... just because other species don't know our words for the actions doesn't make the action diffrent.

Academic thoughts
 
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VegNVape

VegNVape

Increase the Peace
Company Rep
farscaper said:
@VegNVape all in academic fun.
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Hey absolutely, bud. And it's appreciated :)

And yes again, I agree that what you are saying is true, except that I think that using the word 'war' could imply that more than pure animal instict is at play. To me, war involves more structure - scheming & planning, strategic co-ordination, and the forming of alliances & subsequent joint forces, etc. To do battle until one side wins. I do not think that chimps do this.

I think that war is a cold & calculated act, conducted in full knowledge & complete awareness of the pain & suffering that it can cause, along with it's potentially devastating repercussions. Animals acting on pure instinct are a long way from this, imo.

And I personally think that mankind is sadly far from nature these days.

But I do see what you are saying. And I guess really, it's all a matter of semantics.

Sorry for the derail! I think this is all perhaps for another thread. Although, I sure as hell ain't gonna start it! ;)


Peace!
:peace:
 
woolspinner

woolspinner

Well-Known Member
First of all: gorgeous! Both your cats are beautiful!

Secondly: yes, simply increased supply could account for this. Two factors are at work: his prey drive and a desire to share. Like some dogs with a strong prey drive will instantly attack small moving targets, so cats with strong prey drive will attack the same. And...unlike wild animals, he does not need to conserve energy in the same way, so there is no "off" switch to the killing. If the work is driving the rodents out where your cat is stalking, and he has a full belly, he will return to his home to share his kills.

Imagine: he is out sunning, and a rodent causes movement in the grass, his instincts kick in, he goes on the alert, attacks, kills. He is full and not in need of sustenance, so he brings it home to share with his family, who clearly travel outside of the area to hunt, since they come back from a mysterious place with sacks filled with food. He is the only one in his family making use of the local hunting grounds, and times are good, so he shares his kills with you. You often share your kills with him, as evidenced by his full food bowl. He returns the favor as he best can -the prey is literally falling into his kitty lap, so why not?

Plus, hunting and killing are fun, so he is having a GREAT time with the increase in prey.

These are just my observations and opinions and do not have science backing them up. Cats in my life for 40+ years even though the present canine cannot live with them and so I do not have a cat as a result.
 
1DMF

1DMF

Old School Cheesy Quaver
woolspinner said:
First of all: gorgeous! Both your cats are beautiful!
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Thanks, they are both pedigree, though a lot of people think Dillon is grumpy looking, he's actually very friendly and if he likes you he rolls over for belly rubs, something Arthur hates.

I do think the increase in supply has something to do with it, and Arthur is a monster killing machine, though it's a little unusual for him to not bring his prey into the house and torment it.

We have rescued countless mice & birds he's brought into the house, as well as found a lot of dead ones under the dining room table!
 
grokit

grokit

well-worn member
VegNVape said:
Humans start wars, not animals.
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VegNVape said:
And yes again, I agree that what you are saying is true, except that I think that using the word 'war' could imply that more than pure animal instict is at play. To me, war involves more structure - scheming & planning, strategic co-ordination, and the forming of alliances & subsequent joint forces, etc. To do battle until one side wins. I do not think that chimps do this.
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Haven't you seen planet of the apes? :ko: Batten down the hatches man!

rise-of-the-planet-of-the-apes-e1404298551205.jpg
 
howie105

howie105

Well-Known Member
Violence, injury and death are part of life for most animals, be it for food, range, breeding rights social organization or just the end of their run. The more dire and/or stressful the situation animals are placed in the hotter the conflicts can becomes. Humans are capable of the same types of behaviors but we we ignore them or explain them in a more acceptable terms.
 
VegNVape

VegNVape

Increase the Peace
Company Rep
<sigh>

Sorry.

No really, that is quite interesting, but, I am only saying what I feeeeeel.
(Don't think, feeeeeeeeel. It is like a finger pointing away to the moon - don't concentrate on the finger or you will miss all the heavenly glory)

I do not provide links to back up my feelings.

And you can all continue to quote articles at me if you like, but the fact remains that I do not believe that 'war' is an appropriate term to describe the conflicts endured by non-humans in the animal kingdom.

Animals do not generally use weaponry - particularly guns or heavy artillery, nor do they have biological or nuclear capability.

I believe that we would like to think that animals go to war to make ourselves feel better. To make us feel that we're all in it together. But imo, we turned our back on nature & the animal kingdom a long time ago.

Humans lost their innocence but decided to continue to walk that very same path in complete awareness nonetheless.

There is NOTHING that occurs in the animal kingdom that can compare to the scale or level of destruction, suffering & devastation that has been caused by mankind via warfare through the ages.

Mass genocide via war.

I suppose the Chimp general is kept safe, co-ordinating the battle from maps & schematics while sipping brandy far from the enemy line?

Is there a Hitler chimp? Suicide bomber chimps? Chimps being recruited by any means necessary? Chimps leaving their homes & families to take up the fight in a distant land? A.W.O.L chimps? Bilko chimps???
  • Yeah, chimps go to war.
  • & Squirrels play Monopoly.
  • Wild boars go on romatic weekend breaks.
  • Snakes celebrate Christmas.
  • The Jungle Olympics is a real thing.
  • And the Lion actually is King of the Jungle, and is crowned so in a sophisticated ceremony complete with full regalia.

:rolleyes:

Damnit! Enough already! ;)


Now please don't tag me me in here anymore!!! :myday:

//rant over.

:D

MuchLove.
:peace:


**EDIT**
BTW, I know that I brought this all upon myself, & I hope everyone knows that my posts are meant in good spirit! :)
 
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VegNVape,
1DMF

1DMF

Old School Cheesy Quaver
Amazing a week later and not single kill. I have to assume Aodhan is over the worst of these meningitis vaccination?
 
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