Everyone that loves cats and keeps one is probably used to some of the strange behaviors that cats manifest. However, there is something that really annoys a good part of the owners: bringing back live or dead “catch” home – in front of the feet of the owner. Read below to find out why cats bring you gifts.
The psychology of cats – how they see us
Contrary to dogs who see us as a higher being, cats actually consider themselves equal to us. In fact, research shows that cats look at us as, however funny it may sound, big cats.
How can we see this in everyday life? Just try to remember how your cat behaves around you: as if she is the center of the world, as if you are not the one feeding her and as if you are sharing an apartment and not as if she is a “guest”.
This confirms that she considers you a similar being, and even that she thinks she is more dominant.
With this fact in mind, lets take a look at another aspect of your cat’s personality. Let’s remember that cats are hunters by nature. Although this cuddly animal has been domesticated for thousands of years, it still hasn’t lost its hunting, carnivorous urges and instincts. Our ancestors probably appreciated cats for their hunting instincts and the ability to reduce rodent’s populations.
Mother cats in the wild teach their kittens how to navigate the outside world, how to hunt, how to be agile and how to always be one step ahead of their prey. Remember this, we will come back to these facts in the next section.
Why do cats bring you gifts or dead animals ?
Now that we have been reminded a little of the general history of cats, we may be able to answer why they bring home the catch, even though they have plenty of food in their bowls.
The basic assumptions are:
1. Cats bring us gifts or dead animals because they love us,
2. They think we are incompetent so we can’t catch “lunch” on our own,
3. They teach you how to hunt,
4. It is in their nature and means nothing.
According to experts, the truth lies between the second and third point. Sterilized cats that we keep in homes have no one to pass on their hunting talent to, so they show it to us.
Also, considering that they think of us as cats, it’s possible that they think we’re not very clever cats as soon as we don’t bring a single mouse home!
Turn a blind eye to your cats’ strange habits and treat them good anyway.
