# Cat bringing animals in house



## MelanieRose (May 27, 2016)

So my cat Paws is an indoor/outdoor cat, we have a doggy door to let him out when he chooses. We used to live in a house near woods, and he would bring in LIVE ANIMALS, like bunnies, chipmunks, frogs, and once a bird in his mouth. We moved away to the city(where there weren't many animals, he only occasionally brought in frogs from people's ponds) but just recently moved back, and he picked up the habit again. We found a chipmunk under the piano today. Anybody know why he is doing this and how to get him to stop? Thanks!


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## artgecko (Nov 26, 2013)

Cats are natural predators and will hunt other animals even if not hungry. I saw a statistic that a cat can / will kill at least 1 songbird a day for its' entire life. Female cats will bring back somewhat living prey to teach their kittens to hunt and domesticated cats, if not raised by a female to know how to hunt / kill will often stalk prey and catch it, but then not know how to "finish" it and will bring it back partially alive. 

The only way to stop / limit this is to either keep your cat indoors only or to put up a privacy fence with something like a "cat fence" topper so he is confined to your backyard, which limits the wild life he has access to. 

I'd suggest not allowing him outside as the wild animals he brings in can pose a hazard to your domesticated ones. They can carry fleas / ticks and could even carry a rodent-based disease like rat bite fever and spread it to you or your animals. In some areas of the country, animals like ground hogs and armadillos can carry really nasty stuff like plague, so this could be a major concern for you.


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## moonkissed (Dec 26, 2011)

I strongly suggest not allowing him outside and if you do only in a protective secure area- cat fencing, some type of enclosure.

Pet cats are still amazing hunters and pretty much hunt just for the fun of it. Often they will just attack things to play with it. They often also bring home animals because they think you need to practice hunting as well. It is very unlikely that you will ever get them to stop. You can't sit him down and explain to him why you dont want to hunt and how he should stop lol. The only way is to keep him indoors.

Artgecko is right about all the very dangerous stuff that can affect your cat or that it can bring home. Something like rat bite fever is passed is easily passed from wild rat to cat and then tracked all over your home- it doesn't need to be passed to your rats via bite. But mostly parasites that are very common like worms ewww. And if the animals are alive it also means they may stick around. Just say a pregnant mouse/rat is brought in has babies, they breed, etc... you have an infestation. And if they got to your rats? 

Ill be honest I am very strongly pro-indoor only kitty (except with cat enclosures/leashes/cat proof fencing). I have worked with rescues and the life of an outdoor cat is not a good one. Just letting them out to roam has been proven to shorten their lifespan. I've sadly had first hand knowledge of cats hit by cars, which is very very common even in areas with very low traffic. Cats being poisoned accidentally or on purpose by neighbors, cats being attacked by other cats, dogs, and wild animals. A while back where I live someone sicced their dog on a cat, killed it. They were never caught sadly even with a witness. In many dog groups I am in there is always a post on how someone's cat got into their yard and was killed. 

Being an indoor cat can still be an amazing happy healthy life for a cat. All 7 of my cats are indoor only, except one who goes out with me on a leash!


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## MelanieRose (May 27, 2016)

Thank you. I forgot to mention, he is a rescue stray from Florida. There is no keeping him in, he will find a way out(but he's always back for dinner and cuddles and comes when called). I'm thinking of removing the doggie door for a while and monitoring him when he comes in. Thank you for your suggestions!


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## Finnebon (Jul 15, 2013)

He will be upset for a while and may irritate you all to heck with his whining and bad behavior, but he needs to be trained out of it. For the sake of the native wildlife, the sake of the cat himself and other animals he encounters, and the sake of all the other animals he lives in the house with, including you, for all the nasty stuff he could bring home. That brain parasite (bacteria? I forget exactly what it is) comes from outdoor cats and them catching/eating prety that they then excrete in the poop. And when you scoop the poop, the eggs or whatnot become airborne and when inhaled, can infect humans and has suspected connections with children developmental and psychiatric problems. http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/toxoplasmosis/ That's just the most common one that most people know about that comes to mind. There's LOADS of reasons and arguments why it's best for everyone to keep your cat indoors, and a counter argument for pretty much any argument for letting them outdoors. 

He'll complain and be unhappy, but he has to learn. You wouldn't let a child do what they want just because they throw temper tantrums. Same for kitties! I'm certain my cat would LOVE doing the outdoor kitty thing, but even in the suburbs here, we have ticks, fleas, and coyotes amongst others. I can't tell you how many times I've been woken up at night by yowling coyotes in the distance and screaming, shrieking cats. I'm guessing the cats lost those battles. Especially if you live actually in the woods or so close to foresty areas, I'm surprised it's worth the risk to you. He will eventually adjust, and if you want to give him outdoor time, there are a few cat safe harnesses he could get used to and you could go for little adventure strolls with him to let him sniff around outside safely.

But really, there's no way to prevent him from killing the native wildlife in the area other than not letting him be an outdoor cat. (There are so many nasty diseases and parasites he could get infected with from eating them too, even with deworming and vaccinations! The thought of my cat outside and risking that just creeps me out!)


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