Well... it finally happened... my 11 month old darlings have begun bringing me trophies.
George brought me a dead bird and the following day, Fred presented me with a not quite dead mouse.
My question is- How do I discourage such offerings without chastising my kitties?
I know what an honour it is that they want to give me their kills, but it's a most unwelcome honour... and I certainly don't want to discourage the mousing... (the birding may result in a bell on the collar)
Is there a way or should I just start keeping a few latex gloves in every room?

I really can't say how to alter their behavior.. but wearing a bell would be a good idea.

My dog would occassionally bring home dead GROUND HOGS (or other types of LARGE rodents!)!

It’s their nature, I don’t know that you really can discourage it short of keeping them indoors all the time.

Alas, that's what I was afraid of... I had hoped there might be some obscure technique known only to those living in a 2 block area somewhere I've never heard of
Oh, well... "latex gloves and baggies stashed here and there" it is.

I smiled at your resignation S So many would do whatever they could to discourage this behavior, and cats will be cats, especially when outside and in the country. And just remember, they only do it because they love you

Most helpful answer found, more than once, on the internet?

You should pick up the prey and eat it yourself. That way the cat isn't upset when it has gone to all that trouble to please you and your response is to throw the gift into the rubbish bin !

You could try another tack to help. Join in properly. One of the people who attends to the dogs here installed a 'humane' rat trap. We thought this odd, considering that she is a true countrywoman and an unlikely candidate for rat preservation. We soon found out why. When there were several rats running around in the trap's cage she summoned the dogs,picked up the trap and emptied the cage onto the floor. The dogs had a great time competing to catch and kill them first and fastest We stopped this entertainment as being a little unsporting, though her argument was the neo-Darwinian one that the very best rats did escape to breed again Er...yes....

Even though you find it gross, I think the appropriate response is to praise the hunter and thank him/ her for the lovely “gift.” Otherwise he/she might get a complex...

Well,I'm not about to take Fred's advice( Ewww), but I do NOT want to chastise Fred or George, so .....

You could reward them with a trophy mouse.

'Fuse, that is adorable!

You don’t have to verbally or physically scold your cat to discourage it. You can however pick up the gift and while you are disposing of it...look at your kitty and use disapproving tones. Then immediately walk away from your cat. With each subsequent disapproval from you your cat will get the message that you don’t want the gift.

Cats may be more independent than most people would like, but that does not mean that unwanted behavior can not be modified. With patience, persistence and consistency on your part you can discourage your kitty from bringing you gifts.

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Originally posted by coldfuse:
You could reward them with a trophy mouse.

Oh, if only they'd had those when my parents' cat was still alive... And if only it had a rabbit head... She loved those...

Young cats LOVE to show you how to hunt. They're merely trying to teach us how to get food the proper way.

Older cats, can't be bothered. By then, THEY know that WE know the right way.

Just a quick update- I belled them and within days had to buy them new collars because they'd both managed to discard the "jewelery"- a few more birds and I hit upon the simple idea of just adding a second metal tag to their collars- in 3 weeks, I have not seen a bird, or telltale feathers, in the house- the two tags create just enough jingle to protect the birds, but I'm still finding mouse bits now and then, so it seems to leave them able to hunt rodents.

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Originally posted by MrsS:
the two tags create just enough jingle to protect the birds, but I'm still finding mouse bits now and then, so it seems to leave them able to hunt rodents.

No You have deaf mice.

quote:

No You have deaf mice.

Better that than dead, or not yet dead, birds

I own a Main Coon cat. I know they are a bit rough, but she has lived indoors for six years, before my son's cats taught her different. She is declawed, with intent to keep her indoors.

You wouldn't believe her kills! You really would not think a declawed female of six years, never allowed outside, could do this. She did! It has been almost a kill a day.

My cat refuses to come inside the house. One thing I did find that helps with a 'killer cat' is keep them loaded with food. A full cat is a lazy cat.

It will not cure the problem, but I have noticed less 'kills' from her by buying expensive canned cat food. She just goes to sleep.

Oh, my guys are extremely well fed- they're just healthy young cats acting on their instincts, but the jingling tags seem to have done the trick- I don't really mind the rodent trophies all that much, they're just sort of icky, but the birds were breakin' my heart.

Cats don't hunt because they're hungry, they hunt because it is their nature. A heavy cat may not be as able to catch critters as a slim one, but a heavy cat will have myriad other problems for which I would gladly trade a few tiny gravestones.

Exactly, Elexina! (say THAT five times fast)
My fellows are just doing what they are genetically hard-wired to do... I have no desire to put a stop to it, I just wanted to stop dealing with dead and injured things each morning.

By the way, my guys just had their exam at the vet and except for a few boogers in Fred's eye that I've been washing out with saline (he hates that part), they were pronounced to be perfect