Homocidal Kitty

Okay, so recently Isis has started becoming very violent towards the general rodent population in our neighborhood. Normally this would thrill me, I love encouraging her natural hunting instinct and allowing her full feline nature to flourish and what not but, now she has started squirrel hunting. She has brought two dead squirrels into the house already, and this last one was in the process of being disembowled for dinner (I'll spare you more graphic detail). She is fed twice a day, and is at a healthy weight, so I know she isnt hunting for a food source. My main concern is that squirrels are nasty, and we're in CO so many of the rodents carry strains of the plaque (in addition to other potentially fatal diseases). Can she catch anything from murdering the squirrels, aside from a potential backlash from the local squirrel populuation? I'm going to post this in a health forum also, so sorry for a duplicate post!

sounds like she's bringing you gifts. My friend's cat does this too. He brings her all kinds of presents and strutts his stuff when he brings it in. She praises him and loves him the whole time she's gagging while cleaning it up. This is natural for them remember. She is showing her love for you in the way that kitties do.

Yea, I know she's bringing me presents, I'm just worried about her contracting some illness from attacking/eating squirrels. It's actually kinda funny, she's really territorial about it. Usually our dog snatches whatever she has, toy or treat, but he keeps his distance when she's standing over a kill! She got upset too, when my boyfriend took it away, she tried to drag it off the dustpan is it sadistic that I get a kick outta this? I just love how fierwce and ferouwcious my baby can be

Hi, I think you do have a minor case of blood lust, but apart from that, if you care about your cat living a normal life span, train her to stay indoors for life (except for proper leash walks maybe), because apart from squirrels, she's probably already killed lots of mice, voles, and birds, and that's just wrong, never mind what could happen to her otherwise in traffic (all it takes is one car), being chased by other animals, nasty neighbors, etc. etc. A little patience might be needed, but you wouldn't let a baby run loose outside even though it complained for a while, and your cat is your baby - you're just lucky enough not to have dental bills, school uniform bills, diapers to clean and computers to pay for :-).

Since plague is carried by fleas, and fleas are carried by mice and squirrels, it might be better if you kept your cat indoors.

My brother lets his declawed 3 year old cat outside with a collar on that has bells on it. He says she still brings home baby bunnies.

You could try the collar with a bells on it but it may not help.

Really, a mouse is one thing, but it is pretty gross for a cat to kill a squirrel -- I would try to keep your cat inside.

Meow M - Is your brother aware that declawed cats just cannot defend themselves at all outdoors alone, regardless of having been able to catch a rabbit by the back of the neck? If another cat, never mind a dog, were to come after him, he'd lose the fight before it started. Declawed cats do not belong outside at all, and BTW a recent study showed that belling cats does not lessen their hunting at all - birds like the sound!

I personally would not use a bell on the collar, it can also attract animals which can hurt the cat too, if the cat is trying to hide, etc. All our pets are indoor animals and they are cleaner, healthier and generally better off.