I’m at a friend’s place and the cat keeps bringing in dead (or half-dead) animals into the house. It’s my understanding that cats think we are big, helpless kittens that don’t know how to hunt. Hence, they think they are doing us a favour.
It seems like a few mice actually escaped and found refuge in some walls in the house, so these “presents” are actually more than just annoying (and smelly if the dead animal ends up behind the couch).
My friend insists on letting it out because animals aren’t supposed to be kept in captivity. And it’s not easy to play with cats if you’re gone 10 hours a day
If they don’t think animals should be kept in captivity, they shouldn’t keep a pet. Pets are, by definition, captive animals. If I befriended a pigeon by feeding it, it wouldn’t become my pet; it only would if I captured it.
Let your friend know that most experts agree:
Outdoor cats are devastating to the local ecosystem, and have a significantly shorter lifespan than indoor cats.
I have. They don’t believe the science. “Cats only kill weak and sick animals”. I’ve given up on it. Can’t convince a mind that’s made up. But the cadavers are annoying the whole household, so I was hoping for some possible solution that didn’t involve getting the friend all wound up.
Put a little bell on their collar; it’ll heavily cut down on the prey they can sneak up on.
Unfortunately there are no magic solutions. Corpses will keep happening if the cat is allowed outside. Be glad you’re not my childhood friend, her cat would deposit corpses on their pillows 😱.
Take the cat. Be the Cat Protective Services the cat needs. Then find real friends who aren’t so delusional they probably shouldn’t be considered legally capable of giving consent.
Jesus christ get a grip on reality ffs.
Where is my grip on reality (not socially comfortable consensus delusion, but reality) failing?
“Abandon your friend and steal their cat.”
That’s crazy.
It was half joking, but realistically, the cat is basically innocent, stuck in the care of a person who refuses to listen to reason in favor of their irrational beliefs, like a kid raised by a religious zealot. I won’t actually say the poster should go commit whatever crime cat kidnapping is, but I would say their friend may not be capable of making sound decisions, which inherently makes them untrustworthy, which makes their friendship dubious. If you can’t trust someone, they’re not really a friend.
Probably wandered here from Reddit. The cat groups there are wild.
I’m not sure, but I think they prefer the term feral.
/s
Did the cat choose of it’s own free will to come live with your friend?
If not, your friend is already responsible for a domestic animal they chose to acquire. That comes with responsibility. Domestic cats aren’t compatible with the outside environment and cause ecological damage.
Cats are apex predators, and your friend is subsidizing their pet far past what the local bird population can support. (Plus indoor cats live longer.)
Unless you’re on an actual working farm, household cats belong indoors.
My cat was lousy catching birds… but man, did she ever open a can of whoop-ass on the mice, rabbits and squirrels.
Since she’s been dead - the fucking squirrels managed to get into the rafters (which are finally getting closed up as I type this) and we’ve had three mouse infestation waves. The rabbits have completely wiped out the backyard garden now, 5 years running.
Well, this is the consequence of letting it outside unfortunately- on top of risk of injury and death but I’m sure y’all know that already. There’s not really an effective way to train them against this behaviour the way you might a dog.
So long as there’s critters outside the cat is going to hunt them. Maybe you could try to give the kitty a snag safe cat collar with a bell? It might alert the wildlife so they have time to avoid being caught.