Why do kittens bring home prey?

Being a formidable hunter like all her wild cat cousins, hunting and catching prey is a big part of your kitten’s natural behaviour. Understanding kitten behaviour can help you decode her actions and support her natural instincts. When your kitten comes trotting in with her prey, don’t be flattered -  it’s not a present!

• The main reason that your kitten brings prey back home is to finish her hunt.
• After catching the prey, she will grab it any way she can and bite its neck to kill. However, she can’t let go because there’s no pack to stand guard.
• Therefore, instead of adjusting her grip, she will simply bring it back home to finish the hunt lest her prey escape!
• It’s tempting to think that she’s brought you a gift. However, she is simply following her natural instincts and is coming back to a place where she feels safe and won’t be disturbed.
• Curious about why your kitten behaves the way she does? Click here to learn about common cat behaviour.