Crazy idea?
 

I'd like to teach my two rather wimpy kittens to hunt, or at least
give them something entertaining and instructive to do.
I want them to be more like my girlfriends' cat, that cool cat
who killed those bunnies and birds.

I am considering the idea of buying several small rodents from
the pet store and releasing them in the house. I'm very curious
to see how the kittens will react. Will they give chase? I
sure hope so.

Anway, am I crazy? Cruel? More importantly, will the
kitties benefit from this 'war game'? What kind of rodent should I buy?

Thanks :)

223rem wrote:
> I'd like to teach my two rather wimpy kittens to hunt, or at least
> give them something entertaining and instructive to do.
> I want them to be more like my girlfriends' cat, that cool cat
> who killed those bunnies and birds.
>
> I am considering the idea of buying several small rodents from
> the pet store and releasing them in the house. I'm very curious
> to see how the kittens will react. Will they give chase? I
> sure hope so.
>
> Anway, am I crazy? Cruel? More importantly, will the
> kitties benefit from this 'war game'? What kind of rodent should I buy?

Most people don't have to buy rodents. Lower the housekeeping bar just
a little bit and you'll get them for free. But if you have to buy
them, make sure you get at least one boy and one girl. That way you're
cats get more practice.

>
> Thanks :)

"223rem" > wrote in message
m...
> I'd like to teach my two rather wimpy kittens to hunt, or at least
> give them something entertaining and instructive to do.
> I want them to be more like my girlfriends' cat, that cool cat
> who killed those bunnies and birds.
>
> I am considering the idea of buying several small rodents from
> the pet store and releasing them in the house. I'm very curious
> to see how the kittens will react. Will they give chase? I
> sure hope so.
>
> Anway, am I crazy? Cruel? More importantly, will the
> kitties benefit from this 'war game'? What kind of rodent should I buy?
>
> Thanks :)


You can't teach them to hunt, but your girlfriend's cat could. That is, IF
your girlfriend's cat is a real hunter. Cats learn to hunt from other cats,
usually "mother", if the mother is a good hunter. But for this to work
you'd have to adopt your girlfriend's cat for a few weeks (or she could
adopt your kittens for a few weeks). After the kittens have grown attached
to the older cat, then they might learn to hunt. I don't know what they'd
learn from releasing rodents in the house though. To get a real education,
all three cats would have to spend time together outside. When the kittens
start bringing home dead animals for you, you'll know that the older cat did
a good job of teaching them. -Dave

On Sat, 28 May 2005 20:48:15 GMT, 223rem , said the following in
rec.autos.driving...


> Anway, am I crazy?

Dunno, I don't know you that well... ;-)

> Cruel?

Not IMO.

> What kind of rodent should I buy?

Some pet stores sell small rodents (mice primairly) for people who own
snakes and certain other animals that like such things. If they ask any
questions, simply tell them you have a pet Boa that is hungry....

>
> Thanks :)
>

On Sun, 29 May 2005 09:45:50 -0700, Scott en Aztlán
> wrote:

>On Sat, 28 May 2005 20:48:15 GMT, 223rem > wrote:
>
>>I'd like to teach my two rather wimpy kittens to hunt, or at least
>>give them something entertaining and instructive to do.
>>I want them to be more like my girlfriends' cat, that cool cat
>>who killed those bunnies and birds.
>>
>>I am considering the idea of buying several small rodents from
>>the pet store and releasing them in the house. I'm very curious
>>to see how the kittens will react. Will they give chase? I
>>sure hope so.
>
>Of course they will. But unless mommy taught the what to do once they
>catch the prey, they will just let it go. Then catch it again. Then
>let it go. Ad Nauseum.
>
>If you want cats with the killer instinct, you probably need to adopt
>some kittens who were born in a barn.

Nah - I think you just need hungry cats.

My cat had been shot and was surviving on water accumulated from
sprinklers when I found her, and even though she doesn't need to, she
can take care of herself and kill whatever prey presents itself
handily.

The reason domesticated cats aren't good hunters is because they don't
need to be, not because their mama never taught them.

On Sun, 29 May 2005 17:36:43 -0700, Scott en Aztlán
> wrote:

>On Sun, 29 May 2005 14:50:12 -0700, L Sternn > wrote:
>
>>On Sun, 29 May 2005 09:45:50 -0700, Scott en Aztlán
> wrote:
>>
>>>On Sat, 28 May 2005 20:48:15 GMT, 223rem > wrote:
>>>
>>>>I'd like to teach my two rather wimpy kittens to hunt, or at least
>>>>give them something entertaining and instructive to do.
>>>>I want them to be more like my girlfriends' cat, that cool cat
>>>>who killed those bunnies and birds.
>>>>
>>>>I am considering the idea of buying several small rodents from
>>>>the pet store and releasing them in the house. I'm very curious
>>>>to see how the kittens will react. Will they give chase? I
>>>>sure hope so.
>>>
>>>Of course they will. But unless mommy taught the what to do once they
>>>catch the prey, they will just let it go. Then catch it again. Then
>>>let it go. Ad Nauseum.
>>>
>>>If you want cats with the killer instinct, you probably need to adopt
>>>some kittens who were born in a barn.
>>
>>Nah - I think you just need hungry cats.
>
>My cat hunts bugs. She catches them, she plays with them, but she
>never kills them nor eats them. I always attributed it to lack of
>training. :)

Well, mine never got much training, except possibly some in avoiding
pellet guns as she had been shot by one when I found her, but she
still manages to kill bugs. She'd probably kill birds too, except
they're not allowed indoors and she's not allowed out.

Scott en Aztlán wrote:

> On Sun, 29 May 2005 14:50:12 -0700, L Sternn > wrote:
>
>
>>On Sun, 29 May 2005 09:45:50 -0700, Scott en Aztlán
> wrote:
>>
>>
>>>On Sat, 28 May 2005 20:48:15 GMT, 223rem > wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>>I'd like to teach my two rather wimpy kittens to hunt, or at least
>>>>give them something entertaining and instructive to do.
>>>>I want them to be more like my girlfriends' cat, that cool cat
>>>>who killed those bunnies and birds.
>>>>
>>>>I am considering the idea of buying several small rodents from
>>>>the pet store and releasing them in the house. I'm very curious
>>>>to see how the kittens will react. Will they give chase? I
>>>>sure hope so.
>>>
>>>Of course they will. But unless mommy taught the what to do once they
>>>catch the prey, they will just let it go. Then catch it again. Then
>>>let it go. Ad Nauseum.
>>>
>>>If you want cats with the killer instinct, you probably need to adopt
>>>some kittens who were born in a barn.
>>
>>Nah - I think you just need hungry cats.
>
>
> My cat hunts bugs. She catches them, she plays with them, but she
> never kills them nor eats them. I always attributed it to lack of
> training. :)
>

Oh boy, Scottie is in the cats newsgroup stirrin' the pot.

A while back he was in rec.bicycles.misc stirrin' the pot, even had
photographic "evidence" to support his "case".

Scottie = newsgroup troll

L Sternn wrote:

> The reason domesticated cats aren't good hunters is because they don't
> need to be, not because their mama never taught them.

Actually, most cats have to be shown how to kill. Some do learn by
accident. Most cats will play with rodents, but most do not actually
kill them.

And it isn't about whether they need to or not. Chase was adopted as a
kitten, but was outside before we got him. Both parents were barn cats.
He has been indoor only since then. But he knows where to go up into
the ceiling to find a nest of rats. And several times a year, he brings
out the babies, one a night. He does like to play with them, so
sometimes they are still alive, but he does kill them if given enough
time. And he will eat them. One time, I found just the head. My other
cats will play with one and show interest, but they don't hunt as
seriously, nor do they actually know what to do with one if they get
it.

We have had many cats over the years and two have chosen to hunt, kill,
and sometimes eat their prey. And these are indoor only cats. They
certainly had no need to hunt, and haven't since they were kittens.
They simply had more drive to do so.

Just as some breeds of dogs are known for high prey drive while others
are not.
My neighbor used to have a husky, and while that dog was well fed and
had no need to hunt, he would go after anything that moved. She made a
point of checking her yard for cats and squirrels before letting her
dog out in her own yard. And once while on a leash, the dog saw a cat
before she did. She was injured in her struggle to get her dog off that
cat. She loved her dog, but she said she would never get another one.
It was too much stress worrying about the other animals.

I would think that barn cats would naturally be better hunters simply
because the instinct has to be strong to survive, so they pass it
along. But even so, they would need to be shown. Maynard was half
barncat, and he never killed anything. Chase them, yes. It was kinda
funny last year when Chase brought in a live one and released it on my
bed. Normally, I would not think that funny at all. but Maynard (at age
18) jumped up in excitement and almost got it. You could see the look
on his face (ooh! live toy). He was like a kitten again.

All that said, I don't know why anybody would want to teach their cat
to hunt if it is an indoor cat. I certainly wouldn't buy rodents just
to use them as bait. That seems cruel.

"Philip" > If I lived in a rat infested tenement, owning a hunt-to-kill
housecat would
> be high on my list!
>


Thaaat's right, take no prisoners.

--
Barry



.... Women and cats are both black at night. - Bosnia ...