When My Cat Brings in Wildlife
We are those people that talk about their pets more than any parent could ever talk about their kids. We are quick to break out our phones at social gatherings and show our friends, or complete strangers the week’s round-up of adorable sleeping poses from all four of our fur-kids. I confess we take over social gatherings with over-animated stories of how we couldn’t figure out why our dog was suddenly into sleeping near the bookcase until we realized she had found a hundred-year-old piece of kibble lodged between two books. We have no shame, but to our credit, it can truly be an adventure around here. The past week was particularly exciting when our cat decided to bring home some wildlife.
Don’t worry, all animals in this story make it back to their homes safe and alive, but not before testing our marriage and laundry room set-up.
Being a Morning Person
I am a morning person. Many of my friends have told me it is their least favorite thing about me. It stresses Airbnb arrangements, and I have seen midnight only a handful of times in my lifetime. Lately, I have been getting up early and sitting with our German Shepard August while I get some writing done.
It’s dark, peaceful, and it feels like I am getting a head start on the day. Our cat Lottie sleeps outside on the porch in the summer. She usually comes in to be fed when she notices I am awake and moving about the house. I can hear her jump through the cat door with her siren meows announcing her arrival. She has me well trained, and I drop whatever I am working on to fill up her food bowl.
The Downside to Being a Morning Person
Last week, I was quietly sitting in the dark writing when I heard the slap of the cat door and the sound of cats paws running down the hallway, but no demanding meow. Hmm…I wonder why she is meowing…maybe she has something in her mouth…WHAT COULD BE IN HER MOUTH?
I heard a little flutter and did what any responsible animal lover would do when my cat brings in wildlife. I slapped my laptop shut, ran into the bedroom, slammed the door, and jumped under the covers leaving the now freaked out German Shepard, cat, and mystery animal in the hallway. I announced to my husband, who was awakened by the 5 am door slam, that his cat had brought something into the house if he was interested in dealing with it. (I am diplomatic even in the most stressful moments). He asked if it was alive, and I responded, “for the moment.”
He jumped out of bed…and I am not exactly sure what happened after this point. From what I could hear while hiding under the blankets, he got the bird away from the cat and created a temporary nest out of some Tupperware and toilet paper. Eventually, he was able to get the bird to fly back home – but after decades of waking up early, I was now permanently committed to sleeping late.
Things that Go Hop in the Night
It’s isn’t just mornings that are dangerous around here. Last week I woke up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom. I used the flashlight on my phone to navigate the sleeping dogs on our bedroom floor. I made my way in the dark to the hall bathroom, and then I heard the slap of the cat door, the thump of paws, and NO MEOWING…NOT AGAIN! This time I was brave enough to shine the light from my phone through the crack in the door to see Lottie Mae drop something out of her mouth on to the floor.
I slammed the bathroom door and now used my phone to call my husband from the bathroom. Over and over again, with no answer. I was trapped. There was some unknown horror story on the other side of the bathroom door, and I could not get back to the bedroom to hide under the covers. I finally got the courage to open the door (with my eyes closed) and yell to my sleeping husband in the other room.
Chaos Ensues
He finally woke up and ran into the hallway. The cat and German Shepard were very excited about their new bunny play-mate. The other two very large dogs were anxious and cowering at the end of the hallway. My husband was attempting to usher all the animals into the bedroom so he could rescue the bunny, but it was a total circus. He managed to get the German Shepard and the cat into the room, but the other two dogs were not interested in being corralled. By the time he had everyone out of the way, the little bunny had hopped down the hallway and under the dryer. From the safety of the bathroom, I could hear him pulling apart the laundry room, trying to find the bunny. I poked my head out of the door and generously offered to help.
Feeling like it was finally safe, I emerged from the bathroom to find my husband squatting between the dryer and the wall, trying to trap the little rabbit. He was finally able to rescue the little guy and made a temporary nest out of some dishtowels. In the morning, the bunny was strong enough to hop back to his home with just a small tuft of hair missing. The cat was peeved, to say the least.
They look so Sweet
My husband is a super cool guy. I wish I could handle blood, guts, and small animals in my home in a more chill way. Maybe meditation could help? For now, I lean on him to deal with it. He’s wonderful, for sure. Our cat, Lottie Mae is also lovely. She likes to be picked up and held in your arms like a baby. In the winter, she curls up with us in bed and purrs. I am so smitten with her when she is asleep in a cute basket or cuddly faux sheepskin. She is so sweet and peaceful…and also murders bunnies, birds, squirrels, chipmunks, and the occasional mouse.
I know she is an animal. This killing thing is her gig. I spend so much time humanizing our animals that it is a wake call when they actually act like cats and dogs. This dead wildlife is a gift to us, which should warm my heart but doesn’t really do it for me. I wish she would be an indoor cat, but then I would worry about my own safety. There are a few things you can do to stop or reduce the wildlife or dead animals your cat brings into the house.
Tips to Prevent your Cat from Bringing in Wildlife
- Put a bell on your cat’s breakaway collar. In the summer, we sometimes put two on Lottie Mae. It gives wildlife a fighting chance to get away.
- Make sure they are well fed. They will still have the instinctual need to hunt, but taking hunger out of the picture will reduce motivation.
- If you have a bird feeder, keep them high up and out the reach from a ledge or tree.
- Play games with them indoors where they can get their fix for hunting. Lottie Mae loves the stick with the feather on the string. She can play it for hours. It’s hours that she is not outside killing anything.
Be safe out there!
