Unwanted Gifts: Our top 5 tips to stop your cat from hunting

Cats are natural-born predators. Although your average house-cat doesn’t need to hunt for its next meal, they are instinctively drawn to the thrill of the hunt. However in New Zealand, we love our wildlife and don’t appreciate our beautiful songbirds as gifts from our feline hunters. Here’s our top tips on how to help stop your cat hunting.

1. Make meal time a game
Instead of simply feeding your cat in a bowl, turn mealtimes into hunting games to use those natural instincts constructively. Feeding toys can provide mental stimulation and provide your pet with a different type of hunting for their dinner. There are commercially available feeders, which your pet will need to manipulate in order to access their food. Play hide and seek by hiding biscuits for your cat to hunt for and encourage their curiosity in our homes, rather than in our wildlife habitats.

2. Feed a high quality diet
Making sure your cat never feels hungry can help to reduce their likelihood to hunt, however a large amount of modern day pets are already overweight. A high quality diet can help your pet feel satisfied for longer, without having to over feed them, or constantly have food available.

3. Make them seen and heard when they’re out and about
A brightly coloured collar could help your cat be seen when stalking wildlife. A collar also allows the ability to attach a bell, and have your cat be heard too! Hunters are often adventurous cats, so we recommend a safety collar, with a breakaway clip that will detach if your cat gets caught on anything.

4. Get those hunting instincts out at home
Feather toy chasers and laser pointers stimulate a cats’ play and chase drive. Short bursts of high energy play like this can satisfy their urge to hunt, and also burn off some excess energy.

5. Keep them inside during peak hunting times
If your cat is a nocturnal hunter, it might be best to keep them indoors when overnight to keep them from hunting entirely. Making a big change to your cat’s routine should be done slowly, as cats can be stressed with change. Try keeping them entertained inside and wearing them out with feeding toys and games. Turn your house into a comfortable space for your cat, using the Feliway diffuser.