He’s a Hunter

My cat is a savage beast

He may look all sweet and innocent, but don’t be fooled.

This baby boy wandered into our lives last summer and quickly made it his mission to become a part of our family. 

My daughters gave him a name. This was step one in the adoption process.

Step two was finding myself on the cat food aisle of my grocery store during a routine shop and buying him food. Once feeding him commenced, we had reached a tipping point in our relationship with said cat.

The third step was allowing him inside to interact with our dog. (Well, maybe it wasn’t really allowing him in. He simply made a dash for it every time the door was opened!)

And the final step? Buying him a litter box. And figuring out that he knew how to use it!

Chicken Nugget, as my kids named him, loves scratching our sofa, chairs, and any other upholstered furniture, is in love with the sound of cans opening, and deeply appreciates a lap to sit in. He has favorite spots to sleep in and is particularly fond of my husband’s recliner.

But have we achieved the next level in our relationship?

The other morning, he came to the back door asking for entry. What my daughter didn’t know when she let him in that he was bearing gifts! 

He brought us a bird. The poor thing was still alive. I had no idea what to do, and it was clear that the creature was not going to make it. We sent both of them back outside. Nugget was very proud of his prize. 

I’ve never had a cat who was a hunter. All of my previous cats were afraid of their own shadows. This is all new to me. 

But this boy lived on his own, maybe for several months. He hunted to survive. And he enjoys spending time outside.

I find myself in the midst of an ethical dilemma. 

I’m Anne the Vegan, after all. How could I allow my cat outside where he can hunt? But is it right to not let him go out? At least by spending most of his time indoors, we are reducing his impact on the local wildlife, right? 

I can’t change the instincts of a cat, that’s for sure. 

Maybe I should get him one of those cute collars with a bell so it’s less likely that he can sneak up on his prey. I wonder, though, if that tiny little bell is enough to alert birds to his stealthy presence.

As a human and vegan, I don’t understand the drive to go out a pursue another living being to conquer, especially when I provide Nugget with a bottomless bowl of kibble! He will come and get me to bring me to his bowl to show me that he can see the bottom of it, asking for a refill. And he’s extremely punctual about his 6:00 PM can of wet food. 

By all accounts, he is highly domesticated. 

But one thing is certain: this sweet kitty has a fierce side, and I’m not so sure what to think about that!

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Do you have a cat? Does your cat go outside? Does it bring you gifts? I’d love to hear about it. Short of keeping a once completely outdoor kitty inside, how can I reduce his ability to hunt?

As always, I hope you all are safe and healthy.