Benny
Perhaps, the most playful animals in the world are cats followed by dogs. Why am I saying this?
I have observed several times cats playing with their prey before killing and eating them. In one instance, I saw a cat that had captured a lizard. After biting the lizard, the cat let it off, rested on its four, and watched the lizard escaping before jumping on it again.
A tail was bitten off. It was let loose only for the cat to start playing with it using its claws, jumping, laying on its back all the while playing with a prey that was doing all it can to escape from the hold of its predator.
I don’t know why they play with their prey. Anyone who has an idea?
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Do you have any idea?
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Yes
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No
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Maybe because cats are hunters who always try to catch anything (smaller than them) that move aside because they really like to play.
It might be the reason because as you’ve said they are hunters by nature. They like hunting smaller animals and due to their playful nature, play with their prey.
Hunting instinct Basically cats are, first and foremost, hunters. According to a recent study, live and free-moving cats are responsible for billions of dead birds and small animals. This is not to say that they are inherently evil, they are simply fully attuned to the predatory lifestyle. Regardless of the fact that cats were first tamed about 10,000 years ago, they retain the fine hunting instincts of their wild ancestors. Although many pets do not always eat and sometimes do not kill their prey, capturing their “livelihood” is a necessity caused by evolution.
This is another interesting insight. They still have their wild instinct or predatory nature in their system. They make use of it even when they don’t kill or eat their prey. Thank you.
it might be their strategic warfare, how they go after their prey before killing them…cats are as sneaky as mice. that is why cats make good mice exterminators…
That also might be another reason. They are skilled sneakers which serves them good as you’ve noted in exterminating mice.
Even my cat always plays with prey. I have no idea what cats do.
I wonder why they do that. It appears this trait is among house cats. Or, it is a kind of hobby.
Cats love to play even with their prey.
Yes, they seem to enjoy it.
cats love to play period. they are always in a playful mood…whether with prey or humans…
I think Doc has the right answer. If it is an alley cat, he will eat his prey right away to satisfy their hunger. But if is a homebody cat who occasionally goes outside, the prey becomes a curiosity and a toy because the cat is not that hungry and just wants to play before finally letting his hunter instincts take over and finish off the poor prey. I do not think a cat has a mean bone in his body but being a domesticated animal for some of the cat population, the hunter instinct is still there but overshadowed by playtime…
That’s right. Wild cats wouldn’t hesitate to kill their prey since they’re hungry. As you’ve indicated, I have seen home cats playing with a lizard, kill it and leave it. Ultimately, you’re right. Their wild instict will set in and will kill their prey after playing with them.
I think some time Cat exercise their funny mood
That is true. Finding a living toy to play with.
they are not hungry so the prey becomes a toy. it is part of the nature of cats.
That may be the case. They have just found a living toy.
sadly yes. it is part of the cat’s nature.
I have watched that with all our cats.
I have never known why they do that.