Mary Allen
The hunting instinct is innate in cats, both domestic and stray, and their wild relatives. However, domestic cats do not need their prey to survive, unlike wild cats or feral cats of the same species. But why do domestic cats in particular play with their prey before finally killing it?
Playing With the Prey: Satisfying the Hunting Instinct?
The most common theory that serves as an answer to this question is directly related to the hunting instinct. It is believed that all cat species possess this hunting instinct, including our domestic cats. Now, cats that have a comfortable home and always enough food available do not hunt as often. Nevertheless, the hunting instinct wants to be satisfied, so after a successful catch, they play with the prey to work off the excess energy. In adult feral cats and stray cats, this behavior is not usually observed, as they must expend their energy hunting to catch enough food.
Cats & Their Prey: Further Theories
Another possible explanation is that by playing with prey, young or untrained cats train their hunting skills and tire the mouse, rat, or other prey to perform the fatal neck bite more easily. In addition, cats shake dirt and sand from their prey’s fur as they toss them up and toss them through the air.