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Cat Forum / General Topics / September 2005How to teach a cat to hunt for rabbits?
My cats are busy hunters, but usually bring only mice and occasional birds.Not much meat for me and my family. But there are a lot of rabbits around here, I used to hunt them myself, but I'm too old now. So how can I teach the cats to hunt rabbits for me? Even small ones are ok. Good luck cats hunt prey smaller than themselves usually don't take on anything the size or bigger unless they are protecting their territory or their lives > Good luck cats hunt prey smaller than themselves usually don't take on > anything the size or bigger unless they are protecting their territory or > their lives It may be different, as we're in australia, but cats here have to be kept inside as they kill all the wildlife-rabbits (which we want them to catch) but also possums, snakes, bats, lizards , frogs and many other endangered species. cats are natural hunters, but it depends on the cat. If there's something there, and they're game, they'll hunt it, however if it doesn't want to, there's not much you can do to make it. > > Good luck cats hunt prey smaller than themselves usually don't take on > > anything the size or bigger unless they are protecting their territory or [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > something there, and they're game, they'll hunt it, however if it doesn't > want to, there's not much you can do to make it. I was not aware of any law which indicates we must keep our cats inside,..but I agree with the wildlife thing if you are living near a park or sanctuary. A large Crow was walking around our yard the other day,..it was almost as big as our stray Tom (spayed),..he was interested for about 7 seconds,..then retreated. The Crow actually eyed him, then kept looking for worms etc,..the Crow wasn't worried. Jason I don't think it has been made law anywhere yet but some areas have trialled/are trialling cat curfews. However, I think most people agree that it is best for the native wildlife for cats to be kept indoors or only let outside in enclosures. Kate > > > Good luck cats hunt prey smaller than themselves usually don't take > on [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > > Jason You're right, there is no law that says we must, but vets, national parks, etc do strongly recommend it. and most of us who enjoy seeing our native animals alive, not dumped half-eaten on the front verandah, try and keep our cats inside...which isn't always easy or possible in older style houses on a sweaty summer night! But at least we try! lol > > > > Good luck cats hunt prey smaller than themselves usually don't take > > on [quoted text clipped - 31 lines] > cats inside...which isn't always easy or possible in older style houses on a > sweaty summer night! But at least we try! lol I agree with both of you if you are situated near a park or sanctuary. In all the years we've had cats and including when I was a kid, I can only recall a few mice (6 or so) and almost the same number of birds. Now it may well be that cats don't dump every kill at our doorsteps,...and to that extent I'm unsure of the complete picture. There are a lot of catch 22 situations, and having strays which will not stay inside continually and the impact that could be making on wildlife is one example. All I can say, is I keep them all fed as much as they want in the belief their wildlife kills are at a minimum. Jason > It may be different, as we're in australia, but cats here have to be kept > inside as they kill all the wildlife-rabbits (which we want them to catch) > but also possums, snakes, bats, lizards , frogs and many other endangered > species. cats are natural hunters, but it depends on the cat. If there's > something there, and they're game, they'll hunt it, however if it doesn't > want to, there's not much you can do to make it. Not to be funny but don't you have poisonous frogs down there. If a cat were to get one would it have any effect on him? I suppose the frogs are not in all the areas. My cat used to play with the small frogs around here but he never ate one. (only the lizards) Per RichC: >Not to be funny but don't you have poisonous frogs down there. If a cat were >to get one would it have any effect on him? I suppose the frogs are not in >all the areas. When I lived in Hawaii, we had toads called "Bufos". Dogs would get sick/die after eating/biting them.  SignaturePeteCresswell In parts of northeast Australia we have a toad called the cane toad - I think a native of Sth America - that is very poisonous. Most animals will leave it alone but it kills lots of snakes that eat them and if a cat or dog did eat one they would probably die too. We may have others but I don't know of them. I don't think the idea of keeping cats well-fed, as someone suggested, would work very well. In my experience cats hunt because they can, not because they are hungry. Kate > In parts of northeast Australia we have a toad called the cane toad - I > think a native of Sth America - that is very poisonous. Most animals [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > Kate I think the hawaiin toad mentioned by another poster could be the same or related to our introduced 'cane toad', Bufo being the first part of the latin name for cane toad...can't remember the 2nd part, and mayb bufo is the name for all toads? But kate is right, feeding your cat won't ensure it doesn't kill wildlife. however it will help. If your cat feels like hunting, they will. that's what cats do. try a bell if you don't want it to hunt, or keep it inside. if you do want it to hunt rabbits, trap some baby ones (sounds cruel I know, but all's fair in the war against feral animals) and give them to your cat. she'll soon get the idea. I have always stayed away from the bell too much attention to be gained by the local dogs here in Florida to many idiots don't know what a lease law is > I think the hawaiin toad mentioned by another poster could be the same or > related to our introduced 'cane toad', Bufo being the first part of the > latin name for cane toad...can't remember the 2nd part, and mayb bufo is the > name for all toads? Australian cane toad is bufo marinus. And you're right "bufo" is the genus - which identifies the creature as a toad, "marinus" (in this case) is the species ie cane toad. Are you in Oz too Meee? Where? Kate > > I think the hawaiin toad mentioned by another poster could be the same or > > related to our introduced 'cane toad', Bufo being the first part of the [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > Kate Hi Kate, thanks for that...i had a vague hunch it might be marinus, but wasn't game to say in case i was wrong. I'm in nth qld. whereabouts are you? Nice to run into an aussie in here! > Good luck cats hunt prey smaller than themselves usually don't take on > anything the size or bigger unless they are protecting their territory or > their lives My two cats bring home full size and smaller rabbits all the time. There are too darn many rabbits around here. They can't catch the snowshoe rabbits in the winter though, too fast and agile for them. The one thing I wish they wouldn't bring home are the flying squirrels. The new cat door has only one disadvantage, I never know what is going to be dropped on my chest at 4:00 AM as I sleep. Stone Some pic's http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/stoneman72/my_photos Wow I learn something everyday I have seen them bring down squirrels and smaller prey but never a full size rabbit what type of cats do you have > Wow I learn something everyday I have seen them bring down squirrels and > smaller prey but never a full size rabbit what type of cats do you have Just your average cotton tails and the snowshoes which are just rabbits that turn white in the winter. Cats aren't particularly big. One is a tabby and the other just a domestic shorthair. The cats weigh 10 and 10½ lbs. The Flying Squirrels aren't big. They look something like mice and aren't much bigger. Perfect timing, Emily just brought one home. Let me snap a few pics and I'll post pictures of it on my site.........long pause...........OK their posted, just click on my yahoo site and click the critter's album. The new pics are at the bottom of the page. Stone Some pic's http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/stoneman72/my_photos Beautiful area you live in and lucky I see snow all I see here in Florida is bikinis and heat wave > Beautiful area you live in and lucky I see snow all I see here in > Florida is bikinis and heat wave LOL, after a couple of months of our winters the sight of a hot body in a bikini might well necessitate the popping of a couple nitro tabs. Well, at my age anyway. ;-) SignatureStone Some pic's http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/stoneman72/my_photos Rather deal with snow than the hurricanes and the good looking ones that wear those bikinis cost way to much money to have on your shoulder >> Beautiful area you live in and lucky I see snow all I see here in >> Florida is bikinis and heat wave > LOL, after a couple of months of our winters the sight of a hot body in a > bikini might well necessitate the popping of a couple nitro tabs. Well, at > my age anyway. ;-) LOL, Stone > Rather deal with snow than the hurricanes and the good looking ones that > wear those bikinis cost way to much money to have on your shoulder [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] >> bikini might well necessitate the popping of a couple nitro tabs. Well, >> at my age anyway. ;-) > Beautiful area you live in and lucky I see snow all I see here in Florida > is bikinis and heat wave I'm in Fl also. We don't have any chipmunks of squirrels either. My cat sort of misses hunting them. > Wow I learn something everyday I have seen them bring down squirrels and > smaller prey but never a full size rabbit what type of cats do you have Just your average moggy. |
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