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Hi, I’m Dr. Maja! Read my introduction to learn more about me and Miki, the kitten who made me a cat person.
Having a cat is pure bliss, and their kittenhood is a time of joy and excitement! Observing how they explore the world, learn new skills, fail at learning new skills, interact with other pets, and show their true little character, has so far been a dream come true for me. I always wanted to have a cat and one that gets along with dogs, and Miki ticked all the boxes. But I forgot a tiny little detail about my kitten, which he soon reminded me of.
Cats Are Hunters
One night, as I was getting ready to jump into bed, I found something quite disgusting even by my own definition, (and I am a vet and used to pure gross). It was leftovers of what’s supposed to have been a vole, at the bottom of my bed. Let’s just say, after the feeling of disgust disappeared, and a thorough clean up took place, a feeling of guilt towards the little creature started creeping up inside of me.
This was the first but unfortunately not the last time Miki brought a dead animal back home, not counting the insects he likes to catch and eat. The dogs were thrilled of course, and both tried to get the vole, not understanding why I was so upset.
And, This Was Just The Beginning
Since then, I have turned into a hawk. Every time I was out with Miki and the dogs, I would carefully observe what he was doing, and would sabotage his hunting attempts. Firstly, he wears a collar with a bell, so little rodents and birds he considers his prey, can hopefully hear him coming. Secondly, I tend to be a boring cat mum that ruins all the fun, and literally interrupts most of his hunting by picking him up and continuing our walk as if nothing happened.
One day a few weeks ago, I was sitting in the garden observing him stalking a bird from a far. I was getting ready to intervene, but I figured there was no way he would catch it. Not more than 60 seconds passed, and I witnessed horror right in front of me. I didn’t know I could run so fast.
A Life Saved
Miki gracefully leapt into the air, and next minute he had the poor bird in his mouth. Don’t get me wrong, I knew it wasn’t right, but a part of me was proud of my little cat. Still, I sprinted, and my cardiovascular system wasn’t too pleased, and managed to get to Miki. He wanted to show off, but I just opened his mouth and luckily the little bird escaped without any obvious injuries. Miki was super confused, I was catching my breath recovering from the abrupt exercise, and the dogs looked at us blankly, not having a clue of what just happened. It took Miki a few minutes to realize his prey was gone, and I pretended I had nothing to do with it. But I’m sure Miki knew.
Implications of Cats Hunting
Being a vet, and having a strong compassion towards all kinds of animals, be it a cat or dog, a rodent, bird or a snake, I hate to see them getting injured, especially if there is something I can do to prevent it, and particularly if one of my own pets is responsible.
Cats have hunted since the dawn of time, but we can’t ignore the fact that they have contributed to the extinction of 63 species of birds, mammals and reptiles. They have a huge impact on local wildlife and this is something I haven’t considered as much, until I rescued Miki and started receiving presents. Where we live, there are no other cats for miles, and this makes me feel a little bit better, that the impact on the wildlife is not as severe. However, this does not justify it which I am well aware of.
What To Do?
I don’t know, to be frank. I love seeing Miki enjoy all the aspects of outdoor cat life, and I would hate to restrict him indoors now that he has experienced it. Climbing trees, well badly at best, running around in high grass, following me and the dogs for daily walks, sunbathing in awkward places, and much more, is just a part of his daily routine. I guess the attempts I make by having him wear a collar with a bell, supervising him as much as possible, and keeping him inside overnight, when the majority of hunting would take place, are the minimum I can do to try and preserve our local wildlife.
But I would like to do more, and this topic is something that will stick with me. Those little creatures also have an important role in the ecosystem and we should do our best to protect them, even from our little furry hunters.
