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On May 6, 2005, at 2:33 PM, Pat Meadows wrote:

> On Fri, 06 May 2005 12:53:26 -0400, you wrote:
>
> > Hi,
> >
> > Just the circle of life.
> >
> > I have never seen a cat catch a bird, as in the countryside, birds are
> > much too wary when on the ground to be caught.
>
> I have.  We live in the country.  Our cat *very
> occasionally* catches a bird.  Again, I wouldn't know this
> except that she brings all her catches to the front porch.
>
> . ..

My cats are very well fed, but two of the three are good hunters and 
since I've had them I've been able to harvest currants and even the 
occasional strawberry.  One of the girls likes to catch things that 
fly.  We had to remove some birdfeeders (too many gifts of goldfinches) 
and now she mostly hunts butterflies, although I've seen her take small 
mammals and snakes, as well.  Baby rabbits are a particular favorite.  
The boy seems to exclusively hunt mammals.  For a while he was killing 
two chipmunks a day.  He also kills squirrels, and I've seen him chase 
a groundhog.  (He might have been afraid to actually grapple with it.)  
But he never eats his prey.  It's actually pretty funny, because 
hunting makes him hungry.  So he'll kill a fat squirrel, drag it home, 
and meow loudly at the door to be allowed in - whereupon he promptly 
bolts down catfood.  The other girl mostly hunts leaves and feathers.

If you want a cat to hunt varmints, it's probably best to get one whose 
mother is a good hunter of whatever you have too much of.  Cats learn 
to hunt from their mother, as well as from experience.  I don't think 
you need to keep them hungry, although I certainly know cats who prefer 
to eat their prey rather than cat food - they may not require much 
supplemental feeding.

Ginda