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Any ideas on how to discourage it? Or at least discourage it from happening right on the front doorstep??
Every morning the area looks like a crime scene
In the last 2 years a neighbor and I have taken care of a small feral colony of cats in our neighborhood. We've captured them all over time, took them to be spayed/neutered and gotten them rabies and distemper shots. We also put food out for them - not enough to feed them real well like a house cat, but more to supplement their diet.
In that time they've grown to trust us enough to "hang out" regularly on our front porches.
Maybe just because it's spring and there is an abundance of life hopping all around us, but for weeks now they are bringing me more "presents" than I can handle! I dread opening the door every morning
The only way I've seen that gets them to stop is to not move the present. By removing it, you are accepting it (in their minds). This makes them proud of their gift and they'll continue to do so. To stop the gifting, don't move the present. Don't clean it. Just let it sit there (I know, gross). Now, just realize that by leaving it there, the cats will take it as a personal insult and won't be as happy with you. The presents will slow down and eventually stop, but you'll have gravely insulted their cat pride.
The only way I've seen that gets them to stop is to not move the present. By removing it, you are accepting it (in their minds). This makes them proud of their gift and they'll continue to do so. To stop the gifting, don't move the present. Don't clean it. Just let it sit there (I know, gross). Now, just realize that by leaving it there, the cats will take it as a personal insult and won't be as happy with you. The presents will slow down and eventually stop, but you'll have gravely insulted their cat pride.
LOL, well, I would certainly not wish to insult them!
I had an outside feral cat including a "Queening Box" in the wintertime. She used to bring me "beautiful" trophies, I have a small picture album of almost all of them. They were very well done, no excretions or blood, neatly detached heads, well preserved like something you would see mounted on a wall, but the unbelievable thing was that when it was a bird, she would [may be too much for some audiences] reconstruct them, including feathers, feet, head so that it resembled an intact bird, none of my friends would believe me so I started taking pictures. Typically "Kitsie" would sit proud and erect waiting for me to discover the trophy on my way out the front door to work in the morning, she was as proud as proud could be, although she wouldn't let me touch her, my voice was enough praise as she would close her eyes and bask in the glory. I would wait until she had enough praise and would walk away, then I would brush it up, there was never any need for the hose or scrubbing, that's how clean it was. I'll never forget her and her "gifts" to me. There are lots of anecdotal reports about this kind of behavior in cats, they can be very artistic with gifts of love.
Ah, yes...the gifts.
The stray outside (who is now more like an outdoor foster) leaves me gifts quite a lot now, too...the last bird she caught was trying to steal seeds from my veggie garden, I saw her suddenly dart over there at lightning-speed and she caught the bird in the act. I felt kind of guilty, I do love birds, and I know this cat was protecting my garden for me just as much as she was enjoying her natural instinct to hunt...she keeps me company while I work out there and seems to respect the plants. She is WAY better than a scarecrow, LOL! I'll be kind of sad when I finally find her a home, and I doubt my veggies will be as safe...but having to clean up "gifts" every morning before I can take my dogs out to the yard isn't something I'll particularly miss !
I had an outside feral cat including a "Queening Box" in the wintertime. She used to bring me "beautiful" trophies, I have a small picture album of almost all of them. They were very well done, no excretions or blood, neatly detached heads, well preserved like something you would see mounted on a wall, but the unbelievable thing was that when it was a bird, she would [may be too much for some audiences] reconstruct them, including feathers, feet, head so that it resembled an intact bird, none of my friends would believe me so I started taking pictures. Typically "Kitsie" would sit proud and erect waiting for me to discover the trophy on my way out the front door to work in the morning, she was as proud as proud could be, although she wouldn't let me touch her, my voice was enough praise as she would close her eyes and bask in the glory. I would wait until she had enough praise and would walk away, then I would brush it up, there was never any need for the hose or scrubbing, that's how clean it was. I'll never forget her and her "gifts" to me. There are lots of anecdotal reports about this kind of behavior in cats, they can be very artistic with gifts of love.
OHMYGOSH, is THIS what all the heads in a row is about??
Try feeding them less so they'll be inclined to eat what they kill.
I may well do this
I remember years ago seeing a 20/20 story about the purina cat food factory. The spokesmen was asked by the reporter what the "perfect" food is for a cat. The spokesman said, "actually, mouse"!!! Then he said, but we don't put that in our food as we figure the general public would react badly to "mouse in a can", LOLOLOLOLOL
Ah, yes...the gifts.
The stray outside (who is now more like an outdoor foster) leaves me gifts quite a lot now, too...the last bird she caught was trying to steal seeds from my veggie garden, I saw her suddenly dart over there at lightning-speed and she caught the bird in the act. I felt kind of guilty, I do love birds, and I know this cat was protecting my garden for me just as much as she was enjoying her natural instinct to hunt...she keeps me company while I work out there and seems to respect the plants. She is WAY better than a scarecrow, LOL! I'll be kind of sad when I finally find her a home, and I doubt my veggies will be as safe...but having to clean up "gifts" every morning before I can take my dogs out to the yard isn't something I'll particularly miss !
One of the ferals has basically become our official outside cat The others are still too wild to be handled, but this one is very affectionate. When I walk the neighborhood he walks with me and goes wherever I go, just like a dog!
I remember years ago seeing a 20/20 story about the purina cat food factory. The spokesmen was asked by the reporter what the "perfect" food is for a cat. The spokesman said, "actually, mouse"!!! Then he said, but we don't put that in our food as we figure the general public would react badly to "mouse in a can", LOLOLOLOLOL
Unfortunately, that's true. I would buy them gladly, put them in their food bowls and walk away.
The fresh killed mice and birds will be better than anything you can buy in a can or bag for your cats.
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It's a gift of love
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