The Hunter in Your Window

Cats are predators. Even the most pampered house cat still has hunting software installed. You can see it in the way it watches birds, chatters at squirrels, and “kills” toy mice.

Start with catnip. Catnip is a plant in the mint family. It contains an oil called nepetalactone. For some cats, it acts a bit like a drug. They sniff it, lick it, bite it, chew it, rub it, roll in it, purr, meow, and sometimes jump around. Not every cat reacts. The difference seems to be genetic. Kittens under two months usually ignore catnip. By three months, about half of cats become fans. The other half just treat it like a normal plant. Males and females react, neutered or not. So it’s not really a sexual thing, even if the rolling looks a little like a cat in heat. It’s more like a harmless temporary high. Catnip doesn’t cause long-term damage. Valerian root can also affect cats. Oddly, eating catnip or valerian may calm a cat down, while smelling it excites them.

Then there’s the teeth-chattering. Your cat sits at the window, spots a bird, and its jaw starts to quiver. It looks like it’s shivering or clacking its teeth. This is called a vacuum activity. The cat is performing the killing bite in the air. Cats have a special bite for killing small prey: they grip with their front paws, then drive their long canine teeth into the back of the neck, slip them between the vertebrae, and sever the spinal cord. It’s fast and deadly. When a cat can’t actually reach the bird, its body may still run the bite program. That’s the chattering.

Before a cat pounces, it may also bob its head back and forth. This helps it judge distance. With two eyes facing forward, a cat gets binocular vision. When you move your head side to side, nearby objects appear to shift more than distant ones. The cat uses that information to fine-tune its aim. A pounce has to be precise, or the prey gets away.

Have you ever had your cat bring you a dead mouse or bird? It’s gross, but it’s also a compliment. The cat may see you as a hopeless hunter. In cat society, mothers teach kittens by bringing prey home. A spayed female cat may redirect that motherly urge toward her human. The correct response is not to yell. Praise the cat, take the gift, and quietly throw it away.

Cats also sometimes play with prey before killing it. This is not usually what wild or farm cats do. It’s more common in well-fed pets that don’t get enough hunting. The hunting drive is separate from hunger. A full cat may still hunt. When a pet cat finally catches a mouse, it may not want the game to end, so it stretches out the process. Another reason is fear. A large rat can bite. The cat may bat it around with its paws to tire it out before risking a close bite. It may look cruel, but the cat is being cautious. Experienced hunters usually finish faster. Pampered pets are often out of practice.