The Cat's Gratitude?!

Some cat owners may have received little gifts from their cats, especially if they’ve rescued strays. These gifts could be mice, birds, cockroaches, geckos, and so on. When you receive such a “special gift,” you’re likely to feel surprised or even horrified!

Regardless of whether cats truly express gratitude, let’s explore why they bring you these mixed-emotion gifts. The reasons are quite simple:

"You’re Useless"
In the eyes of a cat, you might be seen as clumsy, foolish, and incapable of taking care of yourself. So, they feel the need to hunt and bring you something to eat to prevent you from starving…

“You’re Family”
This is a much more heartwarming perspective! When cats consider you family (like a parent or child), they bring you gifts as a way of caring for you. However, they are also teaching you how to hunt. This behavior is more common in mother cats, but some male cats may exhibit similar actions.

When you receive these half-dead gifts that are both amusing and terrifying, please don’t get angry, shout, or throw them away in front of your cat! To them, these gifts are precious and given with good intentions. If you react negatively, they might not understand and could think you dislike the gift, leading them to bring you even more shocking surprises—perhaps even live ones!

The Best Way to Handle It

The best approach is to praise and pet your cat while discreetly disposing of the gifts when they’re not watching. One little trick is to take the gifts to the trash can or toilet in front of them while simultaneously praising and petting them, thanking them for their gift. This way, there’s a chance they might bring their next “gift” to a spot you prefer!

Remember, it’s all about understanding your cat's intentions and nurturing your bond!