Some years ago PBS broadcast a documentary about cats. Among the
revelations was that cats are not naturally hunters of anything; yes,
they must be carefully taught, usually by their mother. If she doesn't
teach them, they won't learn later.
 Also, the dead rodents, etc, brought to the disgusted owner are not love
tributes. Hunting cats think that humans are all big, uneducated, even
dumb cats who also need careful demonstrations of mousing if they are to
survive. I think this at least is true; my cat Fred used to bring me
(after I just got in the door at 11 pm after a long day of school and
work) a dead tree rat every evening. He would drop the corpse at my feet
and then do a sort of dance: bowing low in front  with his forepaws
stretched out and his tushy held aloft and wiggling side to side, and, at
the same time popping up and down. Truly impressive. Even I got the
message: "OK, THIS is what you are supposed to be doing!"
 Fred later moved to the stables at the Santa Clara County Fairground
where the horse owners jostled for his skills. I am sure no cat was ever
so popular.

 Adrienne DeAngelis
 [log in to unmask]
 (http://www.efn.org/~acd/resources.html)

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