New poster be gentle.

Our cat, Dave, is an outdoor neutered tom. He has always brought home birds, mice, shrews etc.

Yesterday we found a large rat dead on the front lawn.

Is it possible this could be the work of Dave?

Any thoughts, comments would be appreciated.

Wouldn't think so. A rat would put up a good fight. Unless the cat caught it from behind?

Yes, they do. Not all cats of course, but some do. It can be potentially dangerous, as rats can harbour diseases (and tapeworms) which can be passed on to cats, and in some cases from the cats to humans.

Thanks for the reply.

That's what I thought.

What's the largest animal/object your cat has brought home?

My cat has had two Rats - however looking at them they looked like ex family pets rather than wild Rats, he also bought in a Gerbil once- God know where he got it from, I suspect some kid was fed up with losing their Rats and got a Gerbil (oh dear ).

All the rodents looked like they had just suffered broken necks - no nasty innards or bite marks - so maybe just one big pounce and its good night Roland

A very fat wood pigeon.

Thanks. Will keep an eye on Dave over the next few days.

He seems perfectly fine at the moment.

A wood pigeon is pretty large.

Did your moggie manage to get it through the cat flap?

Cats do commonly catch rats, two of my own cats catch and kill them, as do my neighbours' cats. I've seen my oldest cat carrying a screeching rat in her mouth, and found it dead the following morning. She's only got about four teeth left, but she obviously has a very good technique!

My little she-cat brings home huge rats - sometimes still half alive.

No, just dumped it on the doormat and stayed with it until we'd seen it. He seemed rather proud of himself.

Many years ago, my beautiful.but voracious, long since departed Oscar, attempted to bring in a family size joint of beef! I wondered what the commotion was at the flap only to find silly puss trying to drag it through....and it was still hot...wonder which of my neighbours missed their dinner that day?

Oh yes they do, my old cat Louis, caught one off the canal bank, opposite my flat, dragged it up 57 steps and left it dead on the mat of the front door, then disappeared and waited for my screams, when I came home. It was a real big one. The little sod! Fortunately Louis had no after affects, and lived to the grand old age of 19.

What an ace name for a puss! Mani brings them to the back door all the time, and one of my old mogs used to bring in brussel sprouts

Yes they do.... and squirrels, mice, shrews, voles, moles, bats.... and anything else that makes that wonderful squeaky sound when being batted about and thrown up in the air and then squished with the cats jaw!

My two caught a rat in my greenhouse, thankfully I didn't have to deal with a live one.

One is the mouser/hunter and her brother is the thief. Topsy hunts and catches and Tim steals them from her and brings them to me for a treat. I promptly divert them with a treat and then throw the wretched thing over the fence into the woodland (if dead) or have the job of putting the poor thing out of its misery if its still suffering.

We used to have a cat who was an expert hunter. Mice, shrews, moles, rats, birds, squirrels... we got them all.

Ohh lordy, I'm so glad someone else has had one of their cats do this too. Like you, we never did find out who's luscious Sunday Roast Nico had brought hiome. He ate like a king that week though! Bless him.


To date, two of my cats have brought home. Rabbits, Rats, countless Mice/Voles/Shrews. Birds in abundance, and last week Turbo brought home a Stoat. I tried to save it from him, (I always do try to get the animals they catch off them if I see them with it) but unfortunately, just as I'd rescued it, and was walking it to the farmers field, it died in my hands. Such a pretty animal too.

That's funny.

Not dragging in, but seeing off. My old cat, Tom (I named him when I was 5, original eh) was a tom and he would see off anything on his territory.

I once saw him chase a fox all the way down the garden and through the back fence. Boy, did he strut his stuff then! He was also great at getting rid of moles.

As a typical tom-cat he was quite fearless. He had a kennel in the garden, used to disappear into the woods weeks at a time when the wenches were in season and he would fight his corner despite having very few teeth.

One of the things that totally melted my heart, though, was when I found him alseep on top of his kennel during a snowy winter. He had been sniffling for ages and I hadn't worked out why until then. When I lifted the lid I discovered a mother and baby hedgehogs (5 I think) all curled up in his kennel, toasty warm in the sheepskin rug!

I guess cats don't catch hedgehogs.

Many thanks for all your replies.

Much appreciated.

My cat looks at hedehogs with the sort of look you or I might give to a bacon sandwich behind an electric fence.

My cat has managed to pinch a big fat steak (raw) from somewhere..felt mean taking it away from her
She`s never managed a joint of beef though..

Ha! I see your pigeon and raise you one cat flap.

I've had a fully grown one brought in that way.

Cats most definitely DO catch rats.

My cat caught and killed a grass snake once... not a large one but it was impressive none the less

She's a proper hunter, rats, shrews, mice, birds etc are all commonplace!

I can safely say that there is not a chance in hell of Winnie catching a rat. She's useless.