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Does your Southeast Denver kitty frequently bring you gifts? Or would she not know what to do if a mouse ran right in front of her? Cats can be quite ferocious hunters. They can also be ferocious nappers, and some kitties are more interested in catching some Z’s than in catching dinner.

When it comes to catching mice, all kitties are not created equal. Some people grumble that their feline buddies constantly bring them unsavory ‘presents’, while others lament that their furballs are utterly useless in keeping mice out of a home, barn or garage.

Apparently, encouraging a cat to hunt will not help much if the cat just doesn’t feel like it. Take Larry the cat, for instance. Larry was appointed to the prestigious position of Chief Mouser to the Cabinet in London. Despite the prestige and luxury that came with the position, Larry did not feel the least bit obligated to perform his duties. In six months, Larry only caught one mouse. As a result, Larry was officially fired and replaced by Freya, a much more capable mouser. Larry was not evicted, however, and seems as unconcerned by his demotion as he was by the appointment.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, there is Towser, the world-renowned distillery kitty whose prowess at mousing earned her a spot in the Guinness book of world records. Towser killed an estimated 28,899 mice during her lifetime.

One thing most hunting kitties do have in common is a desire to bring home their catch. Mice, chipmunks, squirrels, rats, birds and snakes are some of the animals that a hunting kitty may bring home. Fluffy will generally have a smug, satisfied look on her face as she presents her ‘gift’. This may be a habit formed long ago, when Kitty first came in from the wild. Cats were originally domesticated for their help in killing vermin, and a good mouser would have been appreciated and perhaps spoiled a bit. You may not have any problems with vermin in your Southeast Denver home, but if your feline friend keeps dropping ‘gifts’ on your doorstep, she clearly feels she has done something very useful, and expects to be rewarded. You may as well give her the praise she is seeking, as you won’t have much luck asking her to stop. You can hang a bell on Fluffy’s collar, which will alert small animals to the fact that there is a hunter in the area, but the best way to keep your Southeast Denver cat from hunting is to keep her indoors.