Ask a Scientist: Cat-chy

Crafty Carnivore writes “Why does my cat catch bugs and bring them into my bed?”

Awesome question, Crafty Carnivore! Cats, like your name suggests, are carnivores. They are natural-born hunters, which means they are motivated to catch prey, like bugs. Often, these behaviors are separate from them being hungry, and they do it for fun! The reason they present “gifts” to their humans is a mystery to scientists, but we have a few theories. It could be that they are taking what they’ve caught to a safe place. Some also think it’s our cat either thanking us for providing food and a home for them, or because they think we are poor hunters and they are trying to provide for us. Whatever the reason, your cat wants to share with you a piece of their day, even if it’s a little gross. Great observation; keep it up!

-Sabrina, the cat scientist

For more information about the hunting behavior of cats, check out this article.


Main image [Source]: Cat hunting mouse.


If you have any questions about animals for our scientists, you can submit them here.

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