You gave the cat lots of rubs, treats, and scratches right after?
For cats, it’s a form of respect and affection: they were giving you a game/prey/hunt, and checking for bad elements to remove (sign your cat is very intelligent). If you did something the day before they liked, they were showing you that morning after their thanks.
I always give my cats attention. But I’m pretty sure she just brought it in to kill it somewhere it couldn’t escape. There were blood and feathers everywhere and a bunch of stuff knocked over but very little else. I think she took it under her bush to disembowel and eat it.
Wait, what if we have the “cat brings you kills because it doesn’t respect you as a hunter and thinks you need help and I’m doing it because I love you” backwards and it’s actually a “hey, look, I know you put remains of previous kills you do while you’re out of the house in my bowl, but here’s some proof that I’m competent enough to join you if you need me, so please don’t kick me out?”
Or maybe a “hey, I just did the killing part, can you show me how to do the make it delicious part like you do to your kills? I tried dropping it in my water but that just made my water gross (replace it at your earliest convenience or now, whichever is sooner). Or just do it for me and stick it in my bowl when it’s ready. If you do, I’ll let you gaze at my glorious belly and touch it but only for two seconds.”
You gave the cat lots of rubs, treats, and scratches right after?
For cats, it’s a form of respect and affection: they were giving you a game/prey/hunt, and checking for bad elements to remove (sign your cat is very intelligent). If you did something the day before they liked, they were showing you that morning after their thanks.
I always give my cats attention. But I’m pretty sure she just brought it in to kill it somewhere it couldn’t escape. There were blood and feathers everywhere and a bunch of stuff knocked over but very little else. I think she took it under her bush to disembowel and eat it.
ic ic. so long as you recognize signs of “I hunted this for you. Please show me appreciation.” that’s all that matters to me😊
Wait, what if we have the “cat brings you kills because it doesn’t respect you as a hunter and thinks you need help and I’m doing it because I love you” backwards and it’s actually a “hey, look, I know you put remains of previous kills you do while you’re out of the house in my bowl, but here’s some proof that I’m competent enough to join you if you need me, so please don’t kick me out?”
Or maybe a “hey, I just did the killing part, can you show me how to do the make it delicious part like you do to your kills? I tried dropping it in my water but that just made my water gross (replace it at your earliest convenience or now, whichever is sooner). Or just do it for me and stick it in my bowl when it’s ready. If you do, I’ll let you gaze at my glorious belly and touch it but only for two seconds.”
Most of the ones that do this, sit proudly as if expecting something in return, to show “Ok whisker, you’re indeed competent.”
Those tell you, even jump on the kitchen to see how it’s done. Some even go as far as imitate things they saw when you cooked last.