Re: feeding cats vs. killing
 
Cats that kill for sport/pleasure/instinct will continue to kill some prey regardless of feeding.  
 
Feeding does decrease the hunger-driven need to predate and will reduce the number of prey taken. 
 
Feeding, when done, is usually about compassion for the cats, the health of the cats as well as reduction of predation. 
 
Reduction, not cessation. 
 
Feeding has it’s downsides – but that discussion, I think, is beyond the scope of this list. 
 
Domestic (house) cats do in fact sometimes refuse/fail to kill.  Almost all human-fed cats retain a prey drive and will chase/play with small things that move.  Some do not learn to kill as kittens and have a hard time learning to kill as adults.  This is one reason it’s so cruel to turn a house cat into the wild – they often are completely unable to provide for themselves.  Successful predation is a learned behavior with an instinctual base. 
 
Anecdotally, three of my four house cats will chase my house mice.  Only one actually kills them.  When he does, he keeps poking at them, trying to get them to play again apparently, but he does not eat them.  
 

Oh, and for the record, I actually do have a fair understanding of cats. 


<<People who understands the instinctive nature of cats know that simply
keeping the feral cats well fed does not prevent them from killing
wildlife. >>

Best,

Joanne

Joanne Howl, DVM
aka "cat doc"
West River, MD