6 days ago
Cat Brings Home Present for Owner—She Doesn't Appreciate It
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
In a viral TikTok video, a tabby cat named Nashville shows up with a thoughtful present for his owner, but she doesn't exactly appreciate it.
The hilarious clip, shared in July under the username @craftcatsandcocktails, shows the feline strolling in the living room carrying a dead rat in his mouth, as he heads toward the bedroom with it. "Nashville, we need to take that outside!" his owner can be heard saying to him. "Let's go outside buddy. I know you're very proud." she continues, as the cat refuses to let go of his catch.
"Is it dead? Is it all the way dead? Did you kill it? No, you're sure not taking that in the bedroom!" the owner says.
Most felines are great hunters, and even though they don't need to hunt for a living, they still do it because they like to. Hunting is an instinctive behavior for cats, which they inherited from their wild ancestors.
While most domestic cats are pro hunters, others back off from this duty or kill prey and then leave it without consuming it.
Eating prey can be dangerous for felines; mice can carry disease, parasites and even poison. That is why it is probably better for you to remove their catch instead of letting them eat it.
Hunting behavior can't really be stopped, but you can provide your cat with different forms of entertainment to keep them away from the fauna, including toys, climbing spots and a safe, enclosed yard area to play in.
Stock image: A tabby cat carries a dead rat in his mouth outside.
Stock image: A tabby cat carries a dead rat in his mouth outside.
getty images
The video quickly went viral on social media and has so far received over 1.3 million views and more than 103,100 likes on the platform.
Newsweek reached out to @craftcatsandcocktails for comment via TikTok comments. We could not verify the details of the case.
One user, Chicken & Goose, commented: "He's concerned about your eating habits and is hunting for you."
Vezspertine posted: "It's so gruesome but they have the best intentions, they're just showing off their hunting skills to you."
Allie Brown added: "My cat (who is a bit doughy baby and has never shown an interest in hunting) brought me a mouse after I got back from being out of town. I was proud and horrified."
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@ with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
