Gift or Insult to Our Hunting Skills?

I think they're just bragging. Hey, look what I did!

It could be that they are providing for their people. The cats must realize that their humans aren't adept at going out and hunting for their food, so they take on the job of feeding their people. That is one reason why you don't chew them out for bringing in the results of their hunting trips, and that you don't dispose of the body while they are right there. I always tell the cat how wonderful they are and what a great hunter they have become. I shower them with a ton of praise and then when they are strutting and feeling good about themselves and go off I will collect the body and dispose of the remains. Then I usually will give them a treat to thank them for their hunting prowess and that they brought me food for my meal. Fortunately they don't check my breath for the smell of mouse meat! There are so many thoughts on what goes on in a cat's mind when they bring home their kill. I am fairly sure that whatever they are thinking, it is concern for their human companion. After all, it is the humans who have the ability to open the cat food cans and the biggie is the ability to open the door to the great coldness that holds all the wonderful smells and tempting taste treats! Once they figure out how to open that magical door, humans become redundant!

I'd think they would get very discouraged trying to teach humans to hunt. We're a lot slower than they are, in a lot of ways. I always gave my cat milk or catnip for the mouse. My cat hunts for a reward. I can't speak for anyone else's cat.