Cats are made to hunt, something they do whenever they get the chance, be it during play sessions, or when they are allowed out for a walk. But, Why do they bring dead animals home? It is not a pleasant behavior, especially when its prey is still alive, but all of us who live with a feline that likes to go out, we have to try to cope with this situation in the best way we can because, unfortunately, it is not something that can be prevented.
Even if we make sure they leave on a full stomach, we can't do anything except stay calm. It's a natural behavior of them, and against that little can be done.
The scene can be quite awkward: you open the door, your cat walks in, and the first thing he does is sit in front of you with an animal between his jaws. When not, he leaves it loose to "play" with it. And all while you keep thinking that you spend a fortune on the best food, and still, he is dedicated to hunting and brings his victims home to you. Why?
Well, to find the answer to that question, we can look at a family of lions. We know that lionesses are the ones who hunt for the family. Once they kill their prey, they take it to the leader of the group, who in this case is the strongest lion. Something similar happens with domestic cats. But, beware, they do not see us as strong leaders, but rather as leaders who, since they have no hunting skills, they -the cats- make sure that we do not go hungry while they teach us how to do it (as cats do with their young), which could be interpreted as a sign of affection.
Thus, sterilized cats are usually the ones that bring the most dead animals, since since they do not have offspring, they need to transmit hunting knowledge to someone - their human -. It is something that has been inscribed in the genes, since its origins. And against them, better not to do anything, just one thing: get rid of the dead animal without the cat seeing you. Screaming, tension, and so on, are not appropriate. You have to think that they are only doing what their instinct dictates, which is none other than teaching how to hunt.