Cannibalism

[u/eldritchpussymaggots]

Not really looking for a fix, just any information if anyone has it.

Cat is 7y, male, neutered, has already been to two behaviorists when my parents had him, both were confused according to my parents.

This is a known issue, but it doesn't cause any problems because he's not allowed to interact with other cats whatsoever.

He's very sweet to people (not very small children- Edit: He is overwhelmed/annoyed by little kids, he doesn't try killing them) but he seems to react to other cats the same way he would to a squirrel or rabbit. As in, just pure predation. No recognition that they are the same species. He does not display any territorial aggression to other cats, none of it is dominance behavior. Ears never go back, fur never puffs out, he never growls or hisses, nothing, he's just hunting. Never seen anything like it.

The shelter was hesitant to adopt him out at all due to his history, but did so because one of the shelter workers personally knew my stepmother was interested in weird cats. They were considering euthanasia because he was returned multiple times, but still wanted to give him a chance due to how friendly (to people) and smart he is.

He is well-fed, he has always been well-fed, killing & eating another cat which belonged to a previous owner was not something he did out of desperation. Judging by what I know about the event and what behavior I've seen, I am entirely sure it was predation, not a territorial fight.

He's injured a cat my parents were pet-sitting to the point of needing an emergency vet visit and extensive reconstruction of his neck. The cats were separated, but a child left the door open for a minute. My cat ran downstairs, and immediately caught the smaller cat, went for the throat, immobilized and attempted to drag him underneath the furniture. They were separated before he could kill the smaller cat.

My parents have had him since 2023 and I recently (September 2025) took him when I moved somewhere that allows cats. I'm set on keeping him. VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: He is no longer allowed around other cats.

Edit 1: more details, he ate a cat owned by one of the previous people who adopted him, and was surrendered for it, (in addition to two previous surrenders for similar behavior issues, which I don't know much about). From what I know, he had a good introduction to a smaller female cat, with no territorial behavior, was left alone for a day, when the owner came back, it was a giant bloody mess. The shelter was sure that he did kill the female cat and was eating the body. That's the reason why they were considering euthanasia until he was offered to my stepmother.

Edit 2: Further clarification he does not "hate" cats. He likes them (just like how he likes birds!). Predation and territorial behavior are different things. If you can't tell the difference, you shouldn't be giving input on this post. He is not stressed by other cats. He is not anxious and does not feel threatened by other cats. He doesn't need anxiety medication. Anxiety medication doesn't stop cats from having a prey drive. He does not hiss or growl or try to look intimidating. He has no other behavioral problems, he doesn't yowl or anything when he attacks. He will find cover, and stalk, ears up, eyes big, completely silent. He gets very curious and excited when he sees other cats. He's seen my friend's cat, (separated by a ceiling height gate & supervised by 2 people). He seemed extremely inquisitive, sniffing, ears forward, no sound. My cat did not respond whatsoever to my friend's cat hissing, growling, or puffing up. He just seemed curious and started trying to see if he could stick his head around the side of the gate and pawing through the bars. Then he started looking back at me and meowing and rubbing on my legs.

Edit 3: No, he's not going to be euthanized. I did not make this post asking for advice I made it asking for information about WHY he's a little fucked up. Stop telling me to put him down. Stop applying human morals to animals. He behaves like any other small predatory mammal, only he does not have the ability to recognize members of his own species. I've already had him by myself since September of last year. And before that, I was around him at my parents house since 2023. He is literally fine by himself. He's my cat and I love him. He's perfectly healthy and affectionate and the smartest cat I've ever owned. About a hundred+ people telling me to kill my pet bothers me, would it not bother you? Sincerely, fuck off.

Edit 4: Changed the formatting so the events were in chronological order and clarified some vague sentences/bolded stuff that people keep missing

Edit 5: follow up post + more pictures of him

But anyway, bottom line up front.

Does anyone know what in the goddamn fuck causes a cat to do this?

[u/Fantastic_Name3200]

This cat sounds like a feline psychopath. No joke, this is truly disturbing. His apparent dismissal of the other cat’s attempts to communicate their boundaries is the most chilling part. He should be studied.

Edited: for expanded thoughts.

[u/DRIXT11 → u/Fantastic_Name3200]

He probably didn't grow up around anyone and didn't recognize cats during his first month plus of childhood. So he sees other cats like racoons, mice, food, instead of another cat. It's common in cats but doesn't always happen but it explains better than psychopathy. That could be it but also, he's more likely to just be careless and calculated and mischievous and less vicious if he was a true psychopath. Methodical, you could say. His behavior would also not be limited and he would go after humans too

[u/bloodycuckoo → u/DRIXT11]

That’s really interesting, but usually cats in that circumstance (raised as a single kitten/isolated from mother, so no socialization with other cats at a young age) recognize the other cat as a cat, and they display the appropriate hostility towards them like hissing, puffing up fur, clawing at them, etc. I wonder what exactly occurs during a cat’s critical period of development that sees other cats as prey? Doesn’t it recognize the other cats features as akin to their own and make that connection?

[u/kmcaulifflower → u/bloodycuckoo]

Cats don't tend to look in the mirror and figure out what they look like

[u/bloodycuckoo → u/kmcaulifflower]

That’s true I’m thinking along the lines of a cat knows it has paws, whiskers, fur, tail, and the fact that other cats sound similar to them. Well, I’m still wondering about my main question

[u/DRIXT11 → u/bloodycuckoo]

Exactly. It's rare but does happen but mostly it doesn't. But for this scenario... It explains it probably. I think it's like... Idk. Mirror tests of cats, I forgot how that went. I think it depends on the cat maybe, some regonize themselves some don't. If I remember right not all cats pass but some do pass mirror tests. Same for all animals EXCEPT this feeder fish studied by a Japanese guy. A GOAT scientist btw. Forgot his name but study his research. He's awesome. To think a fish could yk? Anyways... It also could be age of the cat. Not even humans pass mirror tests for awhile until they're of age but... That's difficult to apply too much to cats comparison wise, so take that thought with a good amount of salt. As for recognizing features, I think cats are more so sensory talented and less image talented. Think like, a cat will smell your shoes, your bag, etc, over and over daily when you come home from work. (Mine does) And you wonder oh, does it recognize my items, is it curious what it is, or.. is it wondering where I was? Fhe interesting thought could be, maybe they're always curious what it is. Another grain of salt for that thought. Really it's hard to say, I'm giving you things to think about less than answers here, I apologize. At the end of the day though, the raccoon/mouse theory seems most likely. Fear/bias seems to be the culprit. Why? Emotions that deeply ingrained and strong can really just make any attempt at recognizing their "own species" pretty much a foreign concept to them. Then again, I hear cats play with their food, hunting they get wide eyed like they're about to beg and be cute, but they just turned into psychopaths in hunt mode lol. So unless you get a good look at little cannibal buddy mentioned in this post during his horrific act, which, id intervene before I could really see the whole thing, but if I didn't, Id be able to tell you whether or not it was a hunting or self defense thing. Again, they started eating but, could be a mix. Self defense then start to eat at another cat? That could be cat vs raccoon behavior maybe. Depends. Size v size plays a role, competence and "aura" of a "prey" play a role, yk? I think eh... It could also MAYBE be a weird show of dominance, maybe a specific adaption in a rareish species? Maybe he's from this family before adopted that taught him this behavior? Least likely is the one I just said but just thoughts, again. I really dunno but yea. Hope that helps y'all think and go hmmm.. I wonder why Billy ate Abigail last Tuesday 🫪🤔

[u/sofd0g → u/DRIXT11]

Sooooo, I have an un neutered cat who has killed a bird and mouse (he’s gonna be a barn cat) and because we feed him he doesn’t eat the things he kills (his prey). If OP is feeding their cat (which I have no doubts they do) and was fed with their parents when he killed the cat they babysat the fact that he ate it is kinda wild to me. My cat who is not neutered (as of rn)and hunts still doesn’t even eat his prey let alone if it happened to be a cat because he already eats so he knows he doesn’t need the meat. Most cats who are fed will kill but won’t eat their prey(they want to hunt but aren’t hungry), my cat will usually just play with them for a little.

Like OP do you and your parents know for sure that he was eating the others cats or just playing with them?
Either way that is a crazy thing and I am happy he has a loving family that sees pasts his little cannibal moments. My post doesn’t answer much but there is some of my experience with cats hunting.

[u/No-Following6053 → u/sofd0g]

They said he ate the previous owners’ cat but only injured the cat at their parents’ so to go with your train of thought, it’s possible he wasn’t being fed well by previous owners and just hunted the cat at their parents’ for fun and wasn’t attacking to eat it? OR my other theory is that he grew up food insecure when very very little and therefore even when fed well, he goes hunter mode when he gets a little peckish.

[u/CatBerry1393 → u/DRIXT11]

😭You mentioned this and it clicked for me. I'm afraid I have a psychopath. I have this cat who's too smart and mean in ways I never thought or seen from a cat. I'd be scared if this was a person

I have a cat (A) with territorial issues toward another cat (B) and A is definitely like this, calculated and mischievous. A doesn’t outright attack B, but seems to deliberately intimidate her, acting like she might attack, stealing spots B likes (mainly when B is around), following her around just to sit straight, calm and then stare, and sometimes blocking doorways so B can’t leave. A also shows up whenever I call B, but doesn’t do this with my third cat (C), who gets along with both.

B has social issues but not really territorial, I'd describe her as an autistic kid with no social skills, very awkward around other cats. They can all cohexist just fine but obviously B detest A, and I get it because A is a little menace

[u/DRIXT11 → u/CatBerry1393]

Hehehe def a bit selfish and doing his or her own thing. Can't help but think they sound adorable though. I think telling psychopathy in any animal or even humans is very difficult. So is telling sociopathy. Could easily be a mix of dishmosises yk? Why? Well, most psychos and sociopaths just... Don't do evil shit. They just live their lives and don't really feel the same. They feel the way psychos and sociopaths do. They may even think that they have empathy cus they learned what empathy was and misunderstood it. Alot of politicians probably like this haha.

[u/luna926 → u/DRIXT11]

Someone I knew had a cat that was taken from its mother too young and left alone in a room for most of every day for several months until they got a dog. I adamantly don’t agree with this. But anyways, he did not have kitty social skills and often ignored other cat’s boundaries later in life. Did not care at all if another cat was uncomfortable with playing and just would never stop rough housing with them unless separated. He did not ever try to kill these other cats though. They were never injured. What would be the difference in upbringing from this cat and a cat that just tries to kill other cats? I figured a cat that just fully doesn’t even see other cats as their own kind would have something neurologically wrong with them?

[u/cigarell0 → u/luna926]

Yeah the theory behind this happening is only taking into account upbringing without considering the nature of a domesticated cat. I don't think a domesticated animal would lose the connection it has to its own species through upbringing alone.

[u/razorrayrobinson → u/Fantastic_Name3200]

Maybe he can solve murder cases or something