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Why does my cat bring me toys?

Last updated on January 24, 2023

Have you wondered why your cat brings you toys? We explore the reasons for this cute behavior.

Emma Palmer

Emma Cantero is a passionate cat lover and a regular contributor on Healthy Whiskers. She has a wealth of knowledge on cat health and behavior, and is dedicated to helping cat owners provide the best care for their feline companions

I have often asked myself, why does my cat bring me toys? If you have ever owned a cat, you’ll know that they often bring their owners gifts in the form of toys and other objects, especially during the night. While these gifts may seem odd to us, this behavior has several explanations rooted in feline instinct. Read on to learn more about why your cat is bringing you toys!

Cats are Natural Hunters

Cats are natural hunters and predators. In the wild, they will stalk and capture prey such as rodents or birds using various techniques like pouncing or ambushing. Similarly, when exploring their home environment, cats often see potential prey in small objects around the house such as woolen balls, crumpled pieces of paper, bottle tops, and hair ties. These objects become targets for the cat’s hunting instincts and compel them to go after them as if they were a real prey item.

Cats Like Sharing with Humans

Cats also enjoy playing with their human companions. They see us as part of their social group and want to share the “treat” of a toy with us by bringing it over. Since cats can’t communicate verbally with us (yet!), bringing an object is one way of connecting with us. Cats love to bond with their ‘hoo-mans’ with playtime activities like fetching with a toy mouse or feather duster.

Cats Make Gifts to Show Affection

Finally, cats may also be showing affection by providing gifts as appreciation for our love, care and company. This is one of the reasons why cats make such great pets. They reciprocate to acts of kindness from their owners by giving back in various ways. This includes offering up objects they find while wandering around in exchange for love and attention from humans.

Whether your cat is bringing you toys because they view you as part of their social group, because they are enacting some primal hunting instinct or simply out of pure love – it’s quite likely all three! If your cat brings you presents often enough (and isn’t causing any destruction around the house!), it could mean that your pet loves you even more than we thought!