I'm someone who won't even kill an ant so I do struggle with the killing instinct of my fur children.

I have a Wild Animal Rescue Centre about 40 mins from where I live and I take any injured mice, birds or other 'cat food' to them. I am fortunate to have an understanding Manager as I usually end up doing it in work time.

Sadly, most of the injured 'prey' are too severely hurt to last the journey. Birds tend to fare better than mice. I always take birds they have caught even if they appear OK as the Centre told me that once a cat has had a bird in its mouth if they have punctured the skin the bird will need antibiotics because of the bacteria in the cat's mouth.

I look at my beautiful, soft, purring fur babies as they lie on my bed and find it difficult to reconcile them with the cruel hunters I see playing with their prey.