Why does my pet...?
Why does my cat hunt even when she's well fed?
Short answer: In cats, hunting and hunger are partly separate. In a classic study, cats left their food to hunt and then came back to the meal.
Updated
In more detail
The hunting sequence (lock on, creep, wiggle, pounce) runs even on a full stomach.
The wild side
Wild cats hunt many times a night, catching small prey again and again.
Try this
Give the hunt somewhere to go: short play sessions with a wand toy, perches and scratchers for an indoor hunter.
See it in the episode
Why Your Cat Goes Wild at 3 A.M. (Wild Cousins, episode 1)
Questions people ask
Why does my cat hunt even when she's well fed?
In cats, hunting and hunger are partly separate. In a classic study, cats left their food to hunt and then came back to the meal. The hunting sequence (lock on, creep, wiggle, pounce) runs even on a full stomach. This is general information, not veterinary advice. If anything about your pet's behavior or health worries you, ask your vet.
Sources
This is general information, not veterinary advice. If anything about your pet's behavior or health worries you, ask your vet.