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“The Chances Of You Getting Killed By A Cat Are Low, But Never Zero”: 30 Adorably Scary Pics Of Cats And Their ‘Murder Mittens’
While scrolling through adorable kitten pictures, which is something we at Bored Panda are shamelessly guilty of, we often get so taken away by their cuteness that we forget they are actually predators.
Even a well-fed domestic cat has such a strong motivation for hunting that it will prey on birds, small mammals, and reptiles if the opportunity presents itself.
Luckily, the subreddit 'Murder Mittens' is here to remind us that these two characteristics — quirky fluffiness and a ferocious thirst for blood — can coexist.
Even though the online community is quite young even by Reddit's standards (it was established in 2018), it already unites 195K members and since they keep posting pictures of sharp paws, I guess the number will only rise.
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#1
Our Local Pet Shelter Just Shared This Pic Of The Teeniest Murder Mittens I've Ever Seen
RELATED:
#2
Kitty Just Wants Pets
Studies have found that free-ranging domestic cats kill up to 22 billion mammals and 4 billion birds per year in the United States and that they have contributed to the extinction of 63 species globally.
Many cat advocacy organizations question those numbers, however, and many owners still let their cats outside, arguing they should have the freedom to express their natural behaviors.
#3
He’s Trying To Lure Me Under The Bed With Red Balloons
#4
So Dramatic
2 years ago
Nah, terrifying cute you mean. Those fierce little ones with their claws out AND their fluffy filled belly sticking out.
#5
I Work At A Cat Rescue In Detroit And This Mama Gave Birth In My Bed 2 Weeks Ago Today. Here Are Two Of Her Itty Bitty Murder Machines!
"There's been a lot of antipathy between people who advocate for wildlife and those who advocate for cats," says ecologist Robbie McDonald at the University of Exeter. Despite being a dog person, he set out to find a solution that might please both camps.
McDonald and his colleagues recruited 219 cat owners from southwestern England whose pets regularly hunted outside — they divided the animals into six groups, including a control one that did not change their habits. Some wore bells to make it easier for the prey to hear them coming, while others wore colorful Birdsbesafe collars that birds easily see.
#6
Sometimes Claws Aren't Enough To Get The Message Across
LokisLilButterknife 2 years ago
I would recommend sleeping with one eye open tonight...just in case...
Mim“the Swede”Sorensson 2 years ago (edited)
That LOOK! “Yes, human, now that you ask; yes, as a matter of fact I am indeed a fiend from hell. I’m a cat. And the funniest part is that YOU invited me into your home.”
Sue Denham 2 years ago
"You know, Dave, I often look at you and think 'What would he taste like sliced and filleted'."
Princess duck feathers 2 years ago
One of my friends said they would also find their dog with knifes
#7
Small Guy, Big Claws
#8
I Think Poe Is Flipping Me Off
#9
The Paw Of A Lion
In other groups, owners fed their cats with "puzzle feeders," food-dispensing toys designed to challenge the feline. Still, others changed their cats' food to a store-bought brand that is grain-free and made entirely of animal protein. (It comes in both wet and dry forms.)
The owners of a final group of cats spent 5 to 10 minutes per day playing with their pets; the people were instructed to use a feather toy on a string to simulate hunting and then replace it with a crinkly mouse-type toy.
#10
I Shall Delete Everything
#11
I Was Told You Guys Would Appreciate Rasmodius's Murder Mittens! He's One Of My Foster Kittens! He Loves To Play!
#12
I Have Activated The Claw Trap
Raelene Christie 2 years ago
My youngest daughter used to say our cats were holding her hand when they did that, brings back such happy memories
#13
The Teeniest Of Murder Mittens Plotting His Escape Into The Big World
For 12 weeks, the owners took pictures of every animal their cats brought home.
Interestingly, nearly all of the approaches curbed the cats' killer instincts. The Birdsbesafe collar was the most effective way to reduce the number of birds the kitties slaughtered, cutting the total by 42% on average. But the high-meat diet and playtime methods had the most sweeping impacts, slashing all types of animals on the doorstep by 36% and 25%, respectively.
#14
Four Week Old Wednesday Resorts To Violence To Get Her Way
#15
Eek Casually Flexin’ The Claws
#16
Was Told Ursula’s Tiny Murder Mittens Belonged Here
#17
Murder Mittens Gripping The Food Bowl
The bells had no effect. And the puzzle feeder actually increased predation by 33%. The researchers speculate the cats became frustrated with the devices, got hungry, and just decided to go hunting instead.
#18
Fur Cactus Prevents Man From Making Bed
#19
My Fierce Lil Voidlet!
#20
When She’s Relaxed But Also Doesn’t Want You To Forget The Potential To Murder
#21
Hand Drawn Murder Mittens
The study didn't look at what makes each strategy work, but McDonald believes the richer meat food may have filled a nutrient gap in the cats' diet, and that the playtime satiated part of their hunting instinct. "Most of the cats still killed wild animals because old habits die hard," he said. "But overall the numbers were greatly reduced."
#22
You Can't Hide From The Murder Mittens
#23
My Baby Murphy Had The Tiniest Murder Mittens
LokisLilButterknife 2 years ago
What a sweet baby. His little eyes are just opening and his tiny ears are still folded. Yet his wee murder mittens are fully out.
#24
Press The Central Pad To Deploy
#25
How Is Gus 89% Feet?
Interestingly, online communities like the subreddit Murder Mittens can serve as a platform for education and advocacy on responsible pet ownership, as well as for promoting conservation initiatives that benefit both domestic animals and wildlife.
#26
Three Hour Old Murder Mittens! I Work At A Cat Rescue, Took In A Pregnant Mama Last Night To Temporarily Foster, And Woke Up To Kittens In My Bed This Morning!
#27
Meet Patch
#29
She Slowly Lifted Her Paw, Dragged Her Claws On My Hand Until One Sunk In, And Then Rested Her Arm There For A While; The Audacity
#30
My Baby Girl When I Found Her Back In June
#32
The Void Hungers
#33
The Tiniest Chomp
#35
My Little Girl Baking Biscuits In The Sun
Nat of Clan P 2 years ago
Baking biscuits! That's soooo cute. Gonna have to start using that one.
#36
Even In Her Sleep
#39
Caught Mid Biscuit Making
#40
I Was Told This Guy Might Belong Here
#42
Murder Claws And Disney Eyes
#43
I Often Photograph Tracks When I'm Out Hiking. Found Enough Murder Mittens To Raise My Pulse. Fresh Mountain Lion Print. Claws Definitely Visible
#44
Small Boy, Big Mitts
#45
He’s Threatening To Take My Door Off The Hinges
#46
Cora Would Like To Know If Her Mittens Are Legal Or Not
#47
Baby Reggie Void And His Murder Mittens
#48
I'm Being Threatened While Trying To Work From Home
#49
They Don't Call Him Charlie Scissorpaws For Nothing!
#50
This Is Chub. Chub Likes To Show Off His Claws
#52
Ow That's My Knee!
Yettichild 2 years ago
I think pretty much everyone looking at this post knows what this feels like.
#54
Murder Mitten On The Kitchen Cabinet. It’s His Safe Space, No One Is Welcome
#56
He Is Really Gentle. But My God, He Has Scary Murder Mittens
#57
I Was Nearly Attacked By A Tiger At Work Today
#58
Jeepers Creepers Where Did You Get Those Eyes?
#59
Mama Asparagus Does A Murder Mitten Stretch!
#61
Loki, Prince Of Darkness, Defending His Bat-Cave
#63
Talk To The Mitten!
#64
Beware Of Drumstick!
#65
They Only Come Out When He's Been Hitting The Nip
#66
Orange Gollum Of The Carpet Cave Has Had Enough Of Your S**t
#69
"Go Ahead... Poke Me Again, Human"
#70
Our New Kitten, Stiorra
#72
Sometimes Salem Likes To Hold My Finger Out Of Love. Most Times It's A Threat
#74
I Was Told That My Fearsome Baby Belongs Here
#76
I Wouldn't Let Him Eat The Lizard He Found In The House
#77
When I Don’t Convert My Standing Desk To A Sitting Desk (Cat Bed A La Lap) Fast Enough, The Threats Come Out
#79
My MIL’s House Panther And His Murder Mittens
#80
My Boss Is Such A Micromanager!
#82
Took A Nap And Woke Up To This
#84
Mr Enzo Basking In The Afternoon Sun With His Murder Mittens Casually On Display
#86
Basil Is So Ready To Supervise The Build Of The New Pig Shelter
#89
The Deadly Stare For Food
#90
Just One Claw From Each Mitten
#93
Met These Tiny Murder Mittens On The Bus Today
#96
Got My First Shot Of Those Murder Mittens! **which Prompted Me To Trim Them After Breakfast 😅
#97
Toe Splay
#100
I’m Being Threatened
#101
Stretching Those Mittens
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What do you think ?
Deborah Harris2 2 years ago
Too many kitties ( something I never thought I would say) so readers give up half way through commenting and leave half of them unseen when you make the cut to top 50 ... such a shame :( They are all gorgeous xx
Little L 2 years ago
Don't you guys ever clip your cat's claws? If they are indoor cats their claws can get too long and cause them to get stuck in things + it can hurt them. Start when they are small so they get used to it! Just a tip.
Moosy Girl 2 years ago
It is the last uncrossed bridge with my fluffy void (found her when she was already grown). It’s very frustrating as she immediately panics whenever she gets a claw stuck on something. I try training her whenever she just had her nails clipped by the vet, but she would sooner dislocate a shoulder to escape than allow herself to be held still or swaddled. >.<
Load More Replies...
Deborah Harris2 2 years ago
Let that bebe in ... or out :D What a cutie x
Load More Replies... SandyB 2 years ago
I had a Murder claw poke an ankle artery and blood spurted at least a foot. (2 bananas) Direct pressure shut it down, but what if I'd been sleeping?
Diolla 2 years ago
Proving that you CAN be murdered by a cat. You're lucky to be alive! LOL
Load More Replies...
GadgetGirl 2 years ago
Don't do it. We had two cats, and a dog when a stray cockatiel found us. The group took her in and I'd often find her on the cat post with the cats plucking out their loose hairs. Then I found a stray kitten. Whose joy was to race down the hall and land hanging on the side of the bird cage and scare the bird.
Load More Replies...
Diolla 2 years ago (edited)
Once stayed in a hotel in Gambia where there were feral cats. The boss cat (a female) chose to come sleep in my room from time to time. I once tried playing with her. Until I saw the size of her claws. Twice as big as my cat back home. These cats hunt for a living and Gambian rats are huge, so she knows how to use them. No playtime for us then. PS Hotel also had monkeys but definetely did not let those in my room.
Son of Philosoraptor 2 years ago
I stayed in Jerusalem for a month when I was in college. This lovely little fawn colored cat attached itself to me, and for a week slept in the dorm room and was a great little friend for my roommate and myself. Then we got "caught" and she had to go back out.
Load More Replies...
Mason Kronol 2 years ago
The Chances Of You Getting Killed By A Cat Are Low, But Never Zero: As a person who went to the ER after I tried to break up my indoor cats fighting I can say it is possible to die from a cat bite/scratch.Get your tetanus shot! Cat Scratch Fever May be a crappy song but it's a real disease. I had a relative hospitalized because of it.
Ellie Ahmed 2 years ago
Also try to clean any bites/scratches and keep them covered them with a dressing while they're open. They are some of the most common infected wounds we see people come into hospital with. That goes for both cat and dog owners
Load More Replies...
Illustrious G 2 years ago
I had a foster kitten scratch down the back of my hand about 3 years ago. It must have been mildly infected because it took forever to heal and hurt for longer than it ever should have. I realized recently that I still have the long, white scar line down the back of my hand. What a “nice” souvenir to remember her by! 😣
Deborah Harris2 2 years ago
Too many kitties ( something I never thought I would say) so readers give up half way through commenting and leave half of them unseen when you make the cut to top 50 ... such a shame :( They are all gorgeous xx
Little L 2 years ago
Don't you guys ever clip your cat's claws? If they are indoor cats their claws can get too long and cause them to get stuck in things + it can hurt them. Start when they are small so they get used to it! Just a tip.
Moosy Girl 2 years ago
It is the last uncrossed bridge with my fluffy void (found her when she was already grown). It’s very frustrating as she immediately panics whenever she gets a claw stuck on something. I try training her whenever she just had her nails clipped by the vet, but she would sooner dislocate a shoulder to escape than allow herself to be held still or swaddled. >.<
Load More Replies... Deborah Harris2 2 years ago
Let that bebe in ... or out :D What a cutie x
Load More Replies... SandyB 2 years ago
I had a Murder claw poke an ankle artery and blood spurted at least a foot. (2 bananas) Direct pressure shut it down, but what if I'd been sleeping?
Diolla 2 years ago
Proving that you CAN be murdered by a cat. You're lucky to be alive! LOL
Load More Replies... GadgetGirl 2 years ago
Don't do it. We had two cats, and a dog when a stray cockatiel found us. The group took her in and I'd often find her on the cat post with the cats plucking out their loose hairs. Then I found a stray kitten. Whose joy was to race down the hall and land hanging on the side of the bird cage and scare the bird.
Load More Replies... Diolla 2 years ago (edited)
Once stayed in a hotel in Gambia where there were feral cats. The boss cat (a female) chose to come sleep in my room from time to time. I once tried playing with her. Until I saw the size of her claws. Twice as big as my cat back home. These cats hunt for a living and Gambian rats are huge, so she knows how to use them. No playtime for us then. PS Hotel also had monkeys but definetely did not let those in my room.
Son of Philosoraptor 2 years ago
I stayed in Jerusalem for a month when I was in college. This lovely little fawn colored cat attached itself to me, and for a week slept in the dorm room and was a great little friend for my roommate and myself. Then we got "caught" and she had to go back out.
Load More Replies... Mason Kronol 2 years ago
The Chances Of You Getting Killed By A Cat Are Low, But Never Zero: As a person who went to the ER after I tried to break up my indoor cats fighting I can say it is possible to die from a cat bite/scratch.Get your tetanus shot! Cat Scratch Fever May be a crappy song but it's a real disease. I had a relative hospitalized because of it.
Ellie Ahmed 2 years ago
Also try to clean any bites/scratches and keep them covered them with a dressing while they're open. They are some of the most common infected wounds we see people come into hospital with. That goes for both cat and dog owners
Load More Replies... Illustrious G 2 years ago
I had a foster kitten scratch down the back of my hand about 3 years ago. It must have been mildly infected because it took forever to heal and hurt for longer than it ever should have. I realized recently that I still have the long, white scar line down the back of my hand. What a “nice” souvenir to remember her by! 😣
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