Why do cats bring home dead animals?

Domestic cats retain strong hunting instincts even when well fed. In the wild, mother cats bring prey back to the den to feed their kittens and teach them to eat. One popular theory is that pet cats extend this behaviour to their human household, perhaps seeing the owner as part of their social group who needs to be provided for. Another view is that home is simply the safest place to consume or cache prey. Cats that bring live prey may be attempting to teach hunting, much as a mother would. The behaviour is more common in female cats, consistent with the maternal teaching theory.