How do kittens learn to kill?

The short answer is that they do not need to learn how to perform the killing action, but it does help if they get some instruction from their mother. Kittens reared by scientists, in isolation from the mother cat, were able to kill prey when given live rodents for the first time. Not all these kittens succeeded, however. Out of twenty tested, only nine killed and only three of those actually ate their kills. Kittens reared in a rodent-killing environment, where they could witness kills but never saw the prey eaten, were much more successful. Eighteen out of twenty-one such kittens tested were killers and nine of these actually ate their kills.

Interestingly, of eighteen kittens reared in the company of rodents, only three became rodent-killers later on. The other fifteen could not be trained to kill later by seeing other cats killing. For them the rodents had become 'family' and were no longer 'prey'. Even the three killers would not attack rodents of the same species as the one with which they were reared. Although it is clear that there is an inborn killing pattern with kittens, this pattern can be damaged by unnatural rearing conditions.

Conversely, really efficient killers have to experience a kittenhood which exposes them to as much hunting and killing as possible. The very best hunters are those which, as youngsters, were able to accompany their mother on the prowl and watch her dealing with prey.

Also, at a more tender age, they benefited from her bringing prey to the nest to show them. If the mother does not bring prey to the kittens in the nest between the sixth and twentieth week of their lives, they will be far less efficient as hunters in later life.