Research overview: surplus killing and prey-handling in felids

Cats sometimes kill more prey than they consume, a phenomenon called surplus killing that appears when vulnerable prey is abundant and the killing response is repeatedly triggered. This overview surveys observations across domestic and wild felids, linking surplus killing to the partial independence of the predatory motor sequence from hunger. It also covers prey-handling behaviours such as the prolonged batting and releasing of live prey, often interpreted as a way to fatigue dangerous quarry and reduce the hunter's injury risk. The topic explains behaviours that puzzle and dismay cat owners while grounding them in the modular organisation of feline predation.