Research overview: maternal effects on kitten predatory behaviour

Classic developmental research showed that mother cats shape how their kittens come to treat prey, with kittens that observe their mother killing and eating prey more likely to become efficient predators of that prey type. This overview surveys studies on maternal tuition, the bringing of dead and then live prey to the nest, and the interaction of observation, practice, and motivation in the emergence of hunting. It addresses how early experience and the mother's example influence prey preferences and killing competence. The topic underlies modern discussion of why some pet cats hunt avidly while others show little interest in prey.