In nature many animals gather items useful for their survival. Birds accumulate nesting materials. Squirrels and other rodents stow away food and also bring to their nest bedding and burrowing materials. Wolves bury bones and leftover food from meals that they will return for later.

Do cats collect items and stockpile? It is a question often asked and little understood. In the wild cats are not known for their gathering, though many pet owners notice behavior of this sort and wonder about it. One common conduct is a cat that routinely piles toys next to, or drops toys into, her food or water bowl.

In the wild, mama cats will bring to the nest both dead and live prey as a method to introduce new foods for their kittens to eat as nourishment and also to learn to kill on their own—in a safe environment.

Perhaps in the gathering of toys and other items our domestic cat is motivated by her belief that the toy is "prey" of some sort since it is deposited in the area where she eats and feels safe and at ease.

Many believe this theory and others believe the cat is actually gathering what she considers to be her offspring (the toys) and delivering them to the place of food.

A mother cat will collect wandering kittens and return them to their nest, and at times she will gather her kittens and bring them to different locations for safety’s sake by carrying them by the back of the neck.

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