Have you ever watched a bird play with a worm it intends to eat?

Not unlike a cat playing with a mouse, it is remarkably cruel. However birds, nor cats, have our complex thoughts and emotions… so is it intentional? This play?

The other day, I watched a robin tear apart a fat earthworm… piece by piece. He picked it up, tossed it, pecked at it, watched it squirm, and repeated this process. For several minutes.

Note, I mentioned that birds and cats do NOT have our complex thoughts and emotions. Yet, are humans any better?

After all, we still play with our prey. It’s still instinctual. On some level, we’re aware we’re doing this—and we still continue the game.

Are the animals really cruel? Do they “know” what they are doing on some level?

Humans—we’re probably cruel.

But it is so much fun.