student asking question

Why is "cat prey" used here instead of "cat's prey"?

teacher

Native speaker’s answer

Rebecca

“Cat’s prey” might be acceptable in other situations, but it sounds awkward in this context. Remember that “‘s” is used to show a possessive relationship, but “cat prey” is meant to simply be a noun here. The speaker is not trying to emphasize that this prey belongs to cats specifically. Emphasis and context are also important! Ex: Car tires have to be replaced every few years. Ex: The car’s tires looked old and worn down.

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