Why do cats eat mice ? Many cat owners are also wondering about this question and want to understand it thoroughly. Furthermore, is eating mice good for cats’ bodies?
1. Why do cats eat mice?
Many people wonder why cats eat mice ? In fact, we often see cats and mice as two animals that are hostile to each other. Every time a cat sees a mouse, it chases after it, catches it, and even kills and eats it. So why do cats eat mice?
Cats are inherently wild animals with the instinct to hunt for prey to eat. They specialize in hunting at night and rats are often animals that appear everywhere and are easy to find. So the mouse accidentally becomes the cat’s prey. Within sight, the cat will hunt and eat the mouse.
Another reason is that the cat’s body needs to replenish an amino acid called taurine (diaminethano sulfonic acid). This substance is present in the body of mice, so cats eat mice to provide the necessary amount of taurine.
Due to the characteristics of cats, they often like small animals and moving animals to pounce on. Mice are also animals that are active at night and rummage through furniture. Cats want to protect their homes and furniture, so they will find ways to eliminate mice.
2. Do cats really eat mice?
You know why cats eat mice , so do all cats like to eat mice? Cats’ instinct is to hunt, so they often stalk and chase mice whenever they see them. However, not every cat catches mice and then kills and eats them. There are cats that eat mice, there are also cats that just play and let go or kill but do not eat.
Cats raised indoors and given adequate food by their owners will not eat mice when they are full. Raised and trained cats are not as interested in mouse meat as people think.
Feral cats and cats living in the wild without care are different. They catch mice and eat meat to provide food and necessary nutrients for the body. So it’s not like they just play with mice. Because they have no one to take care of them and are not fed enough, they have to hunt and find food on their own.
3. Is it okay for cats to eat mice?
Cats eating mice is not a rare thing, they happen a lot. However, from a medical and nutritional perspective, cats eating mice is not good, bringing many health risks.
Rats are omnivores, they eat whatever they find. They hide anywhere and are easily infected with many diseases, so the mouse’s body is not clean. Even mice in the house or mice in the wild are not good and are not ideal food.
Rats can be infected with helminths, parasites such as Toxoplasma Gondii, etc. Therefore, when cats eat rats, they are likely to be infected with dangerous diseases that can seriously affect their lives.
Therefore, feeding mice to cats is completely unacceptable. It can both endanger the cat’s health and can transmit diseases from cats to humans. It can also make it dangerous for people living with cats.
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4. Ways to prevent cats from eating mice
Because cats eating mice is dangerous and completely unhealthy, cat owners need to find different ways to prevent that from happening. Below are suggestions on this issue:
- Feed your cat a nutritious diet with enough food to fill his stomach and make him no longer hungry to hunt, look for food outside and catch mice to eat meat.
- Clean the house carefully, throw away leftover food neatly so mice no longer visit, or use mouse traps to catch mice
- Wear a rattle for your cat when it runs, jumps or walks and makes noise. When the mouse hears it and runs away, there is no longer a chance for the cat to catch it and eat it.