Dome cat owners may wonder why their beloved feline pet loves to eat mice, even if they’ve been fed a bowl full of commercial cat food. They could research the cat’s ancestry, biology, and wiring to find the answer.
Almost a century ago, cats were mostly outdoor animals. Since cats tend to be exceptional hunters, people keep them for pest control. Those who want to see them hunt in action can watch the behavior of African wildcats, their closest wild cousins. These nocturnal animals hunt mainly at night. They have very accurate hearing which allows them to find their prey based solely on auditory clues. African wildcats mainly hunt birds, insects, mice, rats, and small reptiles. They rarely drink water and only obtain moisture from the prey they consume.
Cats devour their prey in order to obtain an essential amino acid called taurine. Unlike other animals, the taurine that cats produce is not enough, so they need to take it in their diet. The meat has the right amount of taurine to meet a cat’s body’s needs, making them so-called “obligate carnivores.” Commercially available cat foods contain taurine.
Although domestic cats behave in a similar way, human protection has encouraged and managed their ability to hunt during the day and night. In general, cats are born to hunt. At 6 weeks old, the kittens already pounce on their food. Hunting is a cat’s natural survival instinct. Cats usually hunt cautiously, slowly approaching their prey by crawling on their bellies towards it before it pounces.
Domestic cats that stay indoors hunt less than those that live outdoors, since there are no mice to catch. In the wild, feral kittens are taught by their mothers how to kill their prey. Domestic cats rarely develop this ability. For this reason, they are seen playing with what they catch or taking a mouse to its owner as an “offering” since most do not know how to kill one.
Cat lovers should understand that it is normal for your favorite pet to catch a mouse and eat it. Although this may seem disgusting to them, for cats it is normal and, above all, it is fun. Hunting is a natural behavior among cats, and they need to exercise this skill even if they are hunting for their toys or a feathered fishing rod. In case domestic cats go hunting, their owners should remember to deworm them twice a year, since rodents are carriers of intestinal parasites that can infect them just like humans.
