Why Cats Catch Mice If They Don't Like Them?
Surprise! Many people might be taken aback by this fact. But actually, the issue that has puzzled us for years is not as difficult to unravel as it may seem. Let's delve into the mysteries of our feline friends together.
The fundamental reason behind cats' predilection for hunting mice is their need to obtain a specific amino acid called taurine, which they cannot synthesize on their own. Longterm deficiency of taurine in a cat's diet can lead to a variety of health issues affecting different organs.
Vision: Taurine deficiency can cause a decline in a cat's eyesight, making them effectively blind at night, and potentially leading to complete blindness.
Heart: It may also result in heart muscle malfunction, leading to heart failure.
Digestion: It can disrupt bile secretion, hinder nutrient absorption, and cause digestive difficulties.
Reproductive Function: In female cats, it can lead to reproductive failure, affecting their ability to carry and deliver healthy kittens.
Growth: In kittens, a lack of taurine can severely impact future brain development and growth.
Immune System: A deficiency can weaken the cat's immune response, leading to various diseases affecting the liver and gastrointestinal system.
Therefore, cats that cannot produce enough taurine must rely on their hunting to meet their dietary needs. In everyday life, besides mice, cats also hunt fish, birds, and frogs, which are relatively easy to catch. Perhaps the reason mice are so favored by cats is that they, like cats, are nocturnal, abundant in number, and easy to capture.
Interestingly, cats are particularly drawn to the taste of fat. Foods rich in protein and taurine, such as salmon and beef, can bring cats immense joy and satisfaction. When wellfed, cats generally do not seek out mice. So, the pet cats we keep at home have no need for mice; a wellbalanced cat food can fully meet their nutritional requirements.
Some friends have mentioned that their cats don't eat mice but still catch them every night. Why is that?
1. The Cat's Hunting Instinct: As a member of the cat family, cats have an innate hunting desire. Wild cats in the cat family have a certain amount of prey to hunt daily, using this to exercise their bodies and maintain their peak hunting abilities. Domesticated pet cats may have started to lose this skill.
2. Excess Energy Consumption: Cats are most active at night, and whether in the city or the wild, nocturnal animals are most commonly found in the form of mice. How could cats ignore such a playmate? That's why we often see cats playing with a captured mouse.
Now you understand the relationship between cats and mice. Catching mice is a good thing for cats, as it helps reduce the rodent population in our living environment, improves our living conditions, and reduces the spread of diseases and the harm caused by parasites to humans. However, mice are not the cats' favorite food.
