Cats and mice

Our local pet store has started selling things for reptiles, and one of the things they sell is frozen pre-packed mice. The guy in the store told me that the mice are not just for reptiles and actually make a really good treat for cats (you have to defrost them first).

He says he gives a mouse every few weeks to his cat and the cat eats it whole. He says it's a really great treat and natural and I should try mine. On one hand, I see what he's saying - it is only meat, and it's a meat that they would catch naturally, it's safe to eat because it's been raised indoors for the pet trade so there are no chemicals etc. but I'm just worried that it's not safe for them to eat this sort of thing - including the bones and everything!

So is it safe? Is it healthy? Is it a good natural treat? Would you feed this sort of "whole meat" product to your cats as a treat?

Is he just trying to get me to spend money? It is actually not expensive though, cheaper to buy a whole frozen mouse than a processed cat treat.

 

I'd never heard of such a thing and I don't think I could ever do it (in fact, if I ever get a reptile, I will intentionally shop for one that will never need anything larger than a cricket). But I looked it up, and apparently a number of people do this.

Now my pizza is here, so I'm going to stop researching this.

 

Oho, what a marketing idea! No, not for me. If I want my cats to eat mice, I let them do the catching themselves. That's what cats are supposed to do, catch mice. Right?

 

I wouldn't do it. Even when my cats catch a mouse they don't eat it; they present it to me and then I throw it away.

 

I have seen one of my mother cats doing just that. She would go hunting in the undergrowth behind the house and come back with all kinds of presents. Sometimes, she brings back small birds. At other times, she brings back small lizards. She would give it to her kittens to play.

 

I don't see that it would be a problem and my cats do sometimes eat the mice that they catch, but it still seems a bit weird for some reason. If only we could ask the cats themselves lol

 

Wouldn't it be great if our animals could talk to us and tell us what we're doing wrong or right. In Bella's case I have a feeling there would be more that I'm doing wrong than right. LOL

 

Actually if you look at your cats or dogs in the eyes, they will be able to tell you a lot. I kind of suspect that our pets have some kind of telepathic power.

 

I wouldn't give it to them, but that's because I don't like them dragging a carcass through our house. If you want to give them a healthy treat there are other options for raw food as well. Actually there are quite some threads on this forum about raw food, and certain people that will be able to tell you a lot about it. As with humans, balanced food is good for cats. There are certain rates of meat from muscles, heart, kidneys, etc. for a good balance that people use when making their own food. You have to put bones or a substitute for the bones in there as well. There is much to learn if you want to get it right, but it's said to be very healthy. For the time being my cats get food that is raw or as natural as possible, though from a store and not home made or I give them meat that is cooked. I want to look into raw food some more but haven't had the time up till now because I was very busy graduating.

 

Ooh I could never do that as I've had a couple of mice as pets! I'm sure your cat would love it though.. just make sure it's safe.

 

Here's a cat and mouse that seems to be getting on very well:

 

If only my cat could be so gentle and loving with mice. I love mice (especially field mice) but my cat goes crazy over them. She spent all of her time looking in the cage, probably plotting her next move so she would be able to eat her.. lol

 

If only my cat could be so gentle and loving with mice. I love mice (especially field mice) but my cat goes crazy over them. She spent all of her time looking in the cage, probably plotting her next move so she would be able to eat her.. lol

 

I thinks you guessed right about your cat. It's definitely figuring out how to unlock the door. In the meantime, it's trying to decide whether the mice taste better fried or roasted.

 

A mice once snuck into my den and we tried to put our cats in there to get it, but they caused more havoc than the darn mice. They went wild and crazy and didn't catch a fly. I wanted to put one of the street cats that I feed in there, but he probably would have bit me!

 

Sounds like either your cats had a prior non-violence pact with the mice. Or they are making sure they won't make the mistake of finding one. Like this cat here:

 

I wouldn't do it.. My cats love to catch mice, but eatting them is another story.

 

My last cat (indoorutdoor) used to love catching, playing with, and then eating mice. Although she always seemed to leave just 1 little organ behind.... Never did figure out which piece it was she wouldn't eat. This is the only way I would let her eat mice. I would not buy mice for an indoor cat. If they want to catch and eat, fine- its natural.

 

Yes, I have met cats that do that, too. There was one tabby that was a very good mouser. One mouse a day keeps the sun shining seems to be its personal motto. So it would catch a mouse. Then bring it to me. Lay the dead mouse at my feet, more or less. Not really sure what the cat was thinking. Maybe it's showing me that it had earned its keep for the day. Or maybe it was hoping I might cook the mouse and share it with the cat. Any ideas?

 

I woukd never give my cats this type of treats. I wouldn't want tso freeze and defrost such treats. This preparation would be unappealing to me. I've never heard of this type of treas for cats. I wounder what cat lovers will end up hearing next. Even if someone comes up with a mice jerky, I still couldn't give my cats something like that.