Just a question ive always wondered, since i have a cat, that loves mice, but we've got none.. :(
2006-08-17 15:46:48 · 21 answers · asked by Sarj 2 in Pets ➔ Cats
It probably all boils down to finances. It would take a lot of mice to make one bag of food. They have to be kept really clean and eat lots of grains. It's cheaper for pet food companies to use by-products from human grade meat. It is still good meat, just parts we don't normally eat. And you can feed a whole lot more cats with a bunch of cow leftovers than having to use hundreds of mice! Just a thought! :)
2006-08-17 16:05:29 · answer #1 · answered by KimbeeJ 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I was told by a premium pet food rep that is it actually the smell of food the cat is responding to and not the taste. So do they make mouse-smelling food?
Or lizard and bug?
Economics woudl be the answer, as somebody has already pointed out.
2006-08-17 23:25:43 · answer #2 · answered by Zoo 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
After chickens, fish and beef are processed for human consumption, the leftover stuff, such as fish heads, are used to make animal food. Because the processing companies don't use mice for human consumption, they wouldn't have leftover mice parts to make cat food.
Also, you have animal groups that think it is just so terrible if cats and dogs eat other dead animal. If they have their way, all cats and dogs would eat soybean food.
Little kids eat cat food. Would your mom like it if you tried mice catfood when you were little?
2006-08-17 23:03:17 · answer #3 · answered by Amanda J 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Because the cats don't buy that cat food. People do. And people don't like the idea of mouse-flavored anything, so it wouldn't sell.
2006-08-17 23:20:19 · answer #4 · answered by Smart Kat 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because scientists are too lazy to analize what makes a rat taste so good to cats and how to make that into an edible suppliment 4 cats.
2006-08-17 22:52:48 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have to agree with Jennifer. I think it's the chase, not the taste. My cats have never actually eaten mice. They just play with them and leave them to be cleaned up by me.
2006-08-17 23:01:42 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Good question!
I've been wondering that for years!
With modern technology they wouldn't even have to make it out of mice. They can make anything taste like anything. I've even seen hamburger-flavored potato chips! (I am NOT making that up!) So they could do it...
2006-08-17 23:06:51 · answer #7 · answered by Mick 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Mice are not meaty enough, so cats really don't prefer mice. They like to play with mice, but not eat them.
2006-08-17 23:11:30 · answer #8 · answered by openupthemic 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think that is a good idea. Although some people might get upset if they go to the store and see a bag with "real mouse bits" in it.
2006-08-17 22:54:27 · answer #9 · answered by alleycat 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, we know what chicken, fish and beef taste like – would you want to be the one who had to figure out artificial mouse flavoring?
2006-08-17 23:28:21 · answer #10 · answered by Reality Chic 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋