Is it bad to feed my cat mice?

Question

every once in a while i pick up a feeder mouse at the pet store for like a couple bucks. i think its fun to play with it and the kitty seems to have fun.

i think it helps bc lately the kitties have been bringing a lot of moles and mice to my porch.

Answer 1

It's probably just fine.

I've been researching the whole prey diet, and the topic of feeding mice came up.

Since it's not a staple of your cat's diet, I don't know that you need to worry about what they were fed (there was some discussion about proper diet for mice so they'd be extra nutritious).

However, I've heard that it's best for the mice to be frozen to death as that would kill off any diseases or whatever the mice had. It was also recommended that you check with local "herpers" to see where they get their mice. (Herpers are those who own reptiles, perhaps just snakes, who of course are fed mice).

I do tend to get a bit obsessive about things and maybe am looking into this too deeply. On the other hand, we all now know that we can't necessarily trust that what we feed our pets is good.

If it were me, I'd try to find out the source of the mice and contact them to learn more about how the mice are acquired, raised, fed and killed.

EDIT: LIVE mice! lol I assumed you were picking up the frozen dead ones. But regardless, what I said stands - find out more about these mice.

Answer 2

First off what did you buy from the pet store? FEEDER MICE!
So if you didn't buy it I guess the guy at the pet store was going to take little Mickey out to a happy green Field and set it free? NOT!!! All of those mice in the cage have one destiny...Food.
Also remember that pet food is marketed for People and not pets because if the kitty was pushing the shopping cart the labels on the cat food would read..Canned mouse, Bugs-N-Stuff...Stinky Fish Parts...etc.
But I have to admit that watching a cat and mouse is kinda gruesome...There is never mercy for the little mouse.

Answer 3

It's certainly great food for your cat if you have the stomach for it. Personally I have issues about its being "sporting" as the mouse does not have any chance to escape its fate.

The problem would be that once the cat learns that a mouse is a good food it can be in danger from mice or rodents caught outside where there is the possibility of secondary poisoning if the rodents have been baited with it and consumed it. The cat will die from eating a poisoned rodent.

Answer 4

It's probably not the best idea...

People who say it's nature are wrong. In nature, the prey usually escapes.

Cats can have just as much fun stalking a wind up toy, laser pointer or something of the like. Since live mice are not a necessary part of a cat's diet, I say give the mice a break.

Answer 5

But it isn't fun for the mouse. Really, there's no need for that, you know. I rescue the mice my cats would catch when we were in the old place.

Answer 6

Yes

Answer 7

we live with 6 cats and they get their food from us, still they all hunt in the garden for mice. they bring them as gifts, sometimes half eaten, sometimes complete. it is absolutely in their nature to hunt, unfortunately they sometimes bring birds as well, which I realy hate. i suggest you play with your cat otherwise, there is no need to feed them live mice. those are intended for reptiles i guess. your cat will still hunt for the preys by itself.

Answer 8

Its not bad it is just mean to the mice, i mean i wouldnt feed a pet a live animals unless i had to ( in a way) let the cat catch her own prey. PLEASE

Answer 9

my kitten catches and eats the wild mice that came in during the winter. sometimes she puts them in my shoes as gifts. it is perfectly normal for them to go after rodents. as far as getting live ones and bringing them into your house well if they get away you will have a big problem later getting them out of your house

Answer 10

some may say it is cruel-but that is a cat's nature and that is what they love-i personally wouldn't do it-but it's not bad!