Through domestication, modern-day cats have abandoned a lot of traits of their wild ancestors. That being said, your fluffy friend is still a predator at heart which means it instinctively keeps an eye out for prey in the surrounding. Squirrels, sparrows, lizards,... all sorts of animals may fall victim to the felines. But if there is one thing that always makes the pets spring into action without delays, it must be the sight of mice squeaking around. Considering the fact that mice excite cats greatly, mouse-flavored cat food should be quite popular, right?
Need to know more about mouse-flavored cat food before giving it to your cat? If that is the case, this article is for you. Take a good look at the following information in order to make a wise decision.
Why Products Like That Rarely Show Up: It's Unattractive
Generally speaking, all manufacturers of cat food nowadays strive to introduce balanced products that provide pets with enough nutrients. However, to actually get the products to the felines, the brands have to make everything look attractive in the eyes of one party: cat parents.
While you may want to give your furball natural meals on a daily basis, you likely favor products that compose of ingredients familiar to humans. As a result, when people head out to buy cat food, they often invest in products with pork, beef, fish and alike on the label. So how about mouse-flavored cat food? Well, when pet owners hear about it, the first thing that comes to their mind is usually "Ew". Needless to say, manufacturers of cat food know that well so it's only natural that they use ingredients that don't turn customers away.
The Content: No Mouse Inside
Mouse flavored cat food employ artificial ingredients in order to formulate the taste so it's safe to say that the content is mouse-free. But why manufacturers of cat food don't use actual mice to make the products? There are 2 main reasons here: current regulations and projected costs.
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Current Regulations
Using mouse as a food source is forbidden by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) which hold pet food to the same standards as human food. Additionally, the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), which is an organization that set up guidelines for the nutrient value of pet food, also frown on the use of mouse meat in cat food. As a result, to make products with mouse flavor, brands must resort to artificial means instead of using real mice. That fact is unlikely to change in the foreseeable future.
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Projected Costs
After all, the competitive nature of the industry demands that manufacturers of cat food make profits to stay in business. Because of that, every radical change to the line of product needs to be thoroughly assessed to determine the profitability.
As the average mouse weighs around 0.68 ounces:
- A 3-ounce can need 4.4 mice
- A case of 24 3-ounce cans need 106 mice
- A mid-sized pet store sells about 100 cases a year which needs 10,600 mice
From the numbers, it's easy to see that to introduce mouse meat into the market of cat food, the brands must make substantial investments. Obviously, with readily available ingredients such as chicken around, it's illogical for manufacturers of pet food to switch suddenly.
Check us out for further detailed cat's health guide!
Do Cats Happen To Like Such Food: Maybe, Maybe Not
"As long as my cat likes it, I would consider buying some now and then" some people think to themselves. In case you have the same opinion, let's see how the felines feel about mouse-flavored cat food.
Of course, cats could eat mice. Sometimes, your fluffy friend even decides to share its spoils with you as well. To wake up one morning with a half-eaten mouse carcass right by your side is surely an unforgettable experience. Nonetheless, it's worth noting that most cats prefer the thrill of the hunt than the taste of mouse meat while going after the rodent. That is why it's common to see cats playing with captured mice without making a meal out of them. To the pets, messing with helpless preys is more fulfilling
Raw Feed: An Excellent Way To Make A Natural Diet
Nowadays, more and more pet owners consider giving their cats whole preys which mimics what they eat in the wild. For people that want to keep things natural, raw feed is a great alternative compared to mouse-flavored cat food. That being said, if you elect to go with this kind of feed, you have to remember a couple of rules to protect your furball.
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Refrain From Using Live Mice
"In the wild, cats must learn to kill their prey so it's best to feed my pet live mice?" Actually, you have to avoid giving your fluffy friend live mice because: 1/ animals fight back aggressively once cornered and 2/ a lot of cats don't know how to hunt properly. All things considered, to reduce the risk of injuries to the felines, people should use frozen mice in raw feeding. Before mealtime, thaw the frozen mice in warm water before serving them to your furball. Overall, around 2 – 3 mice would be sufficient for the average cats.
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Keep Watch Over The Pets
For cats that have eaten canned food for a long time, the mice look more like toys instead of foods. Therefore, it's strongly recommended that you supervise the first few meals that use mice. In most cases, it's a good idea to cut the mice in half beforehand in order to let the cats have a taste of the inner blood. Doing that should make the pets understand that what lay in front of them is delicious food, not chewing toys. It's going to be a bit messy but the felines would settle in eventually.
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Take Care Of The Leftovers
Assuming that you manage to plan everything correctly, your fluffy friend shall leave nothing behind. However, in the case you find leftovers, get rid of them as soon as possible. Half-eaten mice would cause all sorts of troubles to your family and your pet.
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