If a kitten ate a poisoned mouse what to do at home

The fun process of catching rodents

This cute, fluffy, affectionate creature is a natural enemy of field mice, house mice, and rats. Pests cannot even stand the smell of cats; they avoid their property and fear for their lives.

In cats, the huntress instinct is genetically embedded. Even when well-fed, she will not miss the moment to chase a mouse that suddenly appears. The process itself gives pleasure - to catch, not to miss. But whether to kill, eat or not depends on other factors.

Interesting!

A study was conducted in the USA. They crossed purebred cats and yard cats with one cat. The kittens were swapped after they were born. Purebred cats were raised by yard cats. As a result, it turned out that everyone had developed hunting skills. Mothers regularly brought small rodents to their kittens. But further actions were different. The yard worker killed in cold blood, showed how it should be done to the kittens, and gave them to them to eat. The thoroughbred was limited to playing. The conclusion followed was that in order for kittens to start catching mice and eating them, an example is needed. Instinct alone is not enough; skills are also required.

What is a cat for?

If you have mice or rats in your home, the best way to get rid of them is to buy mousetraps. But some owners of summer cottages do not find much pleasure in removing the bloody corpses of rodents from these structures. And various poisoned baits that mice eat will become a huge problem due to the fact that the poisoned mouse will die somewhere under the floor, and the unpleasant smell of a decomposing body will begin to spread throughout the house. In order to avoid all these troubles, you need to take home a cat or kitten that can be taught to hunt rodents.

Reasons for eating rodents

When asked why cats eat mice, the answer always arises - because of hunger. The situation when a skinny cat sees a dead rodent and is in no hurry to touch it has dispelled this myth. Then why does the cat eat the mouse?

Nature has established an inextricable connection between cats and rodents. Mouse skin contains many useful trace elements, especially sulfur. They are necessary for the full development of the cat’s body and good health. Sulfur is a component of cystine and mythionine. The components are responsible for the health, beautiful coat, and mood of the cat. Meat should be included in the daily diet. In its absence, pets begin to get their own food.

On a note!

Indoor cats will not chew mice, since their supply of sulfur comes with vitamins, which the owner constantly supplies them with. There is no feeling of hunger and access to food is unlimited. Therefore, you can see a cat eating a mouse on the street among the yard “residents”.

Disadvantages of eating rodents

Can a cat eat mice? It sounds strange. These are two components of one chain. Cats should eat rodents in the wild, live indoors, but be outdoors frequently. In modern conditions, there are several risks from which pets should be protected.

• Cats should not be allowed to eat mice if there is a risk of poisoning. If neighbors use poison to control rodents, the cat receives a dose of mouse poison.
• The hunter should regularly receive medications against helminths, fleas, and ticks. Rodents are the main distributors of parasites. The pet must be protected.
• All routine vaccinations are required. Mice spread many terrible diseases. Some of them are transmitted to humans through pets after contact with a mouse.

A cat brings prey into the house for several reasons - to brag about its achievement to its owners, to “feed” them, to hide them from barn cats, to eat them later, as a reserve for a rainy day.

Cats eat mice, but not all of them. This requires not only hunting instincts, but also certain living conditions. Yard kittens are capable of conducting the most brutal hunt for rodents already at 5 months of age.

How to punish a cat?

Can cats have chocolate?

Find out why nature put the mouse in the cat's path and what the consequences are.

How to raise a hunter?

Some people wonder why a pet, even of the “right” breed, does not catch rodents. For a kitten to become a rat catcher, it must be raised correctly. It is important that his mother herself is a rat catcher and instills in the baby the necessary skills.

If you adhere to certain rules, you will definitely raise a good hunter:

1. Encourage the hunting instinct in your baby - praise the animal if it has caught prey.
2. Don't starve the animal. Otherwise, the cat will run away or start stealing food from neighbors, collecting in trash cans, and not catching the rat.
3. Your pet should be fed in small portions several times a day. The bowl of food should not be left standing all the time.
4. The rat catcher should be vaccinated against rabies. If a rat has injured an animal, contact a veterinarian immediately.

Raising a rat catcher on your own is problematic; for this reason, you should not take the kitten away from its mother early. The optimal age is 4–5 months.

Can cats eat mice?

Cat and mouse are inseparable concepts. All fairy tales, cartoons, jokes, commercials and literature tell and confirm this. In our heads, a cat and a mouse form a duet, inseparable from each other, like a black cat and bad luck.

Cats are not vegans

Cats are 100% carnivores. Yes, even a cat, lying in turn on the sofa or on the radiator, is a hunter at heart and it must eat meat. Even in him, instincts will always prevail and will never be completely destroyed.

What about a cat walking on the street?

Most of his free time is spent hunting for various prey, mainly mice. An adult wild cat eats about 10 mice a day. Why do our pets “catch” these rodents? They have good reasons for this.

Symptoms of animal poisoning

Refusal to eat and severe weakness are symptoms of intoxication.

The symptoms are characteristic of poisoning by poison, and not from the food that the cat ate.

Main manifestations of the problem:

• Complete refusal to eat;
• Severe weakness;
• Difficulty breathing for no apparent reason;
• Tachycardia;
• Internal bleeding;
• External bleeding
• High temperature (above 40 0);
• Vomited;
• A large number of bruises;
• Convulsions;
• Hypertonicity of the body and legs.

Why do cats catch and eat mice?

Mice have taurine. These small rodents contain up to five times more of this amino acid than beef, for example. And it just so happens that this is important for the functioning of a cat's body. So, you already know the answer to the question: why do cats eat mice? It is their meat that is the healthiest for them. Without taurine, a cat cannot function normally, and small kittens cannot grow normally and healthy. Its deficiency means the cat is at risk of serious illness and even death...

Perfect food

In addition to the necessary taurine, the cat receives a properly balanced diet with the help of the mouse. The size of the prey perfectly satisfies the pet's appetite - cats do not eat in reserve, they can only eat as much as their small belly can accommodate. A mouse seems like the perfect food. Cats eat the whole mouse carcass, leaving nothing of the small rodent. This way, they also quench their thirst because cats get most of the water their bodies need from their food. Mice also get some carbohydrates that have been found in the mouse's digestive tract. Cats don't actually need to consume more carbon than they do inside their prey.

More than just nutrients...

Nowadays, the domestic cat has much more food than running around and catching it for food. Therefore, if your cat complains about food and appetite, use a trick and get her to move. It really works! Let's return to rodents. Why do cats eat mice? In addition to being a well-balanced cat food, their appeal is enhanced by the mouse's tendency to run away. If she didn't do this, who knows if the cats would be equally interested in her?

Main breeds of rat catchers

Independent hunters are representatives of the Russian Blue breed. They become attached to only one owner, whom they are ready to protect from rodents. Athletic athletes - Chartreux cats - have a beautiful athletic physique, which helps in catching rats and mice.

Maine Coon

This ratcatcher cat is the largest breed; it is an intelligent and selective animal - a good hunter. The Maine Coon reacts with lightning speed to a rodent, and its powerful body and dexterous movements leave no chance for rats and mice. At the same time, he is a sweet and gentle creature who will purr with pleasure in his owner’s ear.

Siberian

The Siberian cat rarely becomes attached to humans, perhaps it has the “wild” blood of its ancestors. This balanced and powerful animal is considered the best rat hunter. Freedom is very important for an obstinate pet; the cat wants to walk outside from time to time. The Siberian cat is capable of developing great speed in running and jumping well. In addition, the animal has an excellent reaction.

European

The cat was common in ancient Rome. She copes well with the duties of a rat catcher. Each representative of this breed is an individual. The animal has a silver marbled or gray color.

Kurilian Bobtail

The animal was brought to us from the Kuril Islands. By their nature, the fluffies of this breed are similar to dogs. The little kitten quickly becomes attached to its owner and tries to take care of him.

Cats can not only deal with a rat, but also drive away a small dog that has entered their territory.

The Kurilian Bobtail has a small tail. The cat has elongated and powerful hind limbs, which allow him to jump and develop great speed while running. The Bobtail can cope with any rat's home.

Siamese

Humans have nothing to do with the breeding of this breed. Siamese cats are fast and graceful. They have a very well developed hunting instinct.

Why does a cat catch a mouse but not eat it?

It turns out that they have more important reasons for this than just a desire to have fun and increase hunting emotions. By forcing the mouse to intensely fight for life, the cat affects the production of lactic acid in the mouse's body - just like our muscles during a long run or workout. Since this acid has nutritional and palatable qualities for cats, this “tired mouse” is a more valuable food for them. This is cruel for us, but the cat is guided by its instinct. There is no point in saving such prey. The cat had probably already dealt her a fatal blow. What's happening? Is the victim still alive? The cause is a bacterium found in the saliva of most cats. This bacterium is Pasteurella. It causes apasteurellosis in the victim. If the animal is not given the medicine immediately, it will still die within 48 hours, even if it manages to escape from the cat's pursuer.

We should not stop our cat from hunting mice. The only prerequisite is the cat's safety. If we suspect mice are being poisoned in our area, be careful. Our pet can also be poisoned.

Hunting for mice is not a whim, but a vital need of small cats, at least those that do not sit at home, but are forced to earn their daily food by the sweat of their faces. Mice are a unique supplier of amino acids, without which it is extremely difficult for cats to live.

The content of the article:

Therapy

The first aid immediately after a cat swallows poison is the administration of drugs that induce vomiting, or the administration of large quantities of activated charcoal, followed by gastric lavage. Alas, in almost all cases when internal bleeding has already developed, it is necessary to transfuse the animal with blood or blood-substituting compounds, plasma. Considering that most domestic veterinary clinics do not have such capabilities, it is advisable not to let things get to this point.

A natural antidote to such poisons is vitamin K. Immediately after the start of treatment, it is administered by injection, and when the animal’s condition stabilizes, they switch to prescribing tablets. At first, the vitamin is administered in loading doses, since under the influence of the poison most of it will still be destroyed in the body. Please note that it is best to use Vikasol for treatment, since multivitamin preparations contain too small amounts of it.

It should be remembered that there are different options for anticoagulant compounds, each of which remains in the animal’s body for a different time. This can make it very difficult to determine when it is time to end treatment. As a rule, they do this: stop prescribing the drug, and then (two days later) take a blood test. Platelet levels are checked. If the poison remains in the animal’s body, their level will be noticeably reduced, and therefore therapy is continued. If all indicators are normal, the medication can be stopped completely.

Principles of healthy eating

Biologists and doctors know that any amino acid performs two related functions - it supplies building material to protein chains and supplies the body with energy. Animals often need amino acids from outside, since they are not able to produce them themselves. Such amino acids are called essential. In cats, this is taurine - it is not produced in the body, but is responsible for the performance of its main organs.

Zoologists have found that the highest concentration of taurine is found in the retina of a cat's eye (100 times more than in the blood). This is why taurine deficiency primarily affects vision: the retina degenerates, and the animal quickly and irreversibly goes blind.

In addition, taurine takes care of the heart muscle, where it accounts for half of all free amino acids. Taurine regulates the transport (from and inside the cell) of calcium ions, facilitating heart contractions. A lack of amino acids immediately affects the activity of the cardiovascular system, causing such a terrible disease as dilated cardiomyopathy.

Important! Whatever your cat’s diet (natural or made from industrial food), the main thing you must ensure is the presence of taurine in it.

Taurine, recognized as an effective antioxidant, has a number of additional, but no less important tasks:

• regulation of the nervous system;
• formation of active immunity;
• normalization of blood clotting;
• maintaining reproductive functions;
• synthesis of bile salts, without which fats in the small intestine are not digested.

Feeding rules

If there is a suspicion that a small predator may have been poisoned, nothing should be administered except for liquid and some sorbents. However, on the second day, when the pet’s condition has improved significantly, you can start feeding the pet.

But you should stick to a healthy diet, which consists of the following:

• boiled beef fillet, lean meat or chicken;
• boiled liver
• fish of different varieties, low-fat;
• boiled carrots, beets, cabbage and other vegetables;
• porridge, rice and buckwheat.

After cooking, fish and meat should be cut with a blender or passed through a meat grinder. The pet's body is weakened, the stomach will be able to effectively digest and absorb crushed and soft food.

You can mix meat puree with fish to make cat food more nutritious and rich in various minerals.

Remember, the main thing is to react quickly to the first symptoms of poisoning in an animal, follow the above recommendations and act carefully.

Why does a cat eat mice?

Owners of mouse-cats notice that the latter do not always eat the whole mouse, often being content with its head. The explanation is simple - in the brain of rodents there is a lot of taurine, which enters the cat's body during meals. By the way, mass ailments among domestic cats began after the appearance of the first batches of factory-made food in Europe and the USA, when cats stopped catching mice, as they were forcibly transferred to ready-made diets.

Important! The trio of sulfonic acids (cysteine, cystine and methionine), which support cat health, are also responsible for the quantity/quality of fur, stimulating its growth. It is possible that the cat also realizes the benefits of mouse skin, saturated with the original element, sulfur, which is why it eats the mouse completely and along with the fur.

After some time, the cats began to get sick more, lose their eyesight and suffer from heart disease. After a series of studies, it turned out that the body of cats (unlike dogs) is not able to synthesize taurine from protein foods. Taurine is not for nothing called a sulfonic acid or sulfur-containing amino acid - it is not formed in the body without cysteine ​​(another sulfur-containing amino acid).

First aid

If your cat has been poisoned by rat poison, you should immediately seek help from a veterinary clinic. When there is no opportunity to see a doctor or you have to wait a long time for him, it is better to start treatment immediately. To do this you will need:

• Induce vomiting in the animal. This is done so that the poison, which has not yet been absorbed, comes out along with vomiting. But such a procedure is appropriate if the cat ate food or a suspicious rodent in front of you. If a lot of time has passed, then vomiting will cause dehydration and will only worsen the poisoning, since the poison has long since entered the intestines. In order to induce vomiting in a cat, you can use a 3% solution of hydrogen peroxide diluted 1:1 with warm water. The amount of peroxide is calculated based on the weight of the animal, 1 teaspoon per 2 kg of weight. You can also use a concentrated solution of ordinary salt. It is best to pour such solutions from a syringe after removing the needle from it.
• To bind the poison, the animal is given any adsorbent drug, for example, activated carbon or Enterosogel. The adsorbent is diluted with warm water and injected into the cat in an amount of 100 ml using a syringe.
• To prevent the poison from getting into the animal’s blood, you need to give something enveloping, such as egg white or starch paste.

When the animal has already had a good drink (and no earlier than 3 hours later), it is given any laxative - petroleum jelly, magnesium solution or others.

Also, when a cat is poisoned by rat poison, enemas can be done to wash the stomach. To do this, saline solution or ordinary boiled water, but only at room temperature, in an amount of 20-30 ml is injected into the cat's anus using a pear.

But, of course, it is best to contact a veterinary clinic for qualified help at the first symptoms or suspicion.

Mice in the diet - harm or benefit

Rodents are as beneficial as they are harmful to cats, at least according to veterinarians who are concerned about the “bouquet” of diseases transmitted by the former. It is believed that mice (like rats) are carriers of infectious diseases that are dangerous both for the pets themselves and for their owners.

The list of such diseases includes:

• trichinosis - difficult to treat and caused by helminths that parasitize the intestines (larvae penetrate muscle tissue and destroy it);
• ringworm (ringworm) is a fungal infection that affects the appearance of the coat/skin. The therapy is simple but long-lasting;
• leptospirosis - affects various organs and is accompanied by fever. A cat becomes infected through contaminated water, eating mice or coming into contact with their secretions;
• toxoplasmosis is dangerous for pregnant women and is often asymptomatic. About 50% of rodents are considered carriers of the disease;
• salmonellosis is an acute intestinal infection that threatens humans and animals;
• tularemia, pseudotuberculosis and others.

Hypothetically, a cat that eats mice could become infected with rabies, but this probability is reduced to zero if the animal is vaccinated. The second thing that should reassure the owner is that the virus is transmitted through saliva, that is, the mouse must injure the cat.

Important! Those who live in private homes and keep rat-catching cats say that their animals hunt rat mice for many years, avoiding any infectious diseases. Several generations of cats live to a ripe old age, enriching their daily diet with rodents without tragic consequences for health.

A cat is more likely to be poisoned if it tastes a mouse that has died from the poison used in deratization. If the poisoning is mild, you can get by with pharmaceutical absorbents; in case of severe poisoning (vomiting, diarrhea with blood, liver/kidney failure), call a doctor immediately. Also, when in close contact with rodents, pampered domestic cats often pick up fleas or helminths.

Instincts or fun

Yard kittens, forced to fight for existence, hunt mice like adults from the age of 5 months. In the USA, they conducted an experiment in which they established a connection between the living conditions of kittens and their hunting reflexes, first by mating purebred and street cats with one cat. The litters, after they were born, were swapped - the purebreds were given to the yard mothers and vice versa.

As a result, it turned out that initial hunting skills were inherent in both groups, since mothers regularly carried mice to their litters. The difference appeared at the next stage: the street cat killed rodents and gave them to kittens, while the purebred cat only played with the mouse.

Important! The researchers concluded that to consolidate the reflex of catching/eating living creatures, instinct alone is not enough, but skills acquired through education are necessary.

On the other hand, a kitten growing up isolated from its fellow cats independently learns the basic wisdom of a cat (washes itself, sharpens its claws, snorts, relieves itself, meows pitifully or angrily) and is quite capable of catching a mouse. Another question is whether he will eat it or not. If a kitten is very hungry, it is unlikely that the lack of a mother's example will stop him.

Inducing vomiting

Cat vomit syrup will help induce vomiting.

Inducing vomiting is one of the effective treatments. Emetic root syrup in an amount of 3-4 ml will help with this.

Alternatively, if there is no vomiting root, you can regularly give your cat warm boiled water and then make the characteristic vomiting motion by pressing firmly but gently on the root of the cat's tongue.

Is it possible to stop eating mice?

Modern cats (with the exception of those who sit on pasture) have stopped eating caught mice: they are brought to their owners as proof of their dexterity and diligence, often in gratitude for human care. In addition, a cat will not eat a mouse if it has had enough to eat. If you don’t want your pet to eat rodents, watch the energy value of its usual food.

There is an option - to put on a collar with tiny bells: this way the cat will not only not eat, but, above all, will not catch the mouse. A side effect is the annoying rattling of the bell, which not everyone can withstand. If your cat starts chasing mice at your dacha, build her an enclosure where she can frolic until the evening: in this case, all the day’s prey will remain in the enclosure, and you will take the cat into the house in the evening. This method is also not flawless - most personal plots are not designed for unplanned structures.

This is interesting! The most ingenious development is considered to be the development of one meticulous programmer, who came up with a compact automatic door for his cat named Squirrel. The guy got tired of bumping into cat trophies (strangled mice/birds in different corners of the apartment) and he designed a door that opened in front of the “empty” cat and did not open if he was holding something in his teeth.

The programmer taught the camera standing at the entrance to analyze the image (which was simultaneously broadcast to the web server), comparing it with a template, and make a decision about allowing the object into the house.

Those who are far from the world of computer technology can cope with the problem in a radical, albeit not entirely humane way, by once and for all banning their cat from going out into the yard.

Do you need to see a veterinarian?

After all the measures taken, the animal still needs to be taken to a doctor for a detailed examination.
Despite the fact that the owner has already provided first aid to a cat poisoned by a mouse, a visit to the veterinary clinic is still required. This precaution is due to the fact that this type of cat poisoning can even cause the death of the pet.

Only a veterinarian can carry out the necessary diagnostic measures and prescribe the appropriate course of therapy. In addition, after poisoning, the owner will need to monitor the pet’s diet, which is also recommended by the veterinarian.

Video about proper cat nutrition

Cats are natural hunters, and it is impossible to stop them from catching mice and rats. But, unfortunately, rodents are potentially unsafe for the health of both the cat and its owners. They carry many diseases and parasites, including those transmitted to humans. The list of such ailments is quite long, but, fortunately, the most dangerous of them are quite rare.

Gender question

Cat or cat? Which one is the best hunter? If you need to choose an animal to catch rodents based on gender, then the answer is obvious - it’s a cat. By nature, she must obtain food for her cubs. And cats are looking for someone to conceive. Although if they are castrated, they begin to hunt more productively.

Experts do not recommend keeping two cats on a farm at once without castration. They will be constantly busy dividing the territory. Hunting will not bother them.

A cat that has undergone sterilization is much more effective at catching mice in the yard and in the house. But there is a minus here - she is deprived of the opportunity to bear children, that is, new generations of hunters.

"Atrocious" problems

Cats themselves are very likely to “pick up” fleas (blood-sucking parasites that also serve as carriers of helminthiasis), helminths (worms) and protozoa from mice. A person can also suffer from them, but if hygiene rules are followed, this happens extremely rarely.

Another specific, incurable and difficult to diagnose disease is trichinosis. It is caused by helminths from the group of nematodes that parasitize the intestines. Their larvae infect muscles, penetrating the tissue and destroying it. A cat becomes infected by eating meat, including rodents. The disease is also dangerous for people, but it is not transmitted from cats - only through food.

Poisoning also occurs in hunting cats. Their strength depends on the dose and type of poison that enters the body. Most often, poisoning manifests itself as mild gastrointestinal disorders, which can be treated with any absorbent drug. But there are also severe cases when the cat’s internal organs (kidneys, liver) are affected, acute diarrhea with blood, lethargy, and refusal to eat begin. In such cases, delay is extremely dangerous; it is necessary to show your pet to a veterinarian as soon as possible.

Treatment of drug intoxication

The basis of treatment is drug withdrawal. Neurological symptoms are of great importance in diagnosing the condition. The drug and its breakdown products are eliminated through all excretory organs: intestines, kidneys, saliva, sweat glands. The main routes of elimination are the kidneys and liver. Toxins are eliminated from the kidneys quickly enough and are eliminated in the urine. The situation is more complicated with drugs that are eliminated through the gastrointestinal tract.

From the liver cells, the breakdown products of the drug enter the bile and end up with it in the intestines, where they can be reabsorbed and delivered to the liver. This process is called enterohepatic circulation of substances. In some cases, harmful substances are excreted from the intestines along with feces. Circulation can result in toxins remaining in the body for quite a long time. This creates a high load on the liver, provokes the activity of liver enzymes and unpleasant symptoms.

But the entry of drugs and their breakdown products into the stomach, as well as their further movement through the intestines, does not pass without a trace. Peristalsis is disrupted, mucous membranes are irritated, and an imbalance of bacteria occurs. For example, many antibiotics have a detrimental effect on the intestinal microflora. Frequent, prolonged use or an inadequate dose can lead to intoxication. You can speed up their removal with the help of sorbents.

It is important to understand that many mild symptoms of intoxication are an attempt by the body to independently remove excess substances. There is no need to interfere with these processes if they proceed in moderation. It is best to provide conditions under which natural cleansing will occur. For example, with moderate vomiting, you should not resort to the use of antiemetic drugs. You should sound the alarm if your temperature rises above 38.5 °C, uncontrollable vomiting that interferes with fluid intake, signs of dehydration and frequent diarrhea.

Treatment of drug poisoning is carried out using several methods:

• gastric and intestinal lavage (according to indications);
• intravenous infusions to accelerate the elimination of toxins, replenish lost fluid due to diarrhea and vomiting. This technique is appropriate for acute forms of intoxication, in a hospital setting;
• prescribing enterosorbents for internal use to bind and remove toxic substances;
• use of enzyme preparations and diuretics according to indications;
• the use of probiotics and prebiotics to restore normal intestinal microflora;
• vitamin therapy and antioxidant treatment to neutralize free radicals.

For chronic intoxications, outpatient treatment is allowed. But it is important to consult a physician to find out the exact cause of poisoning, adjust the dosage of regularly used medications, or choose an alternative.

In the future, you can cope with the elimination of toxic substances with the help of plenty of drinking, a gentle diet, and enterosorbents. One of the effective drugs to combat intoxication is Fitomucil Sorbent Forte. The product contains a plant sorbent, inulin - a prebiotic that promotes the growth of its own beneficial microflora, as well as live bacteria. The drug accelerates the elimination of harmful substances and improves motility of the gastrointestinal tract. It has a gentle effect on the gastrointestinal tract and does not cause bloating or abdominal pain.

Diet disorder?

If the cat is on treatment or on a diet (for example, with kidney disease), then an eaten mouse or bird can negatively affect the treatment and the well-being of the cat itself. And if an infection or parasite gets into the body weakened by the disease, then the sick cat will not be able to fight it and will be more likely to become infected than its absolutely healthy brother.

Signs of poisoning

If a cat is infected with rat poison or other poisons from the group of zoocoumarins, the symptoms will be as follows:

• various bleedings: nasal, stomach, uterine. Bleeding appears in the oral cavity. These symptoms may develop within ten days after the toxic drug enters the body;
• vomiting: this symptom does not necessarily appear. Occurs immediately after eating a poisoned rodent;
• internal bleeding - with such damage, the cat can die within a few days, without obvious signs of poisoning.

It can be recognized that dead rodents use poisons of this type in the soil. They may have bleeding from the rectum or mouth.

If a cat eats a mouse poisoned by rat poisons from other groups, the symptoms will be as follows:

• increased excitability, nervousness, atypical dynamism;
• complete loss of coordination: the animal’s gait is unstable, its paws are tangled, the cat falls on its side. Possible involuntary shaking of the head;
• neurological manifestations: convulsions, spasms of muscles and legs;
• body temperature rises significantly;
• the animal becomes lethargic and sleepy.

When the first signs of poisoning appear, your pet should be taken to a veterinary clinic!

"Gifts" for the owner

The next group of diseases, although rare, is directly dangerous to humans.

Ringworm (trichophytia, microsporia, dermatomycosis) are fungal diseases that affect the skin and fur of animals. Treatment is not difficult, but it takes quite a long time.

Salmonellosis is an acute intestinal infection that affects people and animals. Most often it affects children.

Toxoplasmosis is a parasitic disease of humans and animals. For the most part, it is asymptomatic, but is dangerous for pregnant women and women planning pregnancy. Approximately 45–50% of rats and mice are carriers of toxoplasmosis.

Leptospirosis is a serious and, unfortunately, widespread disease. Affects many organs and is accompanied by fever. A cat can pick it up by eating mice, coming into contact with rodent excretions, or even drinking contaminated water.

Rabies is a deadly disease transmitted through saliva by a bite. A cat can become infected by hunting mice and rats, as well as by contact with wild animals (foxes, stray cats and dogs, hedgehogs, etc.). Prevention - vaccination.

In addition, rats and house mice can serve as carriers of diseases dangerous to humans such as pseudotuberculosis, tularemia, rickettsiosis and some others. Their prevalence directly depends on the region.

Modern purrs live in apartments and receive food directly into bowls, but the desire to hunt does not disappear. They often bring prey and show off it. Looking at the trophies, the owner sometimes wonders whether cats eat mice. In fact, the hunter does not always feast on his prey, whose value is quite high.

Predator on the hunt

Domestic purrs are predators. This means that the desire to catch and eat prey is inherent at the genetic level. Rat traps are especially prone to this. Kittens next to their mother learn to wash themselves and absorb her habits. The kids in the yard are watching the hunt; in a few months they will be able to catch a mouse on their own.

Our service is both dangerous and difficult

• nervous system,
• immunity,
• reproductive system.

When choosing a professional food, make sure it contains taurine.

Living toy

With adequate nutrition, the animal is protected from the need to obtain food and a source of microelements. But everyone loves to play. Be it a ball, a ball of thread or regular paper. It's more interesting to play with a moving object. Therefore, the mouse acts not only to satisfy hunger, but also as an opportunity to have fun. The animal catches up, throws it, presses it with its paw or squeezes the mouse with its teeth. At the same time, he does not seek to kill, but waits for the opportunity to start the chase again. As a result, the victim dies and the attacker loses interest.

Are you a toy or food?

This behavior is observed in relation to field mice - shrews. The cat catches and plays, but will never eat them. Firstly, representatives with narrow muzzles only look like rodents in appearance, but they are classified as moles. Secondly, their aroma is unpleasant. The glands on the front legs emit a musky odor that does not impress the hunter. This is why cats don't eat field mice.

Diagnostics

When the first signs appear indicating possible poisoning by rat poison, it is necessary to show the cat to a veterinarian as soon as possible.

The diagnosis of intoxication with zoocoumarins is made by a doctor based on the totality of symptoms, a positive blood test for the presence of anticoagulants in it, a urine test and how the animal’s body reacts to the treatment started.

Important!

The owner's story can clarify a lot if it is difficult to make a diagnosis. Therefore, it is extremely important, during an examination by a veterinarian, to tell him about all, even the most insignificant details of the course of the disease.

Dangers of Eating Mice

In an apartment, it is problematic to get them, but a trip to the country can become a stimulus for awakening instincts. Many owners are not in vain concerned about the question of whether domestic cats eat mice. It should be remembered that rodents are carriers of many dangerous diseases, for example:

• trichinosis,
• lichen,
• salmonellosis,
• toxoplasmosis.

The latter is especially dangerous for pregnant women.

To protect your pet from dangers, take preventive measures: you need to vaccinate your pet in a timely manner, give it anti-helminth medications and, if possible, protect it from eating mice that may be poisoned. Another option is to warn the contact. For example, hang a collar with small bells. Their sound will inform the mice that danger is approaching. Or you can not let the animal go free-range. But doing this with an active and energetic pet is not easy.

If your cat periodically feasts on mice, carefully monitor his well-being.

Safety regulations

If your pet lives in a private house where there are mice, and the likelihood of eating rodents is high, certain safety rules must be followed. First of all, this concerns vaccinating your pet against various infectious diseases transmitted by rodents. Vaccination should not be a one-time event. To protect your cat, it is important to follow the vaccination schedule and regularly take your animal for vaccinations.

The second safety rule concerns the use of various chemical agents to combat mice. Eating poisoned mouse meat, as already indicated, can result in severe poisoning and death for the cat.

If a cat actively demonstrates its hunting instinct towards rodents, it is prohibited to use poison with heavy chemical components. It's better to set mousetraps. They may not be as effective as spilled poison, but with mousetraps you don’t have to worry about the health and life of your pet.

I don't brag, I care

Sometimes cats bring trophies to their owners. We often humanize our pets and attribute a desire to show off their dexterity and importance. But zoologists have figured out why cats bring prey to their owners. This is how they show they care. The fact that the owner does not eat mice is regarded as an inability to catch them. They bring him not only food, but also a study guide. At least, such care for the flock has been ingrained in animals for a long time. Don’t even think about screaming when you see a rodent or throwing it away demonstratively. Better to praise and stroke. And when you send the victim to the trash bin, do not contact him. It’s unclear where this poor fellow came from.

And in this video you can see how a small cat has already caught a mouse.

Unhealthy food

Cat owners, especially people living in private properties and houses, rejoice when their pets start hunting for mice - pests of the household, and do not find anything wrong with the fact that the hunter decided to feast on his trophy. On the one hand, eating mice is natural for cats, on the other hand, such a lunch or dinner can turn into a huge problem for the animal, and often for the owner himself.