Can Cats Get Sick from Eating Mice - Explained With Facts

Cats are carnivores, so they eat meat. This does not mean that cats can’t get sick from eating mice! Cats’ stomachs are very sensitive and their digestive tracts have evolved to digest meat only. Wild mice sometimes carry parasites such as toxoplasmosis which can cause illness to a cat’s digestive tract, brain or other organ systems.

In this article, we will talk about whether cats can get sick after eating mice or not. We will also answer some frequently asked questions related to this topic.

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Can Cats Really Eat a whole Mouse?

Cats can consume mice whole because they have powerful jaws that crunch through the bones. You may often find some undigested parts such as hair and claws in their stool.

However, it is not preferable to let your cat eat their prey whole since you will not be sure of the hygiene of the prey. If it was injured or dead for some time it may not be safe to eat.

Pets should never be fed live prey since they can hurt your pet and in many cases make them ill.

Cats are natural-born hunters. They spend all day stalking their prey, and when they catch it, they’ll eat as much as they can in one sitting. This is why many cat owners may be surprised to find out that their cats will also hunt mice and other small rodents for food! Here are 3 reasons why this could happen:

1) One reason for this behavior is because it’s instinctual in cats to hunt and kill small prey such as rodents like mice or rats; it’s in their DNA.

2) Cats may eat a mouse because it’s an easy meal- if there aren’t any other options such as leftover kibble or canned food, the mouse might look like a good option for dinner!

3) A cat might consume a mouse because of hunger- If your cat has been without food for days or weeks at a time due to lack of resources, hunting small prey animals can become a survival instinct.

Can Cats Get Sick From Eating Mice?

First of all, if you see your cat eating mice or any other small animals such as birds or insects then try to stop him/her from doing so immediately. Otherwise, they can get ill.

It is very dangerous for cats to hunt and eat live mice and small animals because the prey may carry the parasites which can make your cat very ill. The rodents are a common carrier of diseases, such as toxoplasmosis. Toxoplasmosis is an infection caused by the single-celled protozoan called Toxoplasma gondii. It is spread to cats through contact with infected feces or from ingesting undercooked meat containing tissue cysts (infected cells).

This parasite attaches itself to the intestinal wall and reproduces thereby sexual or asexual division creating new organisms which then migrate into different parts in the body including muscle tissue. Toxoplasmosisis often fatal for young kittens, though older cats will usually survive if they have been exposed to the infected rodent. In addition to toxoplasmosis, your pet can also get salmonellosis and leptospirosis from eating mice.

Even though some of these diseases are treatable, they should not be treated at home without veterinary advice. Home treatment is only recommended in certain cases such as low-grade fever or diarrhea when it has been going on for less than a week. However, cats with high-grade fever or persistent diarrhea should be taken to the vet immediately for proper diagnosis and treatment.

Here are some signs which may indicate that your cat has contracted an illness after consuming a mouse:

Vomiting

Diarrhea
Fever
Lack of appetite

Muscle pain/weakness
Bone pain/swelling
Loss of fur Anemia

If you see your cat acting strangely, take him/her to the vet immediately.

Does Your Cat Want More Mice?

If you want your cat to get their fill of mice then you can easily buy Mouse Glue Traps online. Make sure the glue is not poisonous and in case you are going to use it indoors make sure there are no kids or pets that will come in contact with it.

If your cat is an outside kitty then you should get a rodent exterminator or repellent for cats instead so they don’t keep eating mice.

It’s important to provide your cat with an alternative to hunting and eating mice! Here are some tips for preventing this behavior:

1) Make sure that there is always canned food or dry kibble available for your cat- it’s best not to let them go for long periods of time without food! Provide fresh water at all times and clean the water bowl daily.

2) Make sure that your house is secure to prevent mice and other rodents from getting inside- you can also use traps with bait in order to keep them out!

3) Lastly, make sure that your cat has plenty of toys and playtime every day to release some of their energy and give them an outlet for their natural hunting instincts.

What Should I Do If My Cat Eats A mouse?

If your cat ate a mouse and you are not sure if it is sick or not then take it to the veterinarian immediately! It is very important that they see what the prey looks like so the vet can tell whether your kitty has eaten something dangerous or not.

If you think your cat has eaten a mouse for real then there are things you can do. First, check-in the kitty litter box for a small gift! If you see some mice there then your cat has been eating them.

If that is not true then look around your house to find if a mouse or rat got killed by your cat. A single whole mouse can easily be mistaken for kitty litter so keep an eye out for anything unusual that could be a mouse.

You should also check your cat’s stools for any signs of diarrhea or vomiting. Sometimes cats eat mice that are already sick and this can lead to illness in your pet as well.

If your cat is showing any of the symptoms above then take them to the vet as soon as possible.

Can Cats Get Sick from Eating Poisoned Mice? Can Poisoned Mice Kill Cats?

Yes, a cat can get sick or even die from eating poisoned mice. Many people use poisons to kill rodents in their houses with the intention of killing them slowly so they cause no harm and do not touch other parts of the house. However, this is very dangerous for your pet because if it eats one of those mice then things are going much worse than they would be if you used some poison that kills instantly.

Poisoned mice may make your cat feel very ill but usually won’t kill them- there are however two exceptions to this rule. If a cat eats a mouse that has been killed by poisonous bait which contains strychnine or cyanide then the poison will spread through its body quickly and can lead to death.

Let’s look at the list of rodenticides and How they affect your kitty:

Anticoagulant Rodenticides

This type of poison doesn’t kill the mouse right away it just slows down its blood circulation so they look very sick and die a day or two after being eaten. If your cat eats such a rodent then they will most likely get sick as well, but chances are that they won’t die from this type of poison.

Anticoagulant rodenticides include Brodifacoum, diphacinone, diphacinone + cholecalciferol (DCCD), bromadiolone, chlorophacinone, chlorophenothane and pindone.

Anticoagulants work by preventing the victim’s blood from clotting effectively leading to internal bleeding and eventually death.

Brodifacoum: This type of poison is usually used in New Zealand and Australia, which are free from rats because these rodents have developed resistance to many other poisons.

Cyclodienes: This poison affects the nervous system and they work by attacking the body’s cells receptors for the neurotransmitter GABA, it makes them fire randomly when they shouldn’t which results in pain.

Cyclodienes will kill a mouse in less than 24 hours after eating it but your kitty will probably just be sick if he eats one. Neostigmine and pyridostigmine can be found as active ingredients in some rodenticides that contain cyclodienes as well.

Bromethalin

The victim usually dies from neurologic symptoms such as tremors and seizures within 15-28 days. Cats are not affected by this type of poison because they lack certain enzymes in their livers that rats need to activate bromethalin. This makes it safe for cats to eat rodents that were killed by bromethalin without any health problems.

If your cat eats a poisoned mouse or rat which has been killed using bromethalin then there is no danger at all, unless he doesn’t vomit it immediately and you don’t give him activated charcoal right away so the poison stays in his body for longer than 24 hours.

Cholecalciferol (Vitamin D3)

It is used on ships to kill rats without leaving a mess and it is also found in some rodenticides. It causes hypercalcemia (high calcium levels in the blood) and if your cat eats a poisoned mouse or rat that has been killed by cholecalciferol then he may have diarrhea, vomiting, increased thirst, lethargy & confusion. The outlook usually isn’t too bad but you should still take them to the vet as soon as possible even if they seem fine.

Cyclones: This poison works very similarly to cyclodienes- it increases neuron activity when GABA receptors are supposed to be inhibited (GABA stands for Gamma Aminobutyric Acid). This makes the neurons fire randomly and leads to the symptoms that are associated with cyclodienes. Again, cats are not affected by this chemical because they lack certain enzymes in their livers that rats need to activate.

Cyclones can be found as an active ingredient in some rat & mice poisons such as difethialone or diphacinone + cholecalciferol (DCCD).

If your cat eats a poisoned mouse or rat which has been killed using cyclones then there is no danger at all unless he doesn’t vomit it immediately and you don’t give him activated charcoal right away so the poison stays in his body for longer than 24 hours.

Zinc Phosphide

This poison works by causing the rodent’s stomach to rupture when it is eaten (similar to strychnine) within a few hours so they die from internal bleeding. If your cat eats one of these rodents then he will likely get very sick and may even die because zinc phosphide makes their stomach acids stronger than normal and therefore more potent.

If a cat eats one of these mice then take them to the veterinarian asap!

Even though it is not very likely that your cat will die from eating poisoned rodents the best thing you can do to protect them is to make sure there are no poisons around your house and yard or so they cannot get into any traps you set up for those mice. If something does happen then take your pet to the vet right away!

Can Cats Get Rabies from Eating Mice?

Only 0.1% of all rodents have rabies and because of the fact that they are very rare it is not necessary to vaccinate your cat against it (if you are planning on having a pet cat then check if rabies shots are recommended in your area, some countries do require them). It is still likely that a domesticated housecat will never encounter one of these animals but there is a risk out there.

If another rodent was infected with rabies then the chances of cats being affected by this virus are extremely small. However, if your cats spend time outdoors or travel along with areas where wild mice live and can get into contact with them then rabies could be a problem.

Some of the earliest signs are fever, increased appetite and hiding for no reason. If your cat is infected with rabies it will then start to have more obvious symptoms as time progresses (e.g weakness, paralysis and seizures).

If you live in a country where rabies vaccines are available for cats then make sure that all your pets are vaccinated against this virus regularly! It is also a good idea to take precautionary measures such as bringing back any wild animals that may be roaming around your house/lawn right away or even calling animal control if necessary but don’t handle them yourself unless they can prove they were vaccinated against rabies last year or so.

Final Thoughts

We hope that you are able to learn more about the risks your cat faces as it is playing with other small creatures, and be better prepared for all eventualities.

If they do come into contact with a potentially hazardous creature or object, take them to see their veterinarian right away so they can receive treatment.

Remember though– while this article focused on mice hazards specifically, cats also hunt frogs and lizards which could carry various pathogens or poisons too! It’s important not just to keep an eye out for what kitty is hunting but also any objects in its environment.

If you have any questions at all feel free to comment.

We will be happy to assist you!

Can Cats Get Sick from Eating Mice – Explained With Facts