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| Yes | 44% | 70 votes | Total: 159 votes | |
| No | 56% | 89 votes |
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Add to FavoritesAlthough catching mice is perfectly normal and natural for cats, it is not without some risks. Knowing what the risks are and acting accordingly is important for any cat owner.
First and foremost allowing a cat to catch mice generally means the cat is going out doors. Cats who go outside face many risks including car accidents, theft, and a slew of other problems. If a cat is to be allowed out to catch mice, care should be taken that it is identified, both with a tattoo or microchip, and with a more visible collar and tags.
Cats who catch mice risk getting any disease the mice are carrying. Of course pregnant women are usually alerted to concerns over toxoplasmosis, but few are aware that this disease actually comes from mice and is then spread to cats. Toxoplasmosis is a parasite that will do little more than make a cat sick but it may cause problems to unborn kittens or human fetuses.
Hantavirus is another concern. If the cat catches mice and brings its prize home the owner is now at risk on contracting this sometimes deadly viral disease.
Currently another risk for cats who live in the Eastern United States is something known as Rickettsialpox. This is a mite the cat catches from mice, it then infects cats it results in ulcers and skin rashes in cats.
Further than that mice are noted for carrying worms. Cats who eat mice are surly ingesting worms too and this is one of the biggest causes for worm infestations in cats who are allowed outdoors. Tape worm being a major concern.
Cats can get upset stomachs as the result of eating a mouse with salmonella. This is particularly a problem where one cat has killed the mouse but left it and another cat comes to eat it hours later. In smaller kittens or older cats, this normally minor problem can be life threatening.
Needless to say we always worry about feeding chicken bones to our cats, but mice bones are tiny and not without risk. Most of the times there are no problems, but if there is one, it is usually serious. A small bone stuck in a cat's throat or digestive system may go undetected for a while until the cat has lost a lot of weight and is very sick.
Fleas are another problem cats may contact from catching mice. A minor annoyance that can grow if ignored.
An owner who allows his or her cat to catch mice, whether they eat them or not, should be sure to keep their cat fully vaccinated and properly dewormed. It is important to note that over the counter wormers sold in stores does not treat all kinds of worms, a veterinarian's guidance is important to deworm cats effectively.
It is a cats nature to want to chase and catch mice, it is not a health requirement that your cat be allowed to catch mice.
Learn more about this author, Brenda Nelson.
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No
Is it dangerous to let a cat catch mice?
To me it seems a most natural thing for any cat to catch, kill and eat mice, so I find it strange to think anyone would find it dangerous for cats to catch mice. The only time it might be dangerous is if they are in an area where there are birds of prey who might be tempted to catch a cat for their dinner.
I know that we have domesticated cats to be our pets, sit by the fire, purr and rub around our legs and wait for us to feed them. This has taken away some of their need to be predators and catch their own meals. However, they all have the innate ability to fend for themselves and as much as we do not like it they will chase birds, mice, lizards and any other smaller beasts which take their fancy.
The other time it would be dangerous for cats to catch mice would be if poison had been set down to catch rats and mice. This would be dangerous to us as well as cats, and although might be a more humane way of dealing with a rodent problem it is not ideal in my opinion. Any rodent caught may well have ingested some of the poison which would then get into the cats system causing them to die as well.
Mouse traps may also be detrimental to our cats, as usually they are set up with pieces of cheese to tempt the mice. Cats are also partial to cheese and may be tempted to eat the cheese and be snapped by the spring loaded trap. This could cause untold damage to the cat's paws or nose, even breaking bones.
For me as a cat lover, I would not try to dissuade my cat from its natural instincts of hunting, playing, killing and eating whatever small beast they wanted to. Also from experience there is no way you can really stop a cat from behaving how they want to. Apart from making them totally a house cat, by this I mean a cat who is not allowed out of doors, but confined to the inside of the house only. However, they will try to catch flies, moths and spiders, which will satisfy some of their natural instincts.
So from my perspective I do not think it is dangerous for cats to follow what they know or to prevent them from catching mice or small beasts, but be aware that there may be some dangers involved to our cats. Then again they do have nine lives, so they are probably more aware of the dangers than we give them credit for.
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