Cat eating bugs problem

Cats and dogs have a contrasting character even though they are both domesticated still one is man’s best friend and other is not so friendly. Kismet Kittens and like breeders have some tips to share with cat owners. While dogs shy away from taking care of rodents and other bugs in the house, cats have an affinity to take the matter in their own hands. 

From their very evolution cats are designed to hunt, stalk and chase. Even when you provide them with a bowl full of meal, still you won’t be able to curb their inner desire to hunt. Indoor cats have a scarcity of the catch so they go after insects. 

Why my cat chases bugs 

We know many of you have this query. Answer is already mentioned which is their hunter instinct and also it’s a lot more fun to chase insects rather than playing with lifeless feathery toys. However many cat owners are worried which eating bugs is harmful for their pet or not.

In words of Dr. Meghan Herron, veterinarian, Ohio State University-

“[Small numbers of] insects don't provide a major protein source, which is what cats need to eat to survive, as they are ‘obligate carnivores.’”

She adds, “Mostly, I think the chasing and eating of bugs is both fun and instinctual, as bugs are quickly moving small things and cat’s brains are programmed to chase. Since they are not quite as well domesticated as their canine counterparts, this innate desire to hunt and practice predatory behavior through play is still quite active in domestic cats.”

Cats have a lot shorter intestinal tract as compared to other carnivores. Raw meat can be processed a lot easily as compared to vegetative food like grass that requires a lot digestion to be nutritive. Cats have lost their ability to digest plant matter over the years. Also cats require high protein to survive and they use the protein to synthesis glucose via gluconeogenesis.

This is a warning sign for cat owners who are vegetarian and tend to feed their cats a vegan diet. While dogs are able to survive on vegetarian diet for cats it is fatal out right. Therefore the hunting nature of your cat has nothing to do with biology but a lot because of behavior.  

Does bug eating make cats sick? 

Mostly concern is the internal parasites in bugs. But the danger is very small for cats from ingestion of insects to get parasite infection. There are some insects that carry parasites like Physaloptera but that only occur in rare cases.

The only thing you need to be careful about is the irritant effect your cat may witness due to insect ingestion. If diarrhea or vomiting doesn’t stop in a day consult your vet immediately.  

Lastly you might be concerned if the ingested insect may have insecticide that can harmfully affect your cat. Well worry not most of the insecticides are formulated to be carried to the nest to kill the whole clan and amount of chemical in a dying insect is too small to cause any harm to your kitten.