Why do cats like to eat mice? Explain from a scientific perspective why cats eat mice!

Nov 09,2023
5Min

We know that it is a cat’s nature to hunt mice. This is common sense that we have learned from books or teachers in class. If there is a rat infestation at home, we can also let the cat catch the mice. Then we have Never thought about why cats like to eat mice? Explain from a scientific perspective why cats eat mice!

If a cat wants to prey on mice, we must first start with the cat’s eyes. When we observe a cat, we will find its eyes. It is particularly magical, just like a gem, and its eyes can change the shape of its pupils with the change of day and night. In the dark night, its shining eyes add a touch of beauty to the silent night. Mysterious color. But in fact, cats’ vision during the day is much worse than that of humans. Because cats’ eyes have an unusual ability to collect light, coupled with their high-performance hearing and amazing concentration, cats can also see things in the dark, even light. The darker it is, the clearer the cat can see. The reason why cats can have good vision in the dark is because it has a well-developed cornea and its curved lens is much larger than that of humans. Therefore, the cornea of ​​the lens is located closer to the retina in order to accurately focus the light. , the curvature of the two has increased, and of course more light can be collected.

In recent years, scientists have discovered that cats have a kind of taurine in their bodies. Taurine is a white or colorless oblique crystal that is mainly distributed in the nerves, muscles and glands of animals. , and taurine is the chemical substance that improves cats’ night vision. Experiments have shown that the electroretinogram of cats lacking taurine shows extensive degeneration of rods and cones. Since cats themselves cannot synthesize taurine, they can only maintain enough taurine in their bodies by preying on mice in large quantities, thereby maintaining sharp vision at night and allowing themselves to survive in the fierce competition in nature. Therefore, it has always been It has the nature to prey on mice.

So on the other hand, why are cats so good at catching mice, simply because they have good eyesight? Scientists have discovered that there is a parasite in cats that can cause mice to behave abnormally. This parasite lives in the intestines of cats and is excreted through feces. The infected mice change their behavior toward the cats, and the cats then eat the mice, ending the parasite's life cycle. Scientists also say that the parasite is a very strange thing and if they can increase their chances of completing their life cycle, they will undoubtedly do so. This parasite has a two-stage life cycle, which means that they have at least two hosts, and mice are just one of their intermediary parasites. Cats are also a parasite of them, and this parasite can actually change the behavior of mice, causing mice to be eaten by their main parasite, cats.

Cats catch mice

This kind of parasite in mice and cats is harmful. Research shows that they can invade the nerves or brain, and they can even affect the human brain. It has an impact. Although cats can catch mice, it is very scary to eat mice raw. There are very harmful substances in mice.There are so many bacteria and viruses that can cause infection if you are not careful. Therefore, in normal times, it is better to keep our pet cats away from mice.

Previous article:Does the owner know if a cat bite hurts?
Next article:How to tell the age of a cat?
Related articles