Cats are natural hunters with lightning fast reflexes and razor sharp claws. Their predatory instincts mean they can’t resist chasing a moving target, be it a toy or an actual living creature. But what happens when your furry feline manages to catch a bird? Is it safe for cats to eat birds?
What kinds of birds can cats eat? This article will provide a comprehensive answer to the question: can cats eat birds?
If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer: cats can eat birds, but it’s generally not recommended. While a cat’s digestive system can handle eating birds, birds can transmit parasites and bacteria to cats, and their bones pose a choking hazard.
Digestibility of Birds for Cats
Cats Are Obligate Carnivores
As obligate carnivores, cats have evolved to thrive on a meat-based diet. Their digestive systems are designed specifically for digesting and metabolizing animal flesh. Cats lack certain enzymes that allow omnivores and herbivores to break down plant matter efficiently.
Trying to sustain a cat on a vegetarian or vegan diet would be extremely harmful.
Nutritional Value of Birds
Birds can provide excellent nutrition for cats. The meat is an abundant source of protein and fat – nutrients essential for cats’ health. Bird meat has a higher concentration of protein than many other meats, with 23-25% crude protein on average.
It also contains more polyunsaturated fatty acids compared to other meats, which help support skin and coat health.
Birds Are Easy to Digest
Not only are birds nutritious for cats, but they are also easy to digest. The natural pH of a cat’s stomach is extremely acidic, with a pH between 1-2. This allows cats to readily break down the flesh, bones, and feathers of avian prey.
Birds contain less connective tissue than red meats like beef, making them easier on cats’ digestive systems.
Watch Out for Bones
While cats are well equipped to digest the flesh and bones of birds, owners should still take care. Bird bones are hollow and prone to splintering. Eating small bones occasionally shouldn’t cause issue, but large bones or excessive quantities can pose a choking hazard or lead to gastrointestinal damage or obstruction.
Domestic cats don’t necessarily need to eat bones to obtain calcium as supplements are readily available.
Health Risks of Feeding Birds to Cats
Parasites and Diseases
Feeding birds to cats poses various health hazards as birds often carry parasites, bacteria, and viruses that can transfer to felines (ASPCA). For instance, birds frequently have salmonella and campylobacter bacteria which may lead cats to develop gastroenteritis characterized by vomiting and diarrhea (WebMD).
Additionally, parasites like Toxoplasma gondii found in bird meat can be detrimental for pregnant women (VCA Hospitals).
Allergies
Some cats have allergies to poultry which comprises ducks, chickens, turkeys, and other birds (WebMD). Feeding bird meat to allergic cats may trigger itchiness, vomiting, and skin irritation. It is advisable to monitor cats for any discomfort post bird consumption.
An elimination diet under vet guidance can accurately determine bird allergies in cats.
Toxicity
Certain birds like canaries contain toxins that can be highly poisonous if ingested by cats according to vets (Cuteness). Birds of prey such as hawks and eagles are also unsafe due to the likelihood of lead exposure from bullets lodged in carcasses.
Lead poisoning can induce anemia, seizures, and organ dysfunction in cats (American Veterinary Medical Association). Hence, such toxic birds must strictly be avoided as feline food.
Precautions for Feeding Birds to Cats
Remove Skin, Feathers, and Organs
When feeding birds to cats, it’s important to remove all feathers, skin, and organs first. Feathers can cause gastrointestinal obstructions or even perforations if swallowed. The skin contains high amounts of fat that can cause pancreatitis.
Organs like the liver can contain high levels of vitamin A, which is toxic to cats in large quantities.
To prep a bird for your cat, first remove all feathers. Singe any pinfeathers over an open flame. Next, remove the skin and discard. Cut away any visible fat deposits as well. Finally, remove all internal organs and discard. Rinse the remaining meat under cold water before cooking.
Cook Thoroughly
Raw or undercooked bird meat can contain harmful bacteria like salmonella and campylobacter. To kill any potential pathogens, it’s essential to cook bird meat thoroughly before feeding it to your cat.
Bird meat should reach an internal temperature of at least 165°F. The safest cooking methods include baking, broiling, boiling, or poaching the meat. Microwaving is not recommended, as it may leave cold spots where bacteria can survive.
Don’t forget to let the meat rest for a few minutes after cooking. Then, cut or shred it into bite-sized pieces for your cat before serving.
Minimize Raw Bird Consumption
While cooked bird meat is generally safe for cats, raw meat can pose risks. Any raw meat or poultry may contain salmonella, E. coli, or other pathogens. Feed raw bird sparingly, if at all.
When raw feeding bird meat, choose wild-caught, whole prey over supermarket chicken. Whole prey contains bones, organs, and skin that may help destroy salmonella during digestion. Supermarket meat has higher risks.
Limit raw bird meals to once or twice a month. This allows your cat to benefit from the nutrients in raw meat while minimizing potential bacteria exposure.
Supervise Meals
Even when properly prepared, there’s always a small risk when feeding bird meat to cats. To be safe, always supervise your cat during mealtimes.
Make sure your cat eats slowly and chews thoroughly. Watch for any signs of distress, like gagging, vomiting, or difficulty swallowing. Remove the food right away if you notice any issues.
Supervising meals also allows you to monitor portions. Don’t free-feed bird meat—cats may overindulge on this tasty, novel protein.
With proper precautions, bird meat can be a healthy, natural addition to your cat’s diet. Cook thoroughly, limit raw meat, and supervise feedings for a safe experience.
Best and Worst Bird Options for Cats
Lean Birds Like Chicken
Lean meat from birds like chicken can be a healthy treat for cats. Chicken breast especially is an excellent source of protein and nutrients, without much fat or calories. Experts recommend cooked plain chicken as one of the safest bird meats for felines.
In moderation, bits of boiled, baked or grilled skinless chicken can supplement commercial cat food.
When preparing chicken for cats, it’s essential to remove all bones. Bird bones splinter easily and pose a major choking hazard. Also avoid seasoning chicken with onions, garlic, salt or other flavorings, as many spices are toxic for kitties. Plain chicken with no additives is healthiest.
Avoid Fatty Birds Like Duck and Goose
Fattier poultry like duck or goose is not a wise choice for cats. The rich dark meat and skin of these birds is difficult for felines to digest. Eating too much fatty fowl may cause gastrointestinal upset like vomiting or diarrhea.
The high calorie content can also quickly lead to weight gain and obesity if fed regularly.
Waterfowl like ducks and geese may also be more likely carriers of bacteria and parasites compared to chicken. Avoid feeding cats raw or undercooked duck or goose meat. Only well-cooked lean white breast meat should be considered, and still only in small infrequent portions.
Safe Wild Birds
Safe Wild Birds | Benefits |
---|---|
Quail | Lean, rich in protein |
Pheasant | Low fat, high mineral content |
Dove | Mild flavor cats enjoy |
However, be very cautious about raw wild bird from hunters or butchers. Parasites like Toxoplasma gondii are common, and salmonella risk is also greater with wild game. Only feed cats thoroughly cooked wild bird meat, with all bones removed.
Unsafe Wild Birds
Larger wild waterfowl and scavenging birds can be dangerous picks for cats. Species like goose, duck, seagull and vulture are more prone to carrying pathogens harmful to feline health. Avoid feeding cats these wild birds under any circumstances.
Birds who eat primarily fish and carrion tend to accumulate heavy metals like mercury in their tissues as well. Over time, regularly feeding cats fish-eating or garbage-scavenging wild fowl could cause toxic mercury poisoning.
Neurological damage from mercury is irreversible, so these bird meats should never be considered.
The Hunting Instinct: Should You Let Your Cat Catch Birds?
Cats Have a Strong Prey Drive
As skilled hunters, cats have a strong innate drive to stalk, chase, and pounce on prey (ASPCA). This instinct is for both sustenance and sport. Outdoor cats spend up to 30% of daylight hours hunting small animals like birds, even when well-fed (this high percentage shows cats’ extremely strong hunting instinct).
Indoor cats will stalk and pounce on toys, feet under blankets, or even owners going up the stairs to satisfy this deep-rooted prey drive.
Risks of Letting Cats Hunt Birds
While tempting to let Mittens have some outdoor fun, allowing her to catch birds poses risks:
- Injury if birds fight back with beaks/talons
- Illness from eating raw meat or catching infections
- Upsetting neighbors whose bird feeders are raided
Birds of prey like hawks may also swoop down on an outdoor cat they perceive as a threat. And any unchecked hunting depletes songbird populations already in decline (American Bird Conservancy).
Tips to Curb Your Cat’s Bird-Hunting
While tempting to let Mittens have some outdoor fun, allowing her to catch birds poses risks:
Method | How It Works |
---|---|
Place bells on collar | Alerts birds to kitty’s presence |
Supervise outdoor time | Intervene before hunts begin |
Offer interactive toys | Gives “prey” to stalk inside |
Keep cat indoors | Only sure way to protect local birds |
With creativity and commitment to both pet and wildlife, owners can satisfy cats’ strong hunting instinct without endangering birds!
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is possible for cats to safely consume birds, but there are some health risks involved. Lean meats like chicken and quail can make nutritious treats, but fatty waterfowl and wild birds may cause digestive upset.
Always cook birds thoroughly, remove all bones, and supervise mealtimes. While an occasional bird treat likely won’t harm your cat, it’s best not to actively encourage hunting birds for food. With proper precautions, cats can enjoy the occasional bird snack without endangering their health.