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What does the cat eat in nature
What does the cat eat in nature
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What kind of animals do cats eat in nature and what are these habits that tell us about the diet of domestic cats? When in the wild, they usually follow a particular eating habit in which they feed on small amounts of food throughout the day.

What does the cat eat in nature
What does the cat eat in nature

The most common foods in the diet of a wild cat are:

  • small rodents such as mice, shrews, mice and even rabbits or hares;
  • small birds such as sparrows or robins;
  • insects and reptiles such as spiders, grasshoppers, lizards and snakes.

    What does the cat eat in nature
    What does the cat eat in nature

The latter group may seem somewhat insignificant at first glance, but cats can easily hunt large quantities of these insects and reptiles, and most of them provide nutrients not available elsewhere.

Furthermore, felines can also feed on squirrels, weasels, bats, moles, and other animals, including those that are larger than the cat itself. However, this happens so rarely that it does not give us a complete idea of what they eat in nature.

What does the cat eat in nature
What does the cat eat in nature

Not everyone eats the same things, as a feral cat's diet depends on one variety of factors such as the availability of prey, seasonal changes, the abilities and preferences of individual felines, the social structure in which they live, and even sex.

Cats prey on smaller animals and, rarely, they hunt animals that are significantly larger. Studies show that hunting success gradually decreases as prey size increases. It seems logical: larger animals are more difficult to deal with; they tend to be smarter in avoiding cats; pose a greater danger by causing them to retreat when their plan of attack fails.

What does the cat eat in nature
What does the cat eat in nature

Some additional things to know

Wild cats they do not eat plants of any kind. In their diet there are no cereals, vegetables, fruits and salads. What does this mean for us? Our cat's food should not contain (or at least in minimal quantities) vegetable substances such as rice, corn, peas, potatoes and other vegetable contents.

What does the cat eat in nature
What does the cat eat in nature

Finally, the cats they consume the entire prey, including muscle meat, organs, bones, skin and feathers. Fur provides valuable forage to aid digestion and move "hairballs" from the digestive tract.

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