Domestic pets eat wildlife like rats, squirrels, and birds quite often. They enjoy the thrill of the chase and sometimes outsmart the wild animal and catch it. If you get home and find that your cat ate a squirrel you may be concerned.

This article looks at why this happens and if your cat will be ok. If you own a cat and are curious to know what’s going on, read on.

If your cat ate a squirrel know that this is normal, however, you’ll need to keep an eye on your cat’s health, squirrels are carriers of diseases that your domestic animal’s immune system may not be able to fight off.

My cat ate a squirrel, what you need to know:

This is normal:

Cats are natural carnivores with a base instinct to hunt, cats come from animals that have a natural instinct to hunt, live prey is a cat’s natural diet. A cat will occasionally eat something that’s not from its pet food bowl, squirrels included.

Cats are different and each has its own preferences, if your domestic cat enjoys the taste of live prey, then it will be more likely to catch and eat a squirrel. This preference for live prey can develop if you feed your cat a raw diet.

Benefits:

The benefit of cats eating squirrels is that the cat gets some added exercise and that it keeps their mouths and gums healthy and functioning. Eating fresh prey, like squirrels, will also keep the cat’s jaw muscles in shape.

The squirrel’s carcass will also provide fluid to the cat, this keeps your cat from having to drink water to hydrate itself.

However, although this is normal, cats eating animals, especially wild animals can be risky to your pet’s health, this meal can even affect you as the cat’s owner.

There are some downsides to your domestic cat eating squirrels:

Are there dangers to cats eating squirrels?

Yes, there are dangers to cats eating squirrels.

While it’s only natural for cats to follow their base instincts and eat wild rodents it’s not always safe or healthy. These animals may be natural hunters, and have to live with the risks in the wild, but you may not want to. Dangers of cats eating squirrels include:

Bones blocking airways:

Most cats will eat the entire squirrel’s body leaving only the squirrel’s tail. Eating the whole body (bones included) and not only the meat can cause issues with your cat.

Squirrels have very small bones which can block the throats of cats. If one of the squirrel’s bones becomes lodged in the cat’s throat then this can cause the cat to have difficulty breathing. Your cat may even suffocate if the bone doesn’t go down.

Because of this, it is important to check your cat to see if it is breathing and swallowing normally after eating a squirrel.

Injury:

Squirrels won’t go down without a fight, these animals have very sharp teeth and claws which they will use to defend themselves against your cat.

If your cat eats a squirrel, you’d need to check your pet to see if it is injured. If so, it may be necessary to administer first aid or take your cat to a vet.

Diseases:

Squirrels are classified by wildlife and health officials as being zoonotic. That is, they can be carriers of many viruses and diseases. These furry tailed animals may also expose your cat to worms and a variety of other parasites

One disease that cats can get as a result of catching parasites from squirrels is toxoplasmosis. Signs of this include fever, lethargy, and a loss of appetite. Your cat can pass this disease on to you.

If your cat eats a squirrel, it’s a good idea to observe it for a change in behavior. If you can, sending the cat to a veterinarian for a check-up would be a good idea.

Do feral cats eat squirrels?

Feral cats will eat squirrels, that is if they have no other choice. A feral cat’s diet usually consists of animals like mice and birds, they will only hunt and kill squirrels if they have to.

Because feral cats are unowned and are forced to live outdoors they can have a tough time finding food. These animals may be forced to eat squirrels, unlike domesticated cats who have food served to them.

Do cats eat baby squirrels?

Cats will definitely eat baby squirrels if given the chance. Because your domesticated cat is not as skilled as its feral counterpart when it comes to preying on adult squirrels (who will be very advanced at escaping predators) domestic cats will rather hunt baby squirrels.

Baby squirrels cannot defend themselves as well adult squirrels can. Hunting these small animals satisfies the cat’s need to hunt.

Can you keep a pet cat and a pet squirrel at the same time?

The fact that cats may hunt squirrels doesn’t mean they can’t be kept as pets at the same time.

It’s very possible to have a cat and a squirrel as pets at the same time. Just give them some time to get acquainted so they understand they’re pals and not a food supply.

Squirrels can be great pets and very friendly with other pets like cats.

All domestic pets should receive regular veterinarian checkups as well as receive safe suitable sources of food which keep them and us safe from risky diseases and infections.

Conclusion

In conclusion, if your cat eats a squirrel then you’ll need to watch out for any illnesses or diseases in your feline, squirrels and other wild animals are prone to many viruses, bacteria, and germs that can contaminate your domestic animal.

You’d also have to keep an eye on your cat to make sure that it is not suffocating on a squirrel bone.

In addition, if the squirrel uses its razor-sharp teeth in defense then your cat may be injured, check for injuries on your cat after it eats a squirrel.

A domesticated squirrel can be kept as a pet alongside a cat, you’ll simply have to keep up with the vet visits.

If you enjoyed this article then you may also be interested in other squirrel related articles. Here are some articles that you may be interested in: Do squirrels eat meat?, Do squirrels eat squirrels?, Are squirrels friendly?, Do squirrels eat bird eggs?