How many mice does a cat eat? - briefly
A domestic cat typically catches and consumes between one and three mice per week, though the exact amount depends on hunting skill, age, and food availability. In rodent‑abundant environments, a cat may ingest dozens of mice over the course of a year.
How many mice does a cat eat? - in detail
Cats are obligate carnivores that rely on prey capture for nutrition. The quantity of rodents a domestic or feral feline ingests varies with several measurable factors.
Body size and age determine metabolic demand. An adult housecat weighing 4–5 kg requires roughly 200–250 kcal per day. A typical mouse supplies about 15 kcal, meaning a mature cat would need to eat 13–17 mice daily to meet its energy requirement if rodents were the sole source of calories. Most cats supplement with commercial food, so actual mouse consumption is far lower.
Hunting frequency influences intake. Studies of free‑roaming cats report that individuals catch between 1 and 5 mice per night during peak hunting seasons. Seasonal abundance of rodents and the cat’s experience affect success rates; experienced hunters may capture up to 10 small rodents in a 12‑hour period, while inexperienced ones may catch none.
Health status and diet composition also matter. Well‑fed indoor cats often kill mice without eating them, a behavior known as “surplus killing.” Conversely, undernourished or feral cats may ingest a higher proportion of captured prey, sometimes consuming the entire carcass.
Summarized data:
- Minimum observed intake (well‑fed indoor cat): 0 mice per day.
- Typical range for free‑roaming adults: 1–3 mice per night.
- Upper documented limit for proficient hunters: up to 10 mice in 24 h.
- Theoretical caloric requirement if rodents supplied all energy: 13–17 mice per day for a 4.5 kg cat.
Therefore, the actual number of rodents a cat eats depends on its nutritional context, hunting skill, and environmental prey availability, with most cats consuming only a few mice per week, if any, while the theoretical maximum for full caloric reliance reaches the mid‑teens per day.