Both home cats that are fed free-range and feral cats eat multiple tiny meals daily.
Each person
has different meal sizes and frequencies. They choose food by its texture, temperature, and
aroma; they are not fond of cold food and react best to meat-like, moist foods high in amino
acids. Cats quickly learn to avoid meals that have tasted bad in the past and reject unknown
flavors (a reaction known as neophobia).[96][126] Another popular misunderstanding is that cats
prefer milk or cream, despite their propensity to shun sugary foods and dairy. Since milk's sugar
is difficult to digest and might result in mushy stools or diarrhea, the majority of adult cats are
lactose intolerant.[127] Some people develop strange chewing habits, enjoying the chewing and
eating of materials such as coal, wool, plastic, wires, paper, string, and aluminum foil.
Depending on the quantity and toxicity of the food consumed, the illness known as pica may
pose a health risk to them.[128]
Cats are frequently used to control pests because they are adept at hunting tiny prey, especially
birds and rodents [129].[130][131] Prey may also include typical tiny animals like snakes and
lizards.[132] Cats hunt in two ways: they either actively stalk their prey or wait in ambush for an
animal to get close enough to catch them.[133] Depending on the kind of prey present, cats will
either aggressively hunt birds or lie in ambush outside of burrows.[134]:153 An estimated 1.3 to
4.0 billion birds and 6.3 to 22.3 billion animals are killed by domestic cats each year, making
them a significant predator of wildlife in the United States.[135]
Some species seem more vulnerable than others; in one English community, domestic cats were
responsible for thirty percent of the deaths of house sparrows.[136] Thirty-one percent of the
mortality in the British dunnock (Prunella modularis) and ringed robin (Erithacus rubecula)
recovery were due to cat predation.[137] The impact of cat and other small predator predation on
bird diversity and abundance is mitigated in some parts of North America by the presence of
larger carnivores like coyotes, which feed on cats and other small predators like opossums and
raccoons.[138]
The most well-known aspect of cats' hunting behavior is probably their tendency to "play" with
their prey by releasing and recapturing it. This behavior is often misinterpreted, horrifies cat
owners, and is a source of confusion. The natural need to make sure the prey is vulnerable
enough to be killed without posing a threat to the cat is the cause of this behavior displayed by
the cat and mouse.[139]
The presenting of prey to human guardians is another aspect of cat hunting behavior that is not
well understood. A plausible explanation is that cats incorporate humans into their social group
and distribute surplus kill among group members according on the dominance hierarchy, wherein
humans are perceived as being at or close to the top.[140] That they try to educate their
guardians how to hunt or assist their human as though they were feeding "an elderly cat, or an
inept kitten" is another theory.[141] This theory is contradicted by the fact that, although playing
a little role in kitten rearing, male cats also bring prey home.[134]: 153
Have fun
Article focus: toys and cat play
Playfighting between 14-week-old kittens
Playfulness is a characteristic of domestic cats, especially of the younger generation. This is a
useful habit for teaching kittens how to stalk, catch, and kill prey since it resembles hunting.
[142] Cats play battle, both with humans and with each other. Cats may engage in this behavior
to help them hone the fighting skills necessary for actual conflict and to help them overcome any
fear of attacking other animals.[143]
Additionally, when they are hungry, cats want to play with toys more.[144] Because play and
hunting are so similar, cats like to play with things that seem like prey, including little, hairy toys
that move quickly but quickly pique their curiosity. When kids play with a toy repeatedly, they
develop a habit of using it.[145] Though it is frequently used as a toy, eating string can cause a
medical emergency that can result in serious illness or even death if it gets lodged at the base of
the cat's tongue and travels into the bowels.[146] Sometimes the string is substituted by a laser
pointer dot, which cats may chase, due to the dangers associated with cats consuming string.[147
