Teeth and Jaws
Domesticated cats have the fewest teeth of all the carnivores. Cats have thirty teeth, twelve fewer than a dog, with a pair of large, long, and sharp canine teeth in each jaw. Their back teeth mesh first when their jaw closes, giving a shearing action to the bite. They have no grinding teeth and must tear their food into small pieces to eat it.
Domesticated cats seem to have inborn skill in knowing how to deliver a death bite to such creatures as mice, rats, and such; this skill is brought into practice usually by the mother teaching her kittens. Ordinarily one quick, deep bite at the nape of the neck will dispatch the prey. If it remains alive, the cat will shake it vigorously sideways until the prey is dizzy and can be killed.
If your cat has access to the outdoors, or if a mouse gets into the house, you may be presented with a gift of dispatched prey from time to time, sometimes even a live one! There is some debate on why this occurs or even if it is intentional. However, cat owners will agree that cats present these gifts for definite reasons. They may be offerings because the cat considers its human to be part of its family. Sometimes they are peace offerings after they have benn scolded. But other times, the cat is full of unfailing hope that one day we will learn to hunt. A cat owner should never scold a cat who brings in its prey, for it is only following its natural instincts. The gift of prey also shows that the cat considers you worthy of being cared for. However well-fed the cat may be, it will hunt.
Cats require more fat and protein than dogs, almost four times as much, which is why they should never be fed dog food. However, they do not require as much as many people think. Cats need about thirty percent protein in their diet; the cat foods with up to fifty and sixty percent protein are unnecessary. The old belief that cats crave and must have fish is also wrong. Spoiled fish or certain types of fish can cause diseases; it is best to get a commercial cat food that has some fish in it. And, contrary to the newest fad going around, cats can not live on a vegetarian diet; they will become very sick and die a painful death. As carnivores, they naturally must have protein in their diet.
©1999
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