brown rats & cats can we get sick ?

Hello

Today I heard loud sqeeking behind my house and when we checked it out one of my cats had a brown rat cornered and was beating it repeatedly in the head while the rat was trying to fight back (but failed miserably). After he killed the rat he actually started eating it! Rats are such dirty animals they live in the sewers and basements under buildings here. I get my cats de wormed de flaed and annual shots, but can I catch a sickness from them eating rats? I often pick up this same cat and let him sleep on my bed at night!

Your cat can get sicknesses from eating rats, more likely than you can, and I don't mean fleas and worms. Toxoplasmosis being a major one.

What would be most worrisome to me would be the ingestion of rodent killer, which rats have probably a little in their bloodstream, and may have a ton. If they're living in basements, you can bet that someone somewhere is trying to kill them with rat poison, and rat poison + cat = veterinary emergency.

Oh ugh................

Crittermom, I do hope you don't live by that assumption. Cats do eat things that are bad for them, such as chocolate, antifreeze, tylenol etc. It is our responsibility to keep those things out of their reach.

It is true that if they eat a bug or something that tastes bad or causes stomach upset, they usually stay away from it in the future. The same is true of human toddlers, though, and we don't trust them to instinctively know what is bad for them or not.

I have 4 kids, so I know what to put up out of reach.
My cats are NOT able to get into anything that can harm them, they are indoor cats.I do NOT nor have ever used Decon.

Crittermom, I do hope you don't live by that assumption.

Click to expand...

I was just stating what I have heard.That is not to say that it is 100% accurate though.
As most of us know that antifreeze,chocolate,Tylenol,Asprin,paint and etc are harmful to our pets.
I edited my previous post.
PLEASE call your Vet and ask if there are any concerns!!!!

Here is a site that I found about rat posioning and cats
http://www.vetinfo4cats.com/ctoxin.html


[size=+1]Mouse Poison[/size]
[size=+1]Q: [/size]Dr Mike,
If a mouse eats poison (Decon) and the cat eats some or most
of the mouse, can the cat be poisoned as well? I live in
the country and rodents are sometimes a problem. I hate to
use poison, but it's the only thing that's really effective
when the field mice invade.
Melissa
[size=+1]A: [/size]Melissa-
With the newer mouse poisons it is possible for a cat to get a toxic dose
by eating mice poisoned with the mouse poison. I am not sure how high the
risk is but there have been reports of this occurring so there is at least
some risk. Mike Richards, DVM

I would counsult your vet on this one just to be on the safe side. Cats can get food poisioning just as people can from eating raw meat- even though they are carnivirous. E-Coli, and Selmanella(sp?) are no exceptions. Also, Toxmoplasis(sp?) can also occur. Cats can be tested for toxmoplasis(sp?), I wouldn't worry too much sweetie, but i would definitely have a talk with your vet