Pet food?

I've asked this before on a different forum, what do you lot think?
We have a problem with rats and pigeons, trying to control them is a real pain.
Cats in particular would eat rodents and birds in the wild so why don't we make pet food out of them?
When was the last time you saw a cat catch a prawn or a tuna, or a cow even?
Seems a bit strange, do we think pets should eat what we do?
I had a collie once who ate leeks but never one that ate corn.
Are we just squeamish? Couldn't we give the beef etc. to starving humans?

Re: Pet food?

It would be logical I suppose but then again, my dogs have killed two birds this week and I seriously wasn't happy with them for doing that. I know it's only instinct with them (especially the older one as he was trained, before I got him, as a gun dog). I would tell my cats off for bringing field mice in! I think you are probably right, we are a bit squeamish.

Re: Pet food?

Tried to put pic on here but again would work!

Re: Pet food?

Who do pet food manufacturers direct their marketing at Twizard - who has got the money? - not the animals, but their owners who buy it. The advertising is directed towards the owners and prawns, tuna, beef, etc. are what people would want to eat and as you say they think their animals would enjoy the same stuff. Probably they do. If only they could get hold of these foods for themselves.

If you were to feed your dogs and cats with rats and pigeons there is the risk of disease for your animals and yourself. The pet food manufacturers are not allowed by law to make pet food out of them because of a risk to health.

You can always feed your dog the BARF way Twizzard.

Re: Pet food?

I can see a problem with this our pest control methods tend to be poison so the pests cannot be ingested after death. Whereas cows etc are farmed and shot so nothing to harm our pets. So unless we farmed rodent etc we couldn't use them as feed and the pests would still be pests (possibly even more of them if they escaped from farms !)

Re: Pet food?

They could call "Nature Own Organic", I expect they'd cook it to kill any germs etc. Cats eat mice & birds anyway and they're raw. Mine would eat the whole thing too, without leaving bits, even though they're well fed. People in other countries eat rodents etc.

Re: Pet food?

Cats eat meat because it is their staple diet, and because they are obligate carnivores, but they like a bit of greenery mainly grass.

Re: Pet food?

Cats and dogs use grass as medicine, it makes them vomit, cats use it to help them bring up hairballs.