# Cat won't eat rat fetus... **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 29, 2007, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-wont-eat-rat-fetus/405929 "2007-05-29T16:08:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Marek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@Marek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marek)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-wont-eat-rat-fetus/405929/1 "2007-05-29T16:08:20Z")
Yesterday my cat brought home a dead rat. After showing it off to me, she ate it. I didn’t want to watch; not an appetizing sight. Later, when she was finished, I went back to the site of the murder to see what she’d left and clean up. What she’d left behind were: the snout, one foot, some innards (bile sac and liver I think) and… two fetuses, licked clean and both still very much alive. Now, why would she eat an entire rat and leave behind (alive) the two unborn babies? Surely they must be delectable? A vet friend that I asked said he had no idea, but suggested “maybe she was full”. Another ‘helpful’ friend said maybe she’d left them for later for dessert. Can anyone explain this? ---
**Author:** ![myrnajean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@myrnajean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/myrnajean)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-wont-eat-rat-fetus/405929/2 "2007-05-29T16:25:26Z")
Maybe she wanted to adopt them? The licked clean part is what makes me think that, perhaps the process of cleaning/eating them triggered a maternel instinct… ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-wont-eat-rat-fetus/405929/3 "2007-05-29T17:08:11Z")
Well, I guess I’m done with lunch. ---
**Author:** ![Mosier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ea924/32.png) [@Mosier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mosier)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-wont-eat-rat-fetus/405929/4 "2007-05-29T17:09:07Z")
[QUOTE=Joey P] Well, I guess I’m done with lunch. [/QUOTE] Couldn’t have said it better myself. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-wont-eat-rat-fetus/405929/5 "2007-05-29T17:12:49Z")
This has got to be one of the most simultaneously repulsive and fascinating threads I’ve ever seen. OP, please keep us posted on whether the cat ends up eating or adopting her “rat babies”. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-wont-eat-rat-fetus/405929/6 "2007-05-29T17:39:09Z")
[QUOTE=Joey P] Well, I guess I’m done with lunch. [/QUOTE] And you opened a thread with the words “rat fetus” in it? Are the fetuses viable? ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-wont-eat-rat-fetus/405929/7 "2007-05-29T17:46:24Z")
[QUOTE=Joey P] Well, I guess I’m done with lunch. [/QUOTE] …and dinner is a no-no…prolly breakfast as well ☹ ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-wont-eat-rat-fetus/405929/8 "2007-05-29T17:46:48Z")
I think it’s mothering instinct. It’s not that uncommon, really for one species to adopt the orphaned off spring of another species, we’ve all heard of it. The key seems to be the infancy of the orphan. Nature very cleverly made all babies, even rat babies, ever so cute for just this reason, don’t ya think? ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-wont-eat-rat-fetus/405929/9 "2007-05-29T17:50:38Z")
Didn’t have the right wine. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-wont-eat-rat-fetus/405929/10 "2007-05-29T17:53:55Z")
[QUOTE=elbows] It’s not that uncommon, really for one species to adopt the orphaned off spring of another species, we’ve all heard of it. The key seems to be the infancy of the orphan. [/QUOTE] I think killing and eating the mother to get the babies out is frowned upon though. ---
**Author:** ![Jake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-wont-eat-rat-fetus/405929/11 "2007-05-29T18:35:53Z")
[QUOTE=elbows] I think it’s mothering instinct. It’s not that uncommon, really for one species to adopt the orphaned off spring of another species, we’ve all heard of it. The key seems to be the infancy of the orphan. Nature very cleverly made all babies, even rat babies, ever so cute for just this reason, don’t ya think? [/QUOTE] Female cats will adopt other female’s kittens to raise, so maybe there is an instinct in a cat to preserve young’ns? No matter what species? Just a WAG. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-wont-eat-rat-fetus/405929/12 "2007-05-29T19:59:31Z")
At what point does the maternal instinct get overruled by the “kill & eat the rat” instinct? I’m envisioning the ritten’s 1st birthday, when the cat notices how plump they are now and eats them both. Alternatively, that’s been her plan all along - let them fatten up a bit, then eat them. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-wont-eat-rat-fetus/405929/13 "2007-05-29T20:04:47Z")
[QUOTE=elbows] I think it’s mothering instinct. It’s not that uncommon, really for one species to adopt the orphaned off spring of another species, we’ve all heard of it. The key seems to be the infancy of the orphan. Nature very cleverly made all babies, even rat babies, ever so cute for just this reason, don’t ya think? [/QUOTE] [Looney Tunes definitely agrees with you on this.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marc_Antony_and_Pussyfoot) ---
**Author:** ![ratatoskK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ratatoskk/32/2987_2.png) [@ratatoskK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratatoskK)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-wont-eat-rat-fetus/405929/14 "2007-05-29T22:17:05Z")
I agree with **elbows** – the fetus of another species resembles the fetus of its own species, hence the instinct to preserve it. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-wont-eat-rat-fetus/405929/15 "2007-05-29T22:19:22Z")
[QUOTE=Joey P] I think killing and eating the mother to get the babies out is frowned upon though. [/QUOTE] Eating, not so much, but killing? Humans do it often enough. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-wont-eat-rat-fetus/405929/16 "2007-05-29T23:07:06Z")
So, since she wasn’t interested in them, did you eat them? ---
**Author:** ![Marek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@Marek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marek)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-wont-eat-rat-fetus/405929/17 "2007-05-29T23:47:57Z")
[QUOTE=Kimstu] This has got to be one of the most simultaneously repulsive and fascinating threads I’ve ever seen. OP, please keep us posted on whether the cat ends up eating or adopting her “rat babies”. [/QUOTE] Sorry… I couldn’t bear to watch them moving and struggling, so I killed them (but I didn’t eat them). ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2007, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-wont-eat-rat-fetus/405929/18 "2007-05-30T00:08:32Z")
I guess it’s just as well, **Marek**. That was really one for the record books, though. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2007, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-wont-eat-rat-fetus/405929/19 "2007-05-30T00:50:38Z")
Hmmmmm, so what you’re saying is that your cat valued the lives of the fetuses, at the expense of the life of the mother. Those damn fundies are getting to our cats!