# Why are cats so crazy for fish? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 27, 2006, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-cats-so-crazy-for-fish/358495 "2006-05-27T22:32:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2006, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-cats-so-crazy-for-fish/358495/21 "2006-05-28T12:26:31Z")
Come to think of it, Siegfried the cat would climb up your leg and tear potato chips from your hand. An otherwise well behaved cat, you couldn’t eat them in front of him. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2006, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-cats-so-crazy-for-fish/358495/22 "2006-05-28T13:32:47Z")
> [@picunurse](#): > > (my bold) [Cat’s are true carnivores](http://www.felinefuture.com/). They don’t _need_ any food other than meat. That doesn’t mean they will only _eat_ meat. Their likes and dislikes in food are as unfathomable as everything else they do, but they are carnivores, not omnivores. Conceeded. To a scientist, a cat is a carnivore. To a cat owmer, a cat is an enigma. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![dogbutler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dogbutler/32/428_2.png) [@dogbutler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dogbutler)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2006, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-cats-so-crazy-for-fish/358495/23 "2006-05-28T15:11:19Z")
> [@Kiminy](#): > > One of them does enjoy an occasional taste of\*\* People\*\* meat bolding mine So you adopted Armin Meiwes’ cat? :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2006, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-cats-so-crazy-for-fish/358495/24 "2006-05-28T15:32:22Z")
> [@Kiminy](#): > > One of them does enjoy an occasional taste of People meat You might want to check out this Staff Report: [Will cats eat their owners after the latter die?](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mdepradation.html) ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2006, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-cats-so-crazy-for-fish/358495/25 "2006-05-28T16:58:39Z")
Our old cat used to go for curried eggs. Then there was the Christmas where my mother was cooking duck or goose. The cat went wild - even going into the oven! So my mother slathered her hands in the bird’s fat and Brylcreamed the cat. It was in heaven and spent hours licking itself clean. But it looked mighty peculiar that evening! ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2006, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-cats-so-crazy-for-fish/358495/26 "2006-05-28T19:21:56Z")
In my experience, the one food that virtually every cat will sell a spare life or two for is venison. Cats seem to adore anything “wild”, which I think it why Quartz’s mom’s cat was so bonkers for goose. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2006, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-cats-so-crazy-for-fish/358495/27 "2006-05-28T19:28:08Z")
Perhaps smelly foods attract cats like colorful objects get our attention. ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Bruin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Queen\_Bruin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Bruin)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2006, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-cats-so-crazy-for-fish/358495/28 "2006-05-28T19:38:33Z")
Kitt goes bonkers for spaghetti and meatballs, popcorn, and Reese’s Pieces. Bitey loves ham. Rubicante loves catfood, and catfood only. **St. Germain** , [here](http://www.petsmart.com/global/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524441780911&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302033750&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=2534374302023690&bmUID=1148845025307&itemNo=0&In=Cat&N=2033750&Ne=2)ya go! Bitey rather likes it, so I get it now and again. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2006, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-cats-so-crazy-for-fish/358495/29 "2006-05-28T19:57:21Z")
> [@Tuckerfan](#): > > My present cat has a fondness for french fries (and she’s _vicious_ when it comes to people food, I’m surprised I haven’t lost any fingers yet). Sounds like my Maggie. She’s extremely picky when it comes to cat food-won’t touch dry stuff, will only eat certain KINDS of canned food, and then she changes her favorite flavors every week. But anything I’m eating? She’s all over it. She gets right up in your face, pulls food off of your plate, sticks her head in your dish, you name it. My mother came home once to find that she had chewed a hole in a plastic bag to get at the donuts inside. :eek: In addition to fish, cats are also nuts for anything dairy. But you don’t see a cat going after cows in the wild, do you? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2006, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-cats-so-crazy-for-fish/358495/30 "2006-05-28T22:24:20Z")
> [@The Sausage Creature](#): > > Kitt goes bonkers for spaghetti and meatballs, popcorn, and Reese’s Pieces. [Chocolate](http://www.petcaretips.net/cat-chocolate-poisoning.html) is considered highly dangerous for cats, as it is for dogs. Drop the Reese’s Pieces now! ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Bruin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Queen\_Bruin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Bruin)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2006, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-cats-so-crazy-for-fish/358495/31 "2006-05-28T22:40:32Z")
> [@Spectre of Pithecanthropus](#): > > [Chocolate](http://www.petcaretips.net/cat-chocolate-poisoning.html) is considered highly dangerous for cats, as it is for dogs. Drop the Reese’s Pieces now! I don’t think there is any chocolate in the pieces. The cups for sure, but I’m not sure about the pieces. In any event, he only gets a few bits once in a great while. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2006, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-cats-so-crazy-for-fish/358495/32 "2006-05-28T22:47:09Z")
Mrs. Plant, renowned dog trainer, says it’s _Baker’s Chocolate_ that is poisonous to dogs. Her dogs get into hers often enough and they are none the worse for it. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2006, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-cats-so-crazy-for-fish/358495/33 "2006-05-29T02:42:18Z")
I had a cat once who liked salsa. I discovered this after I finished eating a burrito slathered with some _very hot_ salsa. Because I was watching TV at the time I set the plate on the floor, intending to take it to the kitchen during the next commercial. My cat, Mayhem, trotted over and sniffed the plate. I thought, “This oughtta be funny!” Mayhem licked the plate clean and never batted an eye. I heard a standup comedian talking about cat food once. He described a cat food commercial he’d seen in which the voiceover claimed that the product came in “the flavors your cat _naturally_ craves”. One of the flavors was beef. The comedian said, “Your cat _naturally_ craves beef? When was the last time you saw a housecat out if a field running down a cow?” ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2006, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-cats-so-crazy-for-fish/358495/34 "2006-05-29T02:45:52Z")
> [@Phase42](#): > > I had a cat once who liked salsa. I discovered this after I finished eating a burrito slathered with some _very hot_ salsa. Because I was watching TV at the time I set the plate on the floor, intending to take it to the kitchen during the next commercial. My cat, Mayhem, trotted over and sniffed the plate. I thought, “This oughtta be funny!” Mayhem licked the plate clean and never batted an eye. > > I heard a standup comedian talking about cat food once. He described a cat food commercial he’d seen in which the voiceover claimed that the product came in “the flavors your cat _naturally_ craves”. One of the flavors was beef. The comedian said, “Your cat _naturally_ craves beef? When was the last time you saw a housecat out if a field running down a cow?” If that’s the one I’m thinking of, he added perhaps better flavors might be Mouse, or Sparrow. Piper Grace likes to eat Cheetos. Sometimes she just licks all the cheese off, sometimes she eats the whole thing. ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2006, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-cats-so-crazy-for-fish/358495/35 "2006-05-29T07:48:01Z")
JoJo loves asparagus - she begs for it and, when she gets a piece, plays with it before eating it. And no, I don’t give it to her with mayonnaise or any other sauce. She also likes Rice Crispies. When given a bowlful without milk she will put her front paws in and dig, then rest with her paws in the bowl. When given a bowlful with milk she drinks the milk and consumes some of the cereal as well. She loves cheese, and has a preference for fancy imported cheese over cheap domestic stuff. She really likes parmagiano reggiano and aged gouda, but doesn’t show much interest in domestic cheddar. Oh, yeah, she also likes fish, especially tuna. She’s less interested in salmon, and she ignores shellfish. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2006, 8:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-cats-so-crazy-for-fish/358495/36 "2006-05-29T08:34:56Z")
Rather than continuing to hijack this thread with tales of odd foods, I’ve started a thread [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=7438019#post7438019) on the subject. ---
**Author:** ![Gymnopithys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/fbc32d/32.png) [@Gymnopithys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gymnopithys)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2006, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-cats-so-crazy-for-fish/358495/37 "2006-05-29T17:01:29Z")
> [@devilsknew](#): > > I’ve seen films of Panthers catching fish from rivers. You sure it’s not jaguars? ---
**Author:** ![psychobunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/54ee81/32.png) [@psychobunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychobunny)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2006, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-cats-so-crazy-for-fish/358495/38 "2006-05-30T18:07:10Z")
My babies won’t eat people food at all. They will lick up tuna water but they won’t eat the tuna itself. They do the same with canned cat food. However, they do go absolutely insane over spanish olives. They will hiss, claw and bite if they even smell them, although again they don’t actually eat them. ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2006, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-cats-so-crazy-for-fish/358495/39 "2006-05-30T21:23:12Z")
The Neville kitties _love_ gefilte fish. They’re Jewish kitties. ;j Normally, when I’m eating gefilte fish, I will take off bits for them while I’m still in the kitchen. I deviated from this routine once, when I was finishing up an open jar of gefilte fish before Passover. We’d already cleaned the kitchen, but not the dining room table, so I got the gefilte fish out of the jar there, while sitting at the table. Katya tapped me with her paw, to remind me that I’d forgotten to give them their share (they did get some). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-cats-so-crazy-for-fish/358495.md?page=1)