If you’ve ever watched cartoons, you may have seen that cats are always shown to be obsessed with eating fish.

But, why do cats like eating fish?

According to historical accounts, the Egyptians were the first humans to domesticate cats and they lured them into their homes with offers of fish. People speculate that this is how cats developed their taste for fish.

After all, cats hate water, right? So, chances are that they didn’t hunt the fish themselves.

In this blog post, I will answer the question, “Why do cats like fish?” in as much detail as I possibly can.

Let’s get started, shall we?

Why Do Cats Like Fish? A Quick Look

The answer to this one is obvious when you think about domestic cats a little bit.  

Cats are basically opportunistic feeders and they have been around humans for thousands of years and scavenge their leftovers. So, it’s basically related to natural-selection or co-evolution.

If you have a kitty as well as fish at home, you may often find your cat sitting near the aquarium and stalking the fish.

Cats are known to be obligate carnivores which means that they must eat primarily meat as their main source of food and they don’t need a lot of carbs in their diet. However, small amount of fruits, vegetables, and grains are acceptable.

Cats have short intestines which means that they can’t fully digest plant materials.

So, cats need a food which contains high concentrations of taurine which is often found in the muscles, heart, and liver of animals.

Fish, too, contain taurine.

But, what exactly is taurine?

Taurine is actually an amino acid which helps in regulating your cat’s heart rhythm, digestion, reproduction, and vision. Most mammals manufacture taurine from other amino acids.

However, cats can’t do that so it is important to have their diet supplemented.

Fish is also an excellent source of protein for cats.

However, fish may sometimes contain high levels of mercury and other toxins. Also, feeding a diet that’s mostly fish can cause your kitty to have hyperthyroidism and Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs). So, you should limit fish meals to no more than twice weekly.

Some cats can even be allergic to fish!

Summing Up: Why Do Cats Like Fish?

Cats developed a taste for fish when they were lured by ancient Egyptians. While cats themselves can’t hunt underwater, they are opportunistic feeders and will eat whatever they’re served—that they find appealing.

Fish is good for cats as it’s high in protein and taurine.

However, you should limit the intake to about twice a week as too much of a good thing can also be bad.

Have questions? Leave them in the comments!