# Cats and Tuna Fish



## NRD (Mar 31, 2010)

Why is it that many cats (including three of my four) go crazy wild for the smell of tuna? I have never fed any of them either tuna or tuna juice since I adopted them. It is possible one or more of them had it when they were younger (they are all rescues, and they were four months to 1-1/2 years of age when I adopted them). But the three of them--Hersh, Little Hersh and Blizzy, all males--go crazy the instant I put a tuna can in the can opener, and Hersh utters cries I've never heard at other times.

It's not like tuna is a natural part of a cat's diet, so why is it they get so excited? And while the Brown Brothers get excited about food generally, this is definitely different. After I pour the tuna juice down the garbage disposal with the water running, they reach down to get what they can. Most likely they think I have lost my mind! they get plenty of other treats, but I'm afraid if they get hooked on tuna, I will have trouble with them when it comes to other food. Up until now, no problems with their diet at all, and I want to keep it that way. But I also want to eat tuna myself every once in a while!


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## calidreamer119 (May 12, 2011)

Don't really have much of a clue other than I think tuna has a STRONG smell, and since their sense of smell is better than ours, that's got to drive them bonkers. I know I can't have an open can of tuna in the house because it smells so strong and I can't stand it. If my boyfriend or the kitties want tuna it has to be opened on the porch lol


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## jusjim (Jun 30, 2009)

Missy is also a rescue cat. When I brought her home I had trouble getting her to eat. I started putting tuna out and she loved it. Research told me it was low in Taurine, an essential amino acid for cats. I bought some crystaline taurine and mixed in small amounts. OK. cut the long ramble. She started leaving about half the small amounts I put out and I quit giving it to her and she doesn't seem to miss it. Sardines is what she wants now. She's very happy to get a small portion as a treat.

Cats will fish if they have the chance, but not for tuna, of course. There is a breed of true cats 'Fishing Cats' (not 'Fisher Cats) in south east Asia that actually swim under water to catch their fish.

By the way, if you think of it, canned tuna is not a natural part of human diet, either, is it?


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## beamjoy (Nov 6, 2010)

I'm not sure how I got into the habit of it, but in our house the cats have Tuna Tuesdays. They have me really well trained.


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## NRD (Mar 31, 2010)

jusjim said:


> By the way, if you think of it, canned tuna is not a natural part of human diet, either, is it?


Neither are pizza, french fries or Coke. Junk food, like kibble, by analogy. But I never had a craving for tuna, it was learned behavior. With the kitties, it seems innate.

The comment about the fishing cats is very interesting.


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## Gabby169 (May 8, 2011)

Gabby loves tuna. Ashley, the kitty I had growing up, went nuts every time we started opening up any can with a can opener. But unlike Missy the kitty (jusjim's kitty) Gabby hates sardines. The food I gave her last night had sardine cutlets in it and she wouldn't eat it at all. But in general Gabby is very much a seafood kitty.


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## faithless (Dec 4, 2009)

Ive wondered how the fisher cats do without taurine? My cat goes crazy for makrill in tomato sauce. Its a fatty fish, witch should be good for her fur, tuna is very low in fat


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## Gabby169 (May 8, 2011)

The tuna varieties I feed Gabby are all mixed with another fatty fish.


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