Why Do Cats Eat Birdseed?

"My cat eats tomatoes." "My cat eats popcorn." "My cat eats fabric." Strange eating behavior--that is, strange foods, foods not meant for animal consumption or non-food items---is fairly common among cats and can signal anything from a harmless eccentricity to a disorder called pica. Birdseed could be attractive to cats for several reasons, but because it is not normally found in the feline diet, it is important to investigate the reasons why your cat is drawn to it.

Birdseed = Birds

Watch the cat when it goes to the birdseed. Is she focused primarily on eating the seed, or does she just munch a little and look around? Naturally, where birdseed can be found must be where birds are--or other animals that cats finds interesting, like squirrels. The cat may be much more interested in the kind of company birdseed attracts.

Interesting Smells

Does the cat most of all seem to be interested in smelling the seed, or the bags and the areas in which it is stored? Birdseed is often stored in warehouses or garages and is exposed to various types of rodents. The scent and markings of rodents, extremely enticing to cats, may remain on the seed or on the bags.

Insects

Does the cat seem to be playing in or around the seed? Small organisms such as worms and moths may make their way into a bag of seed, and colonies may sprout up in the favorable conditions provided by bird, squirrel and rodent droppings. Insects will attract cats both for food and for play.

A Grassy Treat

Is the cat after seed, or grass? Many cats love to eat grass because it helps them to pass the fur they swallow while grooming through their digestive systems. Grass can grow out of the seeds used to feed birds, so if seed is regularly dropped onto an area with soil, you can be sure that grass will grow there, providing a tasty treat for your cat.

Nutritional Deficiency, Altered Diet or Pica?

It may be that a cat is eating birdseed because it craves certain nutrients, such as protein or oil. If this is the case, the cat's diet is insufficient and should be adjusted--a veterinarian will be able to assess whether the cat requires a special diet or supplements.
On the other hand, because many high-quality cat foods today contain the same kinds of proteins, grains and oils found in human food, it may be that the cat has adapted to a new set of flavors, or traces of flavors, found in the seeds used for bird feed.
Finally, if it's pica, the cat will be inexplicably driven to eat, chew or suck other non-food items such as cords, fabric or houseplants. Letting the veterinarian know about these behaviors will assist him or her in providing the necessary answers concerning the cat's overall health.

References

• Feline Pica

Resources

• Grass from birdseed