Skunks often find pet food left outdoors, but cat food is not a suitable diet for them. Understanding skunks’ specific nutritional requirements reveals why a feline diet can lead to considerable health problems for these wild omnivores.
Skunk’s Natural Dietary Needs
Skunks are highly adaptable omnivores, meaning their natural diet includes both plant and animal matter. Their foraging habits are diverse, shifting with the seasons and the availability of food sources. In warmer months, their diet primarily consists of insects such as beetles, crickets, grasshoppers, and various larvae and grubs, which they often dig for.
Beyond insects, skunks consume small animals including mice, voles, lizards, frogs, and bird eggs. Plant-based foods also form a substantial part of their diet, encompassing berries, nuts, seeds, roots, leaves, grasses, and a variety of fruits and vegetables like apples, bananas, and carrots. This varied intake provides a broad spectrum of nutrients, ensuring their flexible digestive system receives what it needs from diverse natural sources.
Nutritional Imbalance in Cat Food
Cat food is formulated to meet the specific nutritional demands of felines, which are obligate carnivores. This creates significant imbalances for skunks. Commercial cat foods typically contain high protein (26-50% dry matter) to support a cat’s carnivorous physiology. Skunks, as omnivores, require much lower protein levels (15-25% crude protein), making feline diets excessively rich.
Furthermore, cat food is energy-dense with a high fat content (typically 9-21% dry matter). While cats require significant fat, skunks need a lower fat intake (approximately 30% of their diet) for optimal health. Cat food also contains specific micronutrients and vitamins, such as high levels of taurine, essential for cats but potentially imbalanced for skunks. Skunks require additional taurine and specific calcium levels that may be insufficient in cat food.
Health Consequences for Skunks
Consistently consuming cat food can lead to serious health problems for skunks due to its inappropriate nutritional profile. The excessive fat and calorie content often results in obesity. Skunks are prone to weight gain and may overeat, leading to an unhealthy increase in body mass and reduced activity.
The high protein and fat levels can also strain a skunk’s internal organs, particularly the kidneys and liver. Nutritional deficiencies and imbalances are common, including metabolic bone disease (MBD), which arises from an improper calcium-to-phosphorus ratio or insufficient calcium and vitamin D. This condition can weaken bones and compromise skeletal health.
While skunks require taurine, cat food’s specific levels might not prevent cardiomyopathy, a heart condition linked to taurine deficiencies. The soft, processed texture of cat food also contributes to tartar buildup and dental disease, as their teeth naturally require crunchy foods for wear.
Preventing Skunks from Accessing Cat Food
Preventing skunks from accessing cat food involves responsible pet food management and discouraging wildlife from congregating near homes. Feed pets indoors whenever possible. If feeding outdoors, bring pet food bowls inside immediately after meals to eliminate accessible food sources.
Securing outdoor garbage cans with tight-fitting lids and managing compost bins properly can also deter skunks and other scavengers. Avoiding the practice of leaving any food items, such as birdseed or fallen fruit, outdoors overnight can further reduce attractions for wildlife. For those feeding feral cats, elevating feeding stations by about 18 inches can prevent skunks from reaching the food, as skunks are not adept climbers. It is generally advisable to avoid feeding wild animals, as providing them with human food can disrupt their natural foraging behaviors and negatively impact their health.