How would Maus be read differently if the author had used humans instead of animals?

The novel would have had a different impact had humans been used. The animals are symbolic; the Nazis are cats, poles are pigs, Americans are dogs, and the Jews are mice. The mice symbolize exactly how Hitler wanted the Jews to be envisioned...... as vermin. The cats (Nazis) stalk the vermin..... which is symbolic of ethnic cleansing.