For the most part, cats can eat spiders. But this is an uncommon occurrence. If a cat manages to capture a spider by any chance, its first instinct would be to toss it around and play with it. In defense, a spider may try to inject venom or prick the cat. But because a cat has thicker skin compared to humans, spiders are unsuccessful in their attack.
Moreover, since there is a huge difference in their sizes – spiders, who are timid creatures, tend to stay away from cats and avoid crossing paths with the feline creature. In some cases, the consumption of spiders that may be poisonous can result in the cat’s death. The spiders that can cause serious harm to you and your cats can be black widow spiders, brown recluse spiders, and hobo spiders. These have a high content of poison in them and can harm your pet. With the consumption of spiders like a black widow – the cats can experience diarrhea, muscular spasms, or paralysis if severe.
Can cats eat spiders?
Cats are carnivorous animals. And this is the case for both domestic and wild cats. They take their nutrition from eating other creatures rather than plants like herbivores. So there are chances of your cat eating the house spiders that lurk in the corners. These are seemingly harmless as the acids in the cat’s stomach can neutralize the small amount of venom from those house spiders.
In most cases, you do not need to worry about your cat. But if they show any sign of sickness after eating or getting bitten by a spider – take them to the vet immediately. It does not hurt to keep an eye for wounds on your pet after getting bitten too. This is because more poisonous spiders can contribute to the cat’s death. Even if spiders are not very toxic to the cats, for their stomach acids neutralize the spiders’ poison, just be careful of any after-effects.
Cats are such creatures that even if they have been tamed over the years, they still have the hunter’s instincts for their prey. This means that if your feline pet is bored or notices movements around the house – they can and will get curious and intrigued about the movement. High chances are if it is an insect (spiders), or anything living, it is going inside the cat’s stomach. This is something that you, as an owner, cannot avoid. It is like the carnivores cats to hunt their prey. So if you have spiders lurking around, cats are going to get them. And as it has been mentioned before, for the most part, spiders, especially house spiders – are not harmful to cats. But that does not mean it is healthy or will not contain any unwanted consequences for your pet.
Here are some side effects the cats may have from eating spiders.
- They may have stomach issues – Cats may be carnivores in nature, but that does not mean their body will accept spiders easily. At least that may be the case if the cat is eating a spider for the first time. It is like when we try out new cuisine. The body will not be used to eating the eight-legged insect and will refuse to accept it initially. This can lead to problems for the cats. Another reason why spiders may cause harm to the cats is through the parasites that the spiders may carry in them. The stomach worm is one such example. Spiders get attacked by this parasite easily, and when cats eat the infected spider – it will transfer to the cat. Not only this, but if the spiders have been sprayed with insecticides and the cat consumes the spider, the situation can worsen.
- The cats can also have allergic reactions – Although spiders cannot bite or inject their poisons in the cats because of their thick skin, they can still create lethal allergies if the animal eats a spider. Like the food we consume, not every spider will be healthy or easily digestible by the cats. So some spiders may even give your cat a bad allergic reaction. It is to be kept in mind that the areas where cats have thin and easily penetrative skin, like the underbelly, can allow the spiders to bite them. So if you suspect anything remotely related to a spider bite, or see symptoms, check for the places with the thin skin layer. Chances are it is a spider that bit your cat. And consult the veterinarian immediately to prevent the wound or infection from growing and spreading further.
But it is also to be noted that cats are not afraid of spiders. It is because they tend to get surprised at a sudden object in front of them that it may seem cats are generally afraid of everything – but that is not the case. Immediately after getting startled, they will go to inspect the cause. This is because of their curious nature. So no, cats are not afraid of spiders. And most of the house spiders are usually not harmful. That means it can become a delicacy for the feline creatures.
Although baby cats, or kittens, should be refrained from eating the spiders. They have extremely sensitive stomachs, and the acid may not be enough to dilute or neutralize the poison from the spider regardless of what kind they are. This can lead to worse cases of issues that the kittens may suffer from. If you do not want your kitten to suffer, then check what they are taking.
conclusion
we can say that cats can eat spiders without any harmful side effects. While spiders do not generally harm the cats. Even so, taking precautions is useful against dangerous spider types like the ones we have already talked about. It is better to train your cat not to eat spiders because, unlike humans, they would not know the difference. And if by chance you see a spider bite or suspect your cat eating a spider through the symptoms like vomiting and nausea, take them to the vet as soon as possible or immediately if you are able.