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Harmful Insects: Protect Your Cat from Insect Bite Concerns

Posted September 12th, 2019 by daniel

Spend any amount of time with a cat and you will note that they love to chase after and swat at things. Be it a ball of yarn, the light emitted from a laser pointer, or a moth cats have an instinct for chasing after prey. This instinct can serve them well, but it can also get them into some dangerous situations – especially if that prey is an insect that could be harmful to them!

While many insects are completely safe for your cat to pursue, this is not the case for all insects. Some insects can be poisonous cause injury. You must know what type of insects can be harmful to your cat so you can take action if your cat ingests something he shouldn’t.

Harmful Insects for Cats

Knowing what types of insects can be dangerous to your cat is part of responsible pet care. Should you be unsure if your cat has ingested one of these (or perhaps something else) insects, contact your vet immediately! You don’t want your cat to suffer unnecessarily.

• Spiders – most small house spiders are harmless for your cat. However, common poisonous spiders such as brown recluse, white tail, and hobo spiders can cause major illness and wounds. Spider bites from the black widow can be even more severe; causing paralysis, a stumbling gait, and respiratory issues.
• Buzzing insects – Wasps, bees, yellow jackets, and other buzzing insects are often tempting to cats, thanks to their buzzing sound and ability to hover in the air. However, like people, cats can be allergic to their venom. You can often tell if your cat has been stung because they will lick the place repeatedly – thus irritating it more. If you suspect a bee sting, take your cat to the vet for anti-histamine.
• Centipedes – While the smaller ones are generally harmless, the large ones carry venom and can bite your cat. This can cause fever and weakness and you will need to bring your cat to the vet asap.
• Fire ants- While most ants are harmless for your cat, a fire ant can cause serious health issues – the worst being anaphylaxis.
• Fleas – we all know how annoying fleas are for your pets. The best approach is preventative action – monthly flea control, flea collars, etc.
• Ticks – If your cat spends a great deal of time outdoors, then ticks can be a problem. Talk to your vet about ways to prevent these nuisances.
• Flies- Though largely not an issue, they will bite a cat’s ears. If you are concerned about this possibility, a fly repellant can be used.
• Botfly – These insects will lay its eggs on the skin of animals, and will look like a small lump with a hole at the top. If you see something like this on your cat, take her to the vet so lump can be removed.

As pet sitters with a great deal experience, it is our goal to help your pet stay happy and healthy. We are always on the lookout for potential dangers to your pet. However, please be sure to always leave your vet’s info when our team is watching your pet(s) as we can then act quickly in the event of an emergency. We love your pets and want to keep them safe. Contact us today to learn more about our pet sitting services.

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