My cat keeps eating bugs and insects. Is this safe for her health?

Mmmm, protein! Catching insects is all part of a cat's prey drive, and it is normal for them to hunt and eat their prey, even creepy-crawlies. If she eats too many cockroaches at one time, it is possible that she could get an upset stomach. I would also be a little concerned if the cockroaches have been exposed to any pesticides, so use of pet-safe cockroach traps would be smarter than a spray or chemical.

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. There is a risk that she may be stung in the throat. If that is the case, she may develop signs of breathing difficulties within a few minutes from eating the bug. If that happened, it should be treated as an emergency. If Myla ate the bug a while ago and she looks fine now, there should not be any problems, she will likely digest the bug.

The main insect to be concerned about would be a venomous spider like a black widow or brown recluse. Bites from these spiders can cause large wounds and tissue necrosis and can be very complicated to treat. Other insect bites will be a nuisance but should not cause any major problems. Additionally, if your cat eats the bugs, the only symptoms you may see are those related to GI upset. These symptoms would include drooling excessively, inappetance, vomiting and/or diarrhea. Or you may not notice any symptoms at all. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck!

Hello, sorry to hear about Parvo. Cats are naturally hunters and thus this behavior may be part of her instinct. However, this may also be caused from a dietary insufficiency. I would recommend that you make sure Paro is being offered a well balanced commercial diet. Eating lizards may predispose her to some parasites, but these vary by region so your local veterinarian may be able to offer better advise on what risk Paro may be at if she continues to eat these lizards. Monitor for any signs of vomiting, decreased appetite, diarrhea, and yellow tinged gums. If you note any, then contact your veterinarian to have her evaluated. Hope this helps and best of luck.

Flies don't carry the toxoplasmosis parasite per se, but they can spread contaminated soil or cat feces. Cats can get toxoplasmosis by eating infected rodents, birds, or other small animals, or anything contaminated with feces from another cat that is shedding the microscopic parasite in its feces. In that way, it could be possible that Noushi could get toxoplasmosis if the flies she ate were carrying toxoplasmosis oocytes, but it would be highly unlikely. Keep the fly population under control in your house to reduce any chances. Best of luck, I hope this helps.

Most dogs like to eat bugs, grass, and other items they shouldn't. Keeping an eye on Molly and stopping her from eating anything potentially harmful is a good idea. It would be hard to say if the bugs are safe to eat or not without knowing what bugs she is eating.

Hello, as in any occasion, you should make sure that you're washing your baby's hands immediately after touching Saffie. Majority of the infectious diseases we worry about are transferred via fecal to oral route, hence why washing hands is so important. To further ensure that your kitten is safe to be around your baby, keep up on her physical exams and you can have your veterinarian test a stool sample for any parasites or giardia. Eating birds particularly may expose your cat to foreign bodies and parasites but does not directly expose your baby to these same infections. Hope this helps and best of luck.