Do cats eat moths? Can cats eat moths? Can cats eat moths and not die? These are all questions that people have asked, so we investigated to find the answer.
The short answer is yes, a cat can consume a moth without any negative consequences.
A long answer requires going into more detail about what kind of moth it is and how much the cat has eaten in total.
Contents
Can Cats Eat Moths?
The answer to this question is yes; cats are capable of eating moths.
In fact, most butterflies and moths are safe for cats to eat as long as they aren’t poisonous.
There hasn’t been much research on how the ingestion of moth species such as the Garden Tiger Moth affect cats, but when consumed by other creatures, like birds, the venom of moths can be toxic, although bigger mammals are less likely to fall victim.
Why Can Cats Eat Moths?
Moths provide a lot of the same nutrients as meat, so it’s no wonder that cats can eat them.
In fact, moths are actually quite high in protein and fat, making them a good source of nutrition for cats.
Additionally, moths contain important vitamins and minerals like thiamin, niacin, vitamin B12, phosphorus, and selenium.
Moths are also low in calories but high in protein compared to most meats like beef or chicken.
This makes moths a good choice for cats who need to lose weight as well as those suffering from obesity.
Moth larvae can be even better than adult moths since they contain more fat and protein.
Why Can’t Cats Eat Moths?
Because of the toxic powder on their wings, moths can make cats very sick.
Veterinarians often see stomach issues in cats that have eaten moths.
For this reason, it is strongly discouraged for cats to eat these insects.
Although they may not be harmful to us, moths pose a serious health risk to our feline friends.
So, the next time you see a moth flying around, make sure to keep your cats away!
What Happens If a Cat Eats a Moth?
There is nothing to worry about if your cat eats a moth.
However, in the event that your cat consumes an excessive amount of moths it may suffer from an upset stomach or digestive issues.
Toxic garden tiger moths are characterized as such because of their venomous nature and should be left alone.
A brown and white pattern on the wings of this moth resembles the marks of a cow, so if your cat is trying to catch it you should get your cat away from it.
Can Moths Kill Your Cat?
Moths are not generally harmful to cats and will not injure or kill them if they are not eating moths.
However, there are some species of moths that can be poisonous to cats.
If your cat eats a garden tiger moth, it may lead to some serious health conditions.
These cats are known for their poisoning symptoms which include depression, convolutions/tremors/seizures, breathing difficulty and drooling or vomiting as the first signs of garden tiger moth poisoning.
This is because moths have toxins in them that can cause serious harm to cats.
If you think your cat has ingested a moth, it is important to take it to the vet as soon as possible.
What to Do If Your Cat Eats Moths?
You can keep cats from eating moths by removing mothballs from your house. If you have already given a cat mothball, some of the key steps to take include:
- See if there are any symptoms that would be specific for cats who ate moths. Some examples include vomiting and diarrhea as well as drowsiness or being lethargic .
- If you see any of these symptoms, it is important to bring your cat in for an appointment with the vet as soon as possible.
- The traditional idea is that cats shouldn’t eat moths at all because they are often poisonous to cats .This includes mothballs and other fabrics or items treated with pesticides or insecticides.
- The best course of action is to be proactive and make sure cats can’t eat moths.
- If you have given your cat mothballs, see if they are showing any symptoms like vomiting or lethargy . Bring them in for a checkup as soon as possible.
Also Read: Can Cats Eat Gelatin?
How Many Moths are Safe for Your Cat to Eat?
You cat will usually catch and eat moths in your house.
Cats will generally only eat about one moth a week or every few days, so this is relatively innocuous .
For the most part cats won’t eat moths as they prefer to chase them around before killing them and dumping their bodies where you’ll find them each morning.
We can’t say with certainty how much moth a cat may safely consume since we don’t know where the line between a “fine stomach” and a “upset stomach” is drawn for each individual cat.
Conclusion
You may be wondering if cats can eat moths.
The answer is yes, but it doesn’t always mean they should.
Moths are a part of the cat’s diet and contain important nutrients such as protein and fat.
But eating too many moths could lead to health issues like anemia or liver damage due to overconsumption of B vitamins (which metabolize proteins).
So, while your kitty might enjoy catching some bugs now and then, make sure you’re monitoring his intake.
So, it doesn’t go overboard on mothballs at night!
Remember that there are other dangers lurking in those little insects- mixed with insecticides like mothballs or other chemicals that will make things much worse for our feline friends.
