Spider webs are easy to find in homes, and they are often tempting to cats.
If your cat loves eating spiderwebs, you don’t have to resort to poison to control them. You can offer your cat spiderwebs as enticing snacks, but you’ll need to monitor her to make sure that she doesn’t eat too many.
So, why do cat eat spider webs? Spider webs are made of silk, a material that is a natural protein for cats.
Cats are carnivores that eat other meat, so eating spiderwebs is a healthy treat for them. They can get plenty of protein from mice and birds, but eating a spider web provides cats with an alternative source of protein that they won’t find in the wild.
While your cat might eat a spider web once in awhile, she shouldn’t eat them regularly because they are high in fat and low in nutrients. If your cat eats too many of these foods, she may get sick because she’s not getting enough nutrients or she’s having too much fat to build up in her system.
Why Do Cats Eat Spider Webs?
Cats have a habit that makes them want to lick and suck on anything wet or sticky.
Cats are inquisitive animals, and they love spending time outside.
There are spiderwebs on the lawn or in the bushes that can catch their attention.
These amusing structures have a variety of textures that kitties enjoy exploring, and cats enjoy the taste of spiderwebs.
If you see your cat putting her mouth around something sticky or wet, you can assume that she wants it.
Perhaps he’s simply playing with it or playing with you because she wants you to come play with it with him.
However, if you see your cat licking or sucking on a sticky substance often, it might be a sign that he wants something else from you.
The following are the reasons cats eat spiderwebs.
Because Of Pica
You’ve probably seen that cable program where animals eat strange things, such as rocks or twigs or dirt and spit them out.
Cement, ashes, mud, grass and dirt are other things cats might eat because they are so curious about them and what they feel like.
Pica is a condition that occurs when an animal will eat things other than its normal diet or when it will gorge on one type of food.
It’s simply known in cats as pica and is less common in dogs than in cats.
This suggests that your cat may simply have a natural tendency towards pica and perhaps eating anything sticky and or wet.
Feline pica may be a symptom of something else going on with your cat such as diabetes or hyperthyroidism for example or it could be that your cat is bored and needs some stimulation.
In this situation, you’ll simply have to figure out which of the two it is and treat the cause.
First and foremost, try to make sure that your cat has plenty of toys and activity puzzles to keep him occupied.
Then use chewing and brushing toys to alleviate boredom and prevent chewing on other things.
This is the most effective full-proof way to prevent your cat from eating such things as plastic and wires or paper that he found lying around and want to eat it.
So get rid of the spiderwebs in your house, so your cat won’t have any temptation to eat them.
Play with them and demonstrate how you would usually dispose of webs by picking them up and taking them outside to trash container.
Due to its nutritional value
The nutritional content of spider webs is quite high that simple one or two helpings of spider web will not hurt your cat, but too much may cause digestive problems or vomiting because webs contain silk, which may contain toxins such as pesticides that can harm your cat if eaten in excess amount.
Protein, carbs, and nucleic acids are the biggest constituents of spider webs after water which is a kind of macromolecule containing carbohydrates and proteins as main elements.
Because spider webs are made up of sequences and proteins that have unique combinations of amino acids, they are so beneficial to cats as they contain a lot of protein that cats require daily to supplement nutrition.
There May Be A Nutrient Deficiency
Cats may also consume spider webs because they are unable to obtain important macronutrients that their body needs from other food sources.
Because spiderwebs include protein and carbs, and they are not found in other food sources that cats consume, cats may be tempted to eat spider webs as a supplement to their daily diet.
If a cat’s body is lacking the nutrients that it needs, such as protein or calcium, it may find the protein and carbs in spider webs as a good alternative.
This might explain why some cats eat spider webs.
If your cat eats an excessive amount of spider webs, it can lead to digestive problems in your cat and make her sick to the body.
If she eats enough spider webs on a regular basis, it can even cause her to develop health issues such as obesity or develop nutritional deficiencies due to eating too much protein or carbs.
Nutritional deficiency in cats can cause problems to their digestive systems and weaken their immune system, which can allow other illnesses such as respiratory infections to develop in your cat.
As a result, there is another another cause why cats eat spider webs.
This might explain why there are lots of cases of cats that are overweight or obese.
Supplements May Solve It
You now know that your cat consumes spider webs as supplement to a diet that lacks certain nutrients because she needs proteins and carbs.
Giving your cat vitamins to assist boost the nutrients that she’s missing can help to solve your puzzle of why cats eat spider webs and help her to stop consuming the webs.
This is why adding vitamins to a cat’s diet is a good idea.
There are many different vitamins and supplements for cats available on the market today, so it can be really difficult to know which vitamins to get for your cat and which ones are safe for her to consume.
The greatest ones strengthen your cat’s immune system and give her the minerals that she needs to develop healthily.
Simply add a few drops to your cat’s food and she will reap the benefits in just a few weeks.
As a result, you should read cat food labels carefully so that you know which vitamins to get for your cat.
It will strengthen your cat’s immune and digestive systems so she will be healthier.
Your Cat Is Hunting A Spider
Cats are hunters, and this means that they are constantly on the lookout for prey.
Even though domestication has removed most of the natural prey for cats, they aren’t totally immune to the natural instinct to hunt.
So, they will have this desire to hunt even when they are domestic cats because they have been around humans for thousands of years.
They like the excitement of the hunt and the taste.
When the impulse to snack on something is strong, you can’t blame your cat for wanting to munch on a little snack.
Anything that moves quickly can be the answer to their urge to hunt.
Your fluffy orange tabby transforms from a loving pet in the home into a terrifying carnivore when she sees a fly or a spider crawling across the floor or off of a table.
What to Do If Your Cat Eats Spider Webs?
Provide Variations With Your Cat’s Meals
If you’ve been feeding your cat predominantly dry cat food or canned food and she’s been eating her regular amount, but suddenly begins to eat smaller portions, this could be a sign that she isn’t getting all the nutrients.
However, do not suddenly modify her diet by adding a new cat food variety or artificially adding vitamins to food in fear of overfeeding her.
For at least two weeks, change the food you’re feeding and add nutritional and vitamin supplements gradually to see if there are health benefits.
Treats May Be Used to Distract Your Cat
If your cat is fascinated by spiders and eats them without issue, don’t panic too much.
Give her some snacks to distract her from the enjoyment of the spider’s webs before she gets to them.
Just be careful not give her foods that are too fatty or high in calories because her behavior may be coming from a nutrient deficiency that won’t be solved with treats.
Supplementing Your Cat’s Diet Might Help Fix the Problem
You may want to explore giving your kitty a high quality cat food that contains a good quality blend of vitamins and minerals that are included in a balanced meal plan for cats.
These complete and balanced cat foods make the process of feeding your cat a much easier task since they took care of the nutritional detail for you so that all you need to do is select a meal that is suitable for your cat’s age and breed.
If your cat is older or has health issues, you’ll get a tailored and customized meal plan based on your cat’s current condition from your vet that tells you exactly what to feed your feline friend and when you should feed it.
Take Your Cat to the Vet for a Complete Examination
If your cat is consuming spider webs, it may not be enough to suggest that she eat a good food that contains a nutritious blend of vitamins and minerals to help her overcome the problem.
A blood test, for example, may be in order if your vet clinic is suspecting a more serious dietary deficiency that’s causing your cat’s behavior.
Your veterinarian may also examine your feline friend for any allergies when it comes to the types of food that she’s been eating recently to see if there’s something she’s allergic to that’s causing her to beg for food at night.
Also Read: Do Cats Eat Spiders?
Conclusion
Cats devour spiderwebs because they’ve been trained to do so by their owners and caretakers.
The most common cause is a nutritional deficiency that causes the cat to eat anything in sight, but health problems may cause your feline friend to eat spiders and other insects as well.
The best you can do is keep a healthy diet around for your feline friend and take her to the vet clinic for a complete examination if she starts eating spiders and other insects out of habit.
Always consider bringing your cat to the vet, because she may be sick or suffering from some health problem that’s making her hungry all the time and making her crave for insects, such as spiders, when she’s not feeling well.
Finally, remove spider webs from your house or apartment as soon as possible.
