Do Cats Eat Bugs – Things To Consider!

Having a pet cat gives you surprises every other day, and you get to know about things you were never really aware of, such as their love for bugs. Cats treat crawling worms and bugs as their food, preying on them and filling their stomachs up with them. If you have a cat as a pet, you must have wondered at some point: do cats eat bugs? 

Yes, cats do eat bugs. Cats hunt and eat the bugs for the sake of adventure and to fulfill their predatory nature. Bugs also present protein and other nutrients to cats.

Your pet cat will still want to hunt for bugs and eat them no matter how well you feed it cat food. This does not imply that your cat is hungry and that you are unable to feed it.

It is simply a source of enjoyment and excitement for them. Even if their bellies are full, they will still want to get out of the home and hunt for bugs. No matter whether the bugs are indoors or outdoors, your pet cat would love to gobble them up.  

In this article, you’ll learn why cats eat bugs, what kinds of bugs they eat, which bugs are toxic to cats, and the consequences of eating spiders.

Why Do Cats Eat Bugs 

There are various reasons why cats consume bugs, and as a cat owner, you should be aware of them. Among them are the following:

The Innate Need Of The Cats

Cats are naturally drawn to chasing and hunting. It is frequently not to fill the cats’ bellies but to satisfy the impulse to seek down a bug that drives them to kill the insects.

The Attractive Cplors 

The cats are particularly attracted to the brightly colored bugs. Ladybugs, in particular, are a bug that makes cats desire to chase after them.

Health Benefits

Here’s a fun fact that many insects are high in protein and other nutrients, making them ideal for cats. As a result, once they devour these insects, they get healthier.

Lured By Small Bugs 

run swiftly and leap up the walls. As a result, cats are more likely to pursue, chase, and consume them.  

Playmates Leading To Snacks 

When cats are in a playful mood, they enjoy playing with the bugs. This, on the other hand, may result in the cats consuming the bugs and turning their playmates into tasty treats. This usually occurs when the cats are out in the open and many bugs are surrounding them.

 Do Cats Eat Bugs In The Wild

In the wild, cats do consume bugs. Compared to the home, where bugs are pretty limited, bugs are abundant in the wild.

This implies that when the cats go outside, they will have plenty of opportunities to eat bugs and insects found in the wild. There are, however, some deadly bugs in the wild that can be exceedingly harmful to their survival.

Cats have a natural hunting instinct that is hardwired into their DNA. Cats do not have many opportunities to seek and prey on insects while they are kept indoors. On the other hand, when they venture out into the wild, they can readily hunt down a large number of bugs.

The cats prefer to eat the bugs in the wild because they enjoy hunting them, not because they are tasty. As a result, if a chance arises, cats love to go out in the wild and eat the bugs.  

Is It Bad For Cats To Eat Bugs

No, eating bugs is not detrimental to cats unless they are deadly. These bugs and worms, on the other hand, are stuffed with protein and other essential nutrients. The cats instantly absorb these proteins and nutrients when they eat the bugs.

Insects are one of the richest sources of trace elements and vitamin B.

These minerals are mainly absent from most commercial cat foods. However, because the insects are densely packed with them, eating on them provides the necessary nutrition.

Insect proteins are unquestionably the most useful to cats. They are a favorite food source for cats since they supply alternative food nutrients to the pet diets. 

On the other hand, all types of bugs and worms are not suitable for cats. There are many of them, and many of them include dangerous substances that can impair the health of cats, whether domesticated or wild. As a result, there are situations when consuming bugs can be harmful to cats.

Should I Let My Cat Kill Bugs 

Yes, it would help if you let your cat kill and eat the bugs. If you see your cat playing on the terrace or around the windows quite a lot, there are great chances of preying on the bugs present there.

Most often than not, these bugs find their way into open spaces such as a window or around the balcony. Cats that spend most of their time in these areas are feeding on them.  

Now the question arises if you should let your cat eat the bugs. The answer to this question depends on whether the cat is eating those bugs that are healthy for it or the ones that may affect its health adversely.

According to most vets, many cats with upset stomachs get this condition due to gorging on poisonous insects. On the other hand, it is also said that most of the bugs are high in protein and fit for cats to consume. They are environmentally friendly, and eating them doesn’t cause any harm to the cats. 

When it comes to letting your cat kill and eat bugs, you should do that. However, it would be your responsibility to look for the kind of bugs that it is eating.

Please keep a close check on all the bugs around your cat, ensuring that none of them is harmful or poisonous. The moment you spot it, take your cat away from it to keep it safe and protected.

What Kind Of Bugs Do Cats Eat 

Cats consume the little, brightly colored insects. They are unconcerned with the nutritional contents that these insects release.

Instead, they are drawn to the prospect of chasing after the bugs, catching them, and devouring them. They are drawn to these crawling insects by their adventurous nature.

Even when the cats are well fed and have their stomachs full, they would go after the bugs. This shows that your pet’s motive is not to fill the belly but to have a little adventure with the bug.

Mostly, it’s the colorful, minor, fast-moving bug that attracts the cats. The moment a cat sets its eye on such a bug, the innate predatory nature activates, compelling it to go after it.  

After killing a grasshopper or a spider, the cats will sometimes refuse to eat it. Instead, it would simply leave it on the ground.

This indicates that the cat’s motivation for performing this act was merely adventurous. Hence, the bright and energetic bugs are the ones that attract cats the most and are devoured by them.

What Bugs Are Harmful To Cats 

Poisonous bugs are harmful to cats and can lead to killing them. Even though bugs are full of nutrition, all of them are not beneficial for your cat to consume.

Many bugs are poisonous, and eating them up can cause severe stomach issues for pet cats. So much so that it can cause death for them, affecting the lives of their owners quite a lot.

Hence, pet owners must ensure that their cats do not consume poisonous and harmful bugs, no matter how attracted they are to them. 

The most common bugs to be viewed outdoors are fireflies and ladybugs. As much as they are common, they are equally harmful to the cats to consume. However, as they are pretty colorful and attractive, cats usually get lured and want to catch them.

Nonetheless, if your pet tries to do so, you need to stop it as soon as possible. These bugs do not become healthy food items for cats and may cause severe stomach issues later on.  

A ladybug, due to its bright colors and appealing appearance, attracts the cats’ interest. However, it might cause significant allergies in your pet’s gastrointestinal tract if consumed.

If not addressed promptly, it can lead to serious health problems in the future. As a result, no matter how appealing a hazardous bug may appear, could you not allow your cat to approach it?

Is It Okay For My Cat To Eat Spiders 

Eating spiders is not okay for your cat. As much as they creep out humans, they are equally dangerous for cats. Though they are easy to chase, they are extremely harmful and detrimental for the cats.

As they move around quite quickly, they are beautiful creatures to chase for the cats. Nonetheless, the poison in the spiders can cause quite a lot of damage to the cat eating them. 

Certain species of spiders, including that of Brown Recluse and Hobo, are detrimental for the cats. Once a cat consumes them, it can lead to diarrhea. While in extreme cases, it can also cause paralysis of the cat. At times, consuming a venomous spider has led to the death of the cats as well.  

It would help if you guaranteed that all spiders are removed from your home to avoid such a disaster. Your cat will not be able to eat them if they are not present.

At the same time, you should be informed of the types of spiders that live in your area. You’ll be able to keep your cats away from poisonous plants once you’ve learned everything there is to know about them.

Things To Consider

While many insects are suitable for the well-being and growth of your pet cats, you need to ensure that they do not consume the poisonous ones. There are many things to consider when it comes to living at a place where you see bugs regularly. 

Some Insects Can Cause Swelling 

Many insects, just as they do with humans, can cause swelling in your cats’ bodies. Particular sorts of bugs are capable of causing such an ailment. If such a circumstance arises, anti-allergy medicine would be required immediately.

Stinging leads to infections

When cats go too close to certain types of insects, they sting. It’s a long shot to eat them, and even getting close to the results in a painful sting. Insects like these should be kept away from your cat. When your cat is stung by an insect, it can become infected and develop allergies.

Cats Don’t Always Eat The Bugs 

The preying instinct of the cats compels them to chase the bugs and kill them. However, it is not always necessary for them to eat the bug off once they kill it. A lot of caterpillars are only killed by the cats and not eaten later on.  

See A Vet In Case Of Symptoms 

Many insects that contain poison might cause cats to exhibit unusual symptoms. Fever, diarrhea, and allergies are all possible symptoms. If your cat coughs or sneezes after eating a bug, you should take him to the vet as soon as possible. Delaying the visit could have negative consequences, which you certainly do not want.