# Snacking on insects



## horseplaypen (Apr 1, 2004)

All the bugs are starting to wake up and crawl into our apartment, and my 8-month old kittens are having a blast. Does anyone know if there's any bugs I should watch out for in eastern Canada that might do some harm if eaten by cats?

Thanks a lot,
Victoria


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## im_catwoman (Apr 20, 2004)

Hi there, Victoria!
I truly hope you get an answer to this because 2 of our kitties have a bad habit of eating flies and one of those 2 will eat anything that crawls, including box elder bugs. We try to squirt them with water, but we can't prevent them from eating things when we are not home. I'm worried because in the summer time we get a few of those silverfish/centipede looking things. Last year they weren't eatne, just had the legs sucked off. I'm concerned for this year. If anyone has any idea if any of these insects can harm a cat, let me know.
Thanks! >><<


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## Strawberries (Apr 23, 2004)

Victoria, I found this on the internet in a study done by university.

Physaloptera
stomach worm
intermediate hosts are bugs
common cause of vomiting in cat
control by keeping cats from eating bugs


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## Maleke (Jul 2, 2003)

Why do you two have the same avtar? Am I missing something????? I probably am!

Anyway, Maleke ate a beetle thing yesterday. We get them around our door when the sun hits it,...they are red and black. Once in a while one will get into our house and Maleke will play with it and then eat it. What a nut!


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## im_catwoman (Apr 20, 2004)

Hi there, Maleke!
Those bugs you described sound like box elder bugs. They give off a stinky smell as a defense. so when my kitty eats them, his breath smells horrid! I just wish I knew how to stop him from eating them. *YUCK! *@@$$


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## ospunkyo (Sep 3, 2003)

I'd only be worried about stinging insects and poisonous spiders. Not sure about Canada, but in Vermont the only poisonous spiders we have, I believe, is the black recluse (spelling?) and they are very rare.

One winter, I got the brilliant idea to get the cats a big ol' log to scratch. As "Log", as we called it, warmed up, we started hearing little noises - the cats were fasinated by it. Shortly after that, giant wood beetles started to appear around the house (!).

Our older cat would bat them around, but not eat them. Our younger cat would catch them and crunch them up (eeeewwwww!). She loves eating bugs.

Needless to say, we got rid of Log.


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