Cats are natural-born hunters, and they will play with and eventually eat everything they see crawling or flying around your home. Every time you see a fly, your little bundle of fur starts chattering and running around the house and turns into a vicious predator in seconds.
As we often see wolf spiders around our home, it’s only natural to ask ourselves can they hurt cats?
Can Wolf Spiders Hurt Cats?
Wolf spider will hurt your cat if it gets bitten by it, but it happens rarely. Wolf spiders won’t kill your cat, though, as their venom is mild, but some spider species around us have poison that can harm cats, dogs, and even humans. Wolf spider bite is poisonous but to smaller insects, and it will not cause serious health issues to cats.
If your cat gets bitten by a wolf spider, it will most likely limp or lick the bitten area, and you should take it to the vet.
Wolf spider bite, or any spider bite for that matter, might be difficult to identify, so it’s important to take your pet to the vet as soon as possible to confirm what actually hurt it and how serious the bite is.
Spiders will mostly run away when they see cats but will defend themself if provoked. If you suspect a spider bit your cat, look for the following symptoms:
- Inflammation of the skin
- Redness and itchiness
- Swelling
- Bruising
- Scabbing of the skin
- Difficulty breathing
- Runny eyes and nose
- Irritability and limping
What happens if a cat eats a wolf spider?
Cats are curious about everything, especially things that move. Since spiders move a lot, they soon find their place on your cat’s menu. Cats are often bored, too, and spiders may be interesting enough for them to play with.
If your cat eats a wolf spider, you should observe it for a couple of days if the cat shows some signs of illness such as vomiting, abdominal pains, or even diarrhea.
Cat’s stomachs are still likely to reject spiders, especially if it’s their first time eating them.
The same happens with humans when eating unfamiliar
What spiders can kill cats?
If some spider can kill you, it means it can kill your cat too. Most of the house spiders and wolf spiders are generally safe for your cats, but sometimes they are not the only ones crawling around where we live, and, as you know, cats will hunt anything that crawls.
Poisonous spiders that can kill your cat are Black Widow and Brown Recluse. Their bites can cause major illness and death.
Hobo Spider is less likely to cause death, but it can happen in severe cases where the bite can result in dead tissue or death.
Black Widow venom is deadly for cats, especially when there isn’t anti-venom available. Cats can feel weakness, fatigue, and insomnia for months. These spiders aren’t aggressive if not provoked, but cats can find their hiding spots and provoke them because of curiosity and then get bitten.
If your cat gets bitten by a black widow, she’ll need to be hospitalized for several days to recover, and even then, your cat can still die. Cats are small animals meaning even a little venom injected into them can be deadly.
The brown recluse spider will not bite unless you touch it. This spider’s venom can be fatal, especially in cats. Brown recluse spider venom causes necrosis in the skin or cell death, and your cat should be scared of the potential damage this spider can do to it.
Hobo spiders live in dry and warm environments, and your cat may come into contact with one in your basement. They are most common in the Western United States.
The bitten area on your cat will likely turn red, and after a day or more, it may burst. Other bite symptoms include everything from headaches to nausea and weakness. A hobo spider bite causes similar symptoms as those of a brown recluse.