Can cats eat snakes? This question may have crossed your mind if you’ve seen your cat chasing and playing around with a snake. I mean let’s face it. Cats love to hunt, chase, and play with creatures that make most of us humans cringe. Or maybe you’re thinking about getting a pet snake and are wondering if it will be safe around your cat. In this article we will dive in and answer these questions.
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Can Cats Kill Snakes?
The simple answer is yes. Your cat can definitely bring a snake to it’s untimely death. Cats tend to be very talented snake hunters. After all, snakes slither and move around, and any creature that makes sudden movements is usually enough to pique your cat’s interest. Simply put, cats love things that move.
Unfortunately your cat probably won’t know if a snake can be deadly for it, so your cat will play with it anyway. For instance, rattlesnakes are small and your cat will most likely want to chase it without even realizing that the snake may bite it.
Most of the time though, your cat will choose only to chase and play with the snake instead of killing or eating it. It’s very rare that your cat will actually eat a snake, but it has been known to happen.
What Happens If My Cat Eats a Snake?
The answer to this question really quite depends on the type of snake we are dealing with here. If the snake is small in size and not poisonous, your cat should be perfectly fine. I would monitor how your cat is behaving after it eats a snake just to be on the safe side. Your cat may vomit or regurgitate parts of the snake that are indigestible.
However, if your cat eats a venomous snake, it could end up being poisoned from simply eating it. A poisonous snake will still have venom inside of it even after it has been killed. It is important to note though, that just because a snake is poisonous, it does not necessarily mean that your cat is doomed. Research has shown that cats are twice as likely to survive a venomous snake than their canine friends. Cats also have a higher survival rate if they are given anti-venom treatment.
The best thing to do is to take your cat to your veterinarian if you believe that your cat has been bitten by a snake, regardless of whether or not you think the snake is poisonous. The veterinarian will be able to determine if the snake bite poses a risk to your cat’s health. Sometimes poison takes a while to go through your cat’s blood stream so you may not know right away.
Can I Get a Snake If I Have a Cat?
If you already have a cat, but you’re looking to add a snake to your list of pets, it can definitely be done safely. The best way to keep your cat safe in this instance is to keep your cat and snake away from each other in separate rooms. If this isn’t possible, then at the very least you should have your snake in a cage or aquarium that is made for snakes.
When you decide to take the snake out for show and tell or to play with it, always make sure your cat is not able to come into the same room while you are doing this. This could be a disaster for either your cat or your snake, depending on which is bigger and more deadly to the other.
How To Keep Snakes Away From Your Cat
In my opinion, the best way to keep snakes away from your cat is to simply keep your cat indoors. Studies have shown that keeping your cat indoors lengthens their life span. Making your cat an indoor only cat not only helps keep them away from snakes, but it also protects them from other animals such as coyotes, foxes, and other large mammals that could harm your cat.
If snakes tend to be a big problem where you live, there are pet friendly snake repellents you can purchase that will help keep them away. It also helps to keep your lawn mowed, since snakes tend to love long grass.
You should also never leave cat or dog food outside. Leaving pet food outside not only can attract snakes, but raccoons also love to munch on cat and dog food.
What Will Happen If a Snake Bites a Cat?
If a snake does bite your cat, you will probably have a very hard time finding out where your cat was bitten since snake bites are quite small. This is especially true if you have a long-haired cat.
It also depends on the type of snake that bit your cat. If a poisonous snake happens to bite it, the poison could be fatal to your cat. It’s important to note that not all poisonous snakes have deadly venom in them.
On a more disturbing note, gigantic snakes like Boa Constrictors and Anacondas can actually eat a whole cat in one take. I’ve heard plenty of news stories like this and frankly, they are very disturbing.
The best way to avoid any of this heartache is to just keep your cat inside your home. That way, your feline friend has a better chance of not being eaten by a huge slithering snake.
