Has your cat also been hunting and eating Ladybug lately? And now you are wondering if it is poisonous for your feline friend. In most cases, Ladybugs are not poisonous, but they are mildly toxic so if your cat has consumed it, it can suffer from mild to severe symptoms of irritation or worse. Asian Ladybug can be poisonous to your pet. There are a few breeds of toxic bugs including fireflies, lovebugs, spiders, etc that can definitely cause some serious issues in your cat, thankfully they are not Ladybug.
Ladybug
Coccinellidae commonly known as Ladybug is a species of small beetle that is found all over the globe. The most common one found in most of the places especially in the west is one with Black and Red spots throughout the body, also called ‘Seven Spotter Ladybug‘.
Sadly, these are toxic breeds, they are even not considered to be agricultural pests. In Fact, they are actually quite popular for eating pests that destroy crops.
A full-grown Ladybug haves 7.6-10.0mm and have different color combinations on their body. They typically have six legs with their wings stuck in their dome-shaped body. There are more than 5,000 different species of Ladybugs globally.
Why are cats attracted to Ladybugs?
Cats love to hunt especially if something is humming in front of them. Though in the wild they mostly eat smaller mammals like birds, a few reptiles, etc bugs, on the other hand, bugs don’t significantly comprise in a cat’s diet.
Despite not being a part of Feline’s diet, they like to chase and kill these bugs. Cats are a curious animal, their curiosity doesn’t die by just killing the bug, so in most cases, they will also end up eating them.
Are Ladybugs poisonous for cats?
There are various species of Ladybug and all of them have their own toxicity levels. The red and orange Ladybugs found in most places have a higher toxicity level than any other species.
Black-Yellow Ladybugs are a bit less toxic compared to the orange and red counterparts, but the least toxic are the brown ones.
But their color can act as a working cautionary sign and being a cat owner you will have to make sure that these bugs stay away from your cat.
What to do if your cat ate a Ladybug?
Your major concern should be on the type of beetle your cat has eaten. The toxicity of Ladybug increases by the smelly yellow fluid they release in self-defense.
This fluid can severely hurt your cat’s digestive system and can cause severe gastrointestinal complications. After eating a Ladybug your cat will start getting irritations and in some time it can face difficulty in swallowing especially if the Ladybug is Asia Lady Beetle.
For the moment you can encourage your cat to drink lots of water to avert dehydration issues. But if in the adverse cases symptoms persist for more than 24 hours you should take your pet to a vet without any further delay.
