Cat eating cockroaches - problem? (sleeping, food, howling, lethargic)

[fnord]

I have a cat just over 1 yr old (adopted a few months ago). I live in the SW desert and we've just started hitting almost 100 degree days, which is the cue for cockroaches and other crawlies to make their way inside. I've seen my cat kill and/or eat several cockroaches in the past week and he's become noticeably lethargic and quiet. At the same time, it's getting pretty warm and maybe this is a side effect of the heat. We have occasional spiders, but I trap & release them as soon as I see them. Kitty doesn't need to be playing with the spiders around here.

This afternoon my cat laid still on the floor for a good hour, in the same position. I called his name. No response! I called louder and louder, started freaking out, and finally he heard me. Odd, for a cat. Go back about 12 hours to early this morning when it was cool and he was galloping through the house like a wild horse.

My concern: are cockroaches toxic to cats?

[emilybh]

Do you have a pest control service that sprays poisons to kill bugs? If so your cat is eating not only the cockroach but the poison also. It might be affecting his nervous system. My naturopathic doctor has helped me with issues when my cat experienced nervous system disorders from side effects from on of those horrible spto on flea treatments where he developed what seemed like mini seizures and really odd facial and neck movements. It was recommended that I give him 5-7 drops of Nerve Restore by Gaia Herbs mixed into his food for a few weeks and in a few days after doing this his seizures stopped.

I'd also contact the pest control company and ask if there is a less or non toxic treatment they can use instead.

[fnord]

That's something I didn't think of. I don't spray for insects, but it's quite possible the bugs are coming from somewhere else that has been poisoned. He's lethargic again today and spends most of his day sleeping in my bathroom sink. For now I'll attribute it to the heat - it's scorching here. Thanks for the input.

[catman]

Unless the cockroaches are poisoned, the only problem with a cat eating one is that it will almost invariably hock it up on your rug. Yuck!

Your cat is probably okay. They like to sleep in a sink or on any cool surface when it's hot.

[ShelbyGirl1]

Pure protein in eating the cockroaches. Unless, the roach has been poisioned. Is the cat eating and more importantly, drinking?

[eyewrist]

Originally Posted by emilybh

Do you have a pest control service that sprays poisons to kill bugs? If so your cat is eating not only the cockroach but the poison also. It might be affecting his nervous system. My naturopathic doctor has helped me with issues when my cat experienced nervous system disorders from side effects from on of those horrible spto on flea treatments where he developed what seemed like mini seizures and really odd facial and neck movements. It was recommended that I give him 5-7 drops of Nerve Restore by Gaia Herbs mixed into his food for a few weeks and in a few days after doing this his seizures stopped.

I'd also contact the pest control company and ask if there is a less or non toxic treatment they can use instead.

Good advice. I use only Diatomaeous Earth (DE) around my place. It's natural and nontoxic. Once the crawling insect crosses it, it will die within 48 hours. I use a paint brush to spread the powder around on the floor and in cabinets and as long as it doesn't get wet, it will continue to work.

[KittyKite]

I've noticed my cat plays with them, haven't seen her eat one yet but she'll just have fun chasing it, she also eats flies. I dont know weather thats a good thing or I should stop her. What do I do?

[Lolipopbubbles]

I agree with others here. The roaches could have poison in them. I hear terminix is good to get rid of them without poisoning, harmful, to pets. It could be heat exhaustion which happened to one of my cats. She didn't move and didn't answer me. I rean to the sink and soaked, wrung out a kitchen towel, then put it on her little body. I then immediately put on the A/C full blast. then I used another wet/damp towel to hold on her forehead. Finally she came to and let out the most sad pathetic little mew I ever barely heard. Since then I got a A/C that has an automatic temp control so it never goes off without coming back on when the temp gets too high. I don't think or know of roaches being toxic to cats but I was told that mosquitos are. I was told they need some type of shot to protect them from when they eat mosquitos but I can't remember the name of it.

Please make sure you have plenty of cool water for your pussycat and plenty of dry food inbetween normal feeding.

[DewDropInn]

This thread is a couple of years old but the behavior the OP described is very typical for a cat in the dersert southwest. Their behavior (and where they sleep) changes depending on the outside temps. Sleeping in the sinks or bathtub is very common in the summer months.

One of mine started HOWLING about 3am last week. The next morning I realized his little kitty bed had some magazines in it and he couldn't crawl into it. He hadn't used it in months but it's now that time of year. Out of the sink and into the kitty bed.

[Just1Lion]

Diatomaeous Earth is supposed to be non toxic to cats? i will look into that. i have been using ortho home defense that claims once it has dried it is not harmful to pets.