Are venomous snakes dangerous to cats?

Cats & Snakes - First Aid For Cats Bitten By Snakes

Introduction:

Cats are hunters by nature & unfortunately not able to discriminate between harmful prey & non harmful prey. There are poisonous snakes throughout the world & it would be too hard to list poisonous snakes country by country so this article will aim to provide general information on snake bites, but not snake species specific to any one country.

Some snakes are non venomous, but will still bite a cat, causing pain & possibly infection. Others are venomous, and if bitten this can result in death. Immediate veterinary attention is vital.

The majority of snake bites occur on the cat's head, neck & legs. Bites on the body can happen, and tend to be more dangerous.

What is venom?

Venom is a toxin which is secreted from animals. This is used as a defensive mechanism against predators & also it is used to kill prey.

Symptoms of a snake bite

Dilated pupils

Muscle weakness

Drooling

Vomiting

Diarrhea

Rapid pulse

Laboured breathing

Coma

What to do if your cat is bitten by a snake?

If possible, try to identify the snake. However, don't waste time trying to locate the snake. If the snake is still in the area, do not approach it. Have a look at it from a distance, and make a note of it's appearance including colour, patterns & length. Even if the snake is dead, do not touch it as a dead snake can still retain a reflexive action for up to an hour after death.

it is demanding to say. There are some those who're allergic to the secretions of a few snakes that are considered threat free by utilizing maximum human beings, yet the allergic reaction can mimic indications of envenomation, optimum some human beings to declare that those snakes are in truth venomous. Kenneth Kardong of Washington State college rightfully observed that even inspite of the truth that the Duvernony's gland found in maximum threat free snakes may have secretions that are poisonous to human beings if those chemical substances are injected, their poisonous houses may by utilizing an incidental byproduct to the honestly function of those secretions, that may be digestion and/or lubrication of the prey for swallowing by utilizing the snakes which have those secretions. seeing that those chemical substances aren't any further used in self protection or for subduing prey, those secretions won't be able to be considered venom. with the exception of those threat free colubrid snakes, we are left with some rear fanged colubrid snakes alongside with the boomslang, it really is deadly, and the vipers and elapids as real venomous snakes. between vipers, the copperhead and cottonmouth look the least risky, with the copperhead even a lot less risky than the cottonmouth. inspite of the truth that, the copperhead's venom can harm tissue and go away everlasting scars and disfigurement, no matter if the chew is exceedingly a lot not in any respect deadly. some customary deaths have also been said, and those contain bites from multiple snakes.

Yes, venomous snakes are dangerous to cats. They can kill them in literally minutes. If it was three days ago, I'm thinking a very large cat or a dog because the cat would be dead now if it was a snake. You should keep watch because if the bites are deep they could become infected and the cat need antibiotics.

It sounds silly I know and you've probably already considered it but could they just be coincidentally placed marks from a fight with another cat? My tabby boy is always fighting (even though he's been castrated) and his injuries never fail to surprise me.

It could also be the wounds from his prey defending itself if he's tried to catch something and it's fought back.

If it was a venomous snake i'm sure he would have been ill by now.

Good luck and remember if you're that worried then going to the vet is the best thing to do.

Hope I helped :) x