Is it okay if a cat eats a cockroach?

The cat retains the hunter’s nature within its body and is extremely interested in moving cat teaser sticks, laser pens, and even plastic bags. It follows the hunter’s posture to chase after cat teaser sticks and laser pens.
When small insects appear in the house, it will also be extremely interested, using its claws to tease the insects in various ways, learning the hunting posture, biting the insects, and then eating them.
When I was chatting with some cat friends, some of them accidentally ate centipedes and cockroaches. They were very worried that their cats might get sick.
Cockroaches are a type of insect that cat friends often ask about. Cockroaches belong to the arthropod phylum and prefer warm and humid places. People live in houses that have the habits of cockroaches, especially in kitchens.
The food residue and garbage in the kitchen are all food for cockroaches, which are quite disgusting. Cockroaches live and move between food and garbage, and in this process, they may spread some bacteria (such as E. coli, streptococcus, Salmonella, etc.).

The impression that cockroaches give me is that they are completely scared and have strong vitality and reproductive ability. They are rich in protein and vitamin B12, but they carry many bacteria and parasites.
In the Journal of Parasitic Research, it was found that cockroaches carry 33 different bacteria (Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter cloacae, Enterobacter aerogenes, Salmonella, etc.) and 6 parasites (roundworms, whipworms, Toxoplasma gondii, hookworms, Eimeria, etc.).
Many bacteria and parasites can cause diseases in cats, and some cats may experience gastrointestinal discomfort, such as loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, and other symptoms.
In addition, the shell and claws of cockroaches are relatively hard. When cats chew cockroaches, the hard shell may prick the mouth, causing pain in the mouth and tongue or causing gastrointestinal discomfort.
If the hard shell damages the cat’s mouth, the cat may exhibit symptoms such as drooling, gum bleeding, excessive swallowing, covering the face, and trembling teeth.
Although cockroaches themselves have a large amount of protein and vitamin B12, they are not healthy insects that cats can eat. Never let cats avoid contact with cockroaches.

After living in your home for a long time, insects of all sizes will definitely appear in your home. As soon as these insects appear, the most excited person will definitely be the cat. However, when the cat starts chasing bugs (usually large and small cockroaches), and finally even eats the bugs in one bite, the owner will inevitably start to worry: Wait, can cats eat bugs?

Eating bugs is not harmful to cats

As a natural predator, cats are particularly interested in small, moving, and fast things. Usually the bugs that invade your home are harmless to humans or animals. There are also many wild cats that live outdoors that will eat bugs to satisfy their hunger.

Bugs can help spice up your diet

Insects such as spiders, flies, ants, cockroaches and crickets are harmless to cats. On the one hand, eating bugs allows cats to satisfy the pleasure of being a predator, and on the other hand, they can also benefit from the rich protein and Hydration to balance dietary needs.

Are there any bugs that cats can’t eat?

Some insects or spiders are poisonous, and cats may be poisoned after eating them. However, not everyone is an insect master. You can pay attention to whether the “prey” is a common harmless insect when the cat starts hunting, or carefully pay attention to whether the cat appears strange after eating the bugs. But even non-venomous insects can cause allergic reactions in cats.
“If your cat has trouble breathing, drools a lot near its mouth and nose, or exhibits any strange behavior, be sure to contact your veterinarian immediately and tell the veterinarian what kind of bug your cat has eaten.
“Carapaceous bugs can cause indigestion in cats, and they may cause vomiting, diarrhea and other symptoms. In addition, if the cat swallows it without chewing it properly, the bugs may get stuck in the throat and cause coughing or difficulty breathing. “