How To Keep Slugs Out of Cat Food [Simple Tricks!]
If you’ve ever had to deal with this how to Keep slugs out of cat food, you know it’s not fun. There’s nothing worse than opening your cat’s food and finding it crawling with slugs. Well, except maybe accidentally stepping on one barefoot.
A simple and cheaper way to keep slugs out of cat bowl is to use salt; Use a larger pan or bowl and fill it with a thing layer of salt. Then put the cat bowl inside the larger bowl on top of the pan (should sit on thin layer of salt).
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That said, if you want to keep your pet out of harm’s way and make sure his food isn’t crawling with these little guys, here are some simple steps you can take.
- First things first, get rid of all the slugs that are already there. Try using a saltshaker to cover them in salt and kill them (they don’t like salt).
- Once all the slugs are gone, figure out how they got into the cat food in the first place. If they’re getting in through cracks or crevices in your house or garage, fill them up with caulk
- If possible, feed your cats indoors. My cats love to eat out on the porch, but I make sure to clean up their dishes as soon as they are finished eating so that slugs can’t get into the leftovers.
- When you feed your cats outside, use dry cat food. Dry food doesn’t attract slugs like wet cat food does.
- If you have cats that like to leave their leftovers in their bowl instead of eating it all at one time, try to monitor them closely after they’ve eaten so that you can clean their dish before slugs get into it.
Read also: Can A 2-Month Old Kitten Eat Dry Food
Are Slugs Harmful to Cats?
If you’re a cat owner, you know cats are curious by nature. So, if you’ve noticed your kitty eyeing the slug in your garden, it’s not hard to imagine them wanting to take a bite. Are slugs harmful to cats? Here’s what you need to know!
Slugs are not directly harmful to cats, but they can carry parasites that might harm them. A slug is a carrier of lungworm parasite, and they can transmit this to cats if the cat eats the slug.
Lungworm parasite can also be found in slug slime. If slime sticks on your cat’s paws or fur, it might lick it and that’s where your cat can get the parasite and make it sick.
If you have slugs in your yard, consider limiting access for your cats or otherwise monitoring their activity when they’re outside.
Slugs and snugs like damp places like under flowerpots or even in your sink!
If you’re worried about getting lungworm from slugs in your home or yard, then consider putting out some slug repellent around these areas so they won’t be drawn there anymore.
What Attracts Slugs in The First Place
Slugs just like any other living organisms are attracted by a number of things or factors.
Below are a few common things that slugs get attracted to.
- Moisture
Slugs love moisture so much that they literally cannot survive without it. They really like moist mulch! So, if your yard has a lot of wood chips, bark, or other moist mulch, the slugs will come even if you haven’t done anything else to attract them.
2. Food
Slugs love eating plant material and fungi, so if your garden is full of fruits and veggies. Then you must be aware of your garden being visited by slugs. Slugs can eat pretty much anything. From fresh matter to decomposing matter.
3. Darkness
Slugs love hiding in dark places during the day because they’re nocturnal creatures. If you have a shed that doesn’t get much sunlight, or a basement full of blinds. Then you must expect to find one or more slugs hiding out there.
Snails Eating Cat Food
There’s so much to learn about snails. They’re fascinating creatures! One of the things that makes them so interesting is the incredible variety in their diets.
They are both herbivores and carnivores! Yes, you read that right: they eat plants, and they also eat other animals.
That includes worms and even fish. There are records of some species that eat meat exclusively.
But do snails eat cat food? Let’s break down what snails eat by category.
As mentioned above, there are hundreds of species of snails. Each type has a different diet, which means it can be hard to say yes or no to this question as a general rule.
Some snails really do love cat food, while others would rather avoid it at all costs.
If you’re looking for a more specific answer than maybe, let’s take a look at the most popular types of pet snails and what they like to munch on.
Giant African Land Snail (Achatina fulica) – These guys are omnivores; they’ll gobble up just about anything in sight. They’ve been known to go after fruits like melons and bananas, leafy greens like lettuce and kale, grains like
Do Slugs Eat Dry Cat Food
Yes, they sure do. Slugs have been found to eat just about everything, they are herbivorous, omnivorous and detritivorous.
This is why they are much likely to feed on dry cat food. That’s why its quite common for slugs to be found in cat food bowls.
It’s important to check your cat’s food bowl for slugs every day, so you don’t accidentally feed them to your cat!
They’re related to snails, and their main source of food is decaying leaves. However, they are omnivores and will eat pretty much anything they can get their mouths on, including dry cat food!
Slugs won’t do any harm to your cat if they eat one. But we wouldn’t recommend giving them a lot.
How To Get Rid of Slugs?
Slugs are slimy little critters that can leave quite a mess. They eat plant leaves and flowers, and they can damage plants by eating all the green off of leaves. That’s why it’s important to get rid of them!
Here’s how
- Get rid of standing water
- Use a natural deterrent like coffee grounds or eggshells
- Try slug pellets(but) be cautious, keep it out of reach of children or pets)
- Make sure your cat isn’t leaving food out for them!
Are Cats Attracted to Slug Pellets?
If a cat were to ingest slug pellets, it could be poisoned.
Slug pellets are actually made to attract slugs by giving off a strong smell and taste that slug find irresistible.
Unfortunately, that means that a hungry cat may be attracted to the pellets as well, which is why we recommend storing them safely out of reach of both pets and children. You can find more information about storage here.
If you suspect your pet has eaten slug pellets, please take it to the vet immediately.
Read also: Can Cat Eat Chipmunks?
Slug Proof Cat Bowl
The main reason that slugs are repelled by a slug proof cat bowls is because of the material in which they’re made. A slug proof cat bowl is made of Copper that releases a natural chemical that slugs hate.
And you don’t have to worry about your cat, because copper is totally safe for them. Just make sure you don’t use the copper bowl if you are giving your pet cat foods of acidic nature.
This is because acids can react with pure copper which can then make your cat unsafe if she eats from the bowl.
It might be a little more expensive than your average bowl but as an owner you will know that your cat will have fresh food every day.
How To Keep Slugs Away from House?
There are a few ways you can keep slugs out. One of the most effective methods is to spread salt around the perimeter of your home.
Slugs stay away from salt and other spicy foods because it irritates their mucus membranes, leading them to find somewhere else to go.
Another effective method involves spreading diatomaceous earth around the perimeter of your home and any other place you suspect slugs might be getting into your house.
You can also sprinkle diatomaceous earth on the slugs if you see them but be careful not to get it in your eyes.
While it is safe for humans, it can be harmful if it gets in your eyes. There are sprays you can buy that will help repel slugs as well, including garlic spray and lemon juice spray.
Conclusion
If you’re a pet owner, it goes without saying that you love your animals, and don’t want to see them come to any harm.
Unfortunately, we live in a world where tragedy is sometimes unavoidable. But as this guide us shows us, it is possible to take precautions when it comes to protecting our pets from common dangers that we cannot always see.
It should be noted that certain plants are more appealing to slugs than others, so if you’re curious as to whether your own garden could be attracting them in the first place, find out more about the type of plants you have around your home.
The bottom line? Keep your cat food and water away from potential slug danger zones and make sure you clean up quickly after feeding your cat outside, and you should notice a reduction in slug activity.
Resources
https://www.myfamilyvets.co.uk/lungworm-in-cats
https://extension.umn.edu/yard-and-garden-insects/slugs