Our little felines are very curious, adventurous, playful beings with a great hunting instinct that doesn't stop even with animals like scorpions, also called scorpions. Unlike us, our cats don't see danger when they dig up or try to play or get close to one of these animals.
They don't know that these will feel threatened and will sting to defend themselves. In addition to causing intense pain in the area of the sting, sometimes these scorpions have a poison capable of causing the death of our little feline in a very short time.
For this reason, knowing the symptoms and consequences that a scorpion sting can have for cats is extremely important when it comes to preventing fatal outcomes. Continue reading this article on our site to learn more about the scorpion sting in cats, the symptoms it causes and what to do to help our feline.
Can a scorpion kill a cat?
Scorpion stings are really painful and not even the thick skin of our cats can withstand them. But, in addition, some of these arthropods are poisonous, to the point that they can cause the death of the feline Therefore, it is essential to distinguish the danger of scorpions and know which ones are poisonous. To guide you, keep in mind:
- Non-dangerous scorpions: they have rounded claws, are black or dark brown, have a uniform back and a stinging tail.
- Dangerous scorpions: they are light brown or yellow, have an elongated body, a back with defined stripes, thin and long tweezers and a tail with a stinger and a spike, giving the appearance of a double stinger.
Scorpion sting symptoms in cats
We are not always aware that a scorpion has just stung our cat, since, on many occasions, we do not see the author of the attack or we are not sure what animal it was. But we can suspect it based on the symptoms it causes. Thus, the tremendous pain is characteristic and the cat can manifest it with restlessness, agitation, vocalizations and constant licking of the bite area. Other clinical signs presented by a cat stung by a scorpion are the following:
- Salivation.
- Tremors.
- Tearing.
- Dilated pupils.
- Paralysis of the diaphragm.
- Fever.
- Difficulty to swallow.
- Cardiovascular, neurological and pulmonary collapse.
- Respiratory difficulty.
- Redness in the area of the sting.
- Vomiting.
- Abnormal behavior.
- Seizures.
- Death in a few minutes if the sting was from a poisonous scorpion.
Given the potential risk, if you see a scorpion near your house and in your cat signs like those mentioned, go urgently to the veterinary center. Remember that, whatever time it is, there is always a 24-hour service. Finally, it should be noted that some cats may develop anaphylactic shock, a serious and immediate allergic reaction that also requires urgent medical attention.
What to do if my cat is stung by a scorpion
The recommendation is go to the veterinary center in the first 40 minutes and, if possible, capture or photograph the scorpion to see if is lethal or not and what procedure should be followed for treatment. During the trip to the clinic make sure your cat doesn't get agitated or get too stressed, since the acceleration of the heart rate makes the poison advance much faster. In the veterinary center, proceed as follows:
- Generally looking for remove the stinger.
- Clean the area of the sting.
- Apply cold local.
- In addition, you must add an antidote in case the sting is the work of a poisonous scorpion.
- Fluid therapy, antihistamines or drugs to relieve pain may also be prescribed.
It is important not to medicate the cat on our own Due to the metabolic peculiarities of this species, it is dangerous to give unsupervised or marketed medications for them. Remember that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for human use, such as ibuprofen, paracetamol or aspirin, can seriously harm your cat and put their life in even more danger.
Are there home remedies for scorpion stings in cats?
The thing to do whenever you know or suspect that a cat has been stung by a scorpion is to take it to the vet, where they can do much more for its life than all the home remedies put together. In addition, it is the only way to reverse the venom and prevent a lethal progression in the case of venomous scorpions, as well as to treat anaphylactic shock in cats that are allergic.
However, if you know for sure what the toxic species are and your pulse doesn't tremble at the time of extracting the stinger from your cat's foot, you can remove it, clean the area with soap and water and put a cloth or a cold compress to reduce inflammation and produce a vasoconstriction that reduces the advance of the poison for a few minutes. You can also apply a paste of baking soda and water or a lotion of calamine to reduce itching and relieve the cat somewhat before arriving at the veterinary center.
