Can Cat Survive Snake Bite? (All You Need To Know – Urgent)

Some reports claimed that a cat could survive a snake bite. But is that true? Let us talk about that.

So can a cat survive a snake bite? This can be answered with both yes and no. Some cats would survive the venom, and some cats would not.

Many people cannot distinguish what a venomous snake is from a non-venomous snake. But they do have a different physical appearance. Nevertheless, if a venomous snake will bite your cat, this is something that you should immediately act upon. 

If a non-venomous snake bites your cat, you still need to take it seriously because snakes carry bacteria and parasites with them. This can cause harm to your cat. Cats consider reptiles as prey, and snakes are reptiles. 

Given the instinct of a cat, they would tend to hunt down the snake and kill them. But what if it is another way around? 

What if your cat gets bitten by a venomous snake? Will your cat survive it? Let us discuss that further.  

What Happens If A Snake Bites A Cat?

If your cat gets bitten by a snake, the first thing you can visually see is the snake’s bite. The size of the snake bite will depend mainly on the size of the snake. The dangerous part here is that not all bites can be seen. 

You must be very well observing your cats. Some bite marks cannot be seen because cats have long hair. If your cat gets bitten by a venomous snake, the wound will have two holes in the cat’s body. 

If the snake that bit your cat is non-venomous, the snake bite will shape like a human. It will be in the shape of a horseshoe. So if the wound is not visible, you need to look for signs of a snake bite. 

If a snake bites a cat and is non-venomous, the cat can be okay, and the cat can get an infection from the snake. 

If the snake that bit your cat is venomous, your cat might survive the venom after immediate medical care, or your cat could die from the venom. Here are some of the symptoms if your cat will get bitten by a venomous snake.

Your Cat’s Body Could Swell

Like many animals, if they are poisoned, they do swell. It would be best this time to look for any swelling in any part of your cat’s body. This can be a sign of being poisoned.

Your Cat Can Be In A Coma

Snake venom is fatal. It can lead people to a coma, and it can even lead animals to a coma. This is a result of the treatment not given immediately.

Your Cat Can Be In Paralysis

Paralysis is widespread in a venomous snake bite. Other symptoms may lead to this final event, paralysis.

Your Cat Will Have Bleeding And Trembling

If your cat urinates, you might see some blood in there. Bleeding is also a cause of venom, and you should often check the urine of your beloved cats.

Your Cat Might Have Diarrhea And Vomit

If the virus has spread to the cat’s body, your cat will start vomiting. If your cat vomits, check for snake bites because your cat might already be poisoned.

Your Cat Will Be Weak, Rapid Breathing, And Drooping Eyelids

Weakness is a typical symptom. The venom wills spread and will slowly diminish the strength of your cat.

Here are some of the signs you can look for if a venomous snake bites your cat. It would be best to remember that medical care is crucial after knowing that your cat is bitten.

Can Cats Recover From A Snake Bite?

There are millions of cats in the world, and if all of them get bitten by a venomous snake, their recovery will be different from each other. The recovery of some cats will be faster or slower than the other. 

It varies on the medical help and the cat’s body. But on average, a cat can recover from a venomous snake bite within a minimum of one or two days. Your cat needs antivenin treatment. 

This is where your response to the situation comes in. The faster medical help is given to the cat, the higher the possibility that your cat will recover and be healthy again from the venom. 

As a cat owner, you need to know that if the venom inside your cat’s body is untreated, the consequence will worsen. After the treatment, you and your cat go home and get a discharge. From this point, you need to monitor your cat’s condition closely. 

If there will be any worsening, you need to get medical help as soon as you possibly can. If your cat is still healing, your care should be doubled. Make sure that there is no heavy activity for your cat. 

You need to follow every instruction your vet will tell you. It is crucial at this point to treat the situation very seriously. Snake venoms can be fatal both to humans and animals. 

Moving forward, this can be a lesson to you to keep snakes away from your home and monitor your cat to avoid any more snake encounters.

Related: Can Cats Kill Snakes?

How Long After A Snake Bite Will A Cat Die?

Snake venoms can cause paralysis in animals and even in humans. Like dogs, if a venomous snake bites cats, they would experience salivation, vomiting, lethargy, and signs of paralysis. 

The symptoms of a snake bite with venom may onset within fifteen hours to twenty-four hours for cats. If untreated, a cat will die from snake venom within forty-three hours.

snake and cat

How Do You Know If Your Cat Has Been Bitten By A Snake?

If a venomous snake bites your cat, you can look for the snake bite. If the snake is venomous, look for two wounds. If the snake is not venomous, look for wounds the same as the shape of a horseshoe. 

However, this cannot be easy because cats have long hair. And you might not see the snake bite if you are not looking for it. If the attack happened without you knowing it, you might not even know that your cat has been bitten. 

That is why you must know all the symptoms to check yourself. You can also be alerted that your cat is indeed poisoned because of these symptoms.

Your Cat Will Be Weak

If a venomous snake bites your cat, the first thing your cat will experience is weakness. Your cat will lie on the floor and will not even lift its head or acknowledge your presence. It would help if you looked for any snake bites in the cat’s skin.

Your Cat Will Tremble

Another symptom you should look for is if your cat is trembling. If a venomous snake has bitten your cat, your cat will shake and tremble. 

There is also twitching of the muscles. Your cat will also have difficulty blinking.

Your Cat Will Start Vomiting

If your cat is infected, it will start vomiting. They will also have dilated pupils and vomit at the same time. Medical care must be given before the onset of these symptoms.

Your Cat Will Have Loss Of Control

When we say the loss of control, this refers to the loss of control of bladder and bowel movement control. If your cat urinates also, you might see some blood mixed in the urine.

Here are some symptoms you can observe if you think a venomous snake bites your cat. At this time, you need to remain calm and call for help as soon as possible. 

Your cat would have a greater chance of recovery if you sought a vet and professional help immediately.

Can A Cat Survive A Snake Bite Without Treatment?

The answer to this is pretty unlikely. Snake venom can be fatal to humans and animals. Snake venom can cause paralysis and will eventually lead to death.

How To Treat A Cat After A Snake Bite?

If a snake bites your cat, immediately look for the snake bite. While doing this, you have to immediately call your vet and ask for medical help as soon as possible. While waiting for help, you can do some treatments yourself. 

Remember to gently take care of your cat because they might be in pain. They can even lash at you. You can remove the collar and keep the part where the snake bites lower than the heart. It is also essential that you make the cat calm and soften your voice. 

Soothe your cat because a rapid heartbeat can make the venom spread faster inside the body. You can immobilize the affected limb or apply a bandage to the snake bite to slow down the venom’s spread.

Can You Give A Cat Benadryl For A Snake Bite?

Yes. Other people have been using Benadryl on their cats if a snake bites them. You can give your cat 1mg per pound of your cat’s body weight. 

However still, the best medical care is medical care from medical experts. But if you are still waiting for help, you can try this one.

Most Dangerous Snakes For Cats

There are no dangerous snakes for cats because all snakes can be dangerous to cats. If the snake is venomous, that is double the danger to your cats. But for the record, here are some of the dangerous snakes in the world.

  1. Dendroaspis Polylepis
  2. T. flavoviridis
  3. Dispholidus typus
  4. Notechis scutatus
  5. Echis carinatus
  6. Bungarus fasciatus
  7. Bungarus fasciatus
  8. Oxyuranus microlepidotus
  9. Oxyuranus scutellatus
  10. Ophiophagus Hannah
  11. Bungarus fasciatus

These are just some of the world’s dangerous snakes and the worst snakes that your cat can ever encounter.

Long Term Effects Of Snake Bites In Cats

Effects of snake bites on cats can be temporary. If there are long-term effects, you and your cat will never know because the cat will be gone by them. 

If there are long-term effects for cats who get bitten by a venomous snake, it is pretty rare and might not even be discovered by now.

How Do You Prevent A Cat From Being Bitten By A Snake?

You can take simple precautions. The basics is that you can clean your backyard. Remove any excess things that are just piled up because the snake can go under and enjoy the cold atmosphere. 

Snakes love cold places, and they will hibernate there. Clean any food or bird seeds because you can attract snakes through that.

Summary

In summary, surviving a snake bite can go both ways. Some cats would survive the snake bite, and some cats would not. With that, it is very crucial to seek medical help as soon as you possibly can. 

The faster your cat gets medical help, the more chances that it will survive the venom. It is also crucial for a cat owner to know the symptoms of being poisoned. 

Your cat can get bitten by a venomous snake, and you will not know anything about it. So have the time to familiarize the symptoms.

Resources

Image credits – Canva

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