Food safety

Can Cats Eat Scorpions?

Toxic — call your vet now — Scorpions for cats.

Toxic — call your vet now

Why: Scorpions sting, and their venom can cause pain, swelling, drooling, vomiting and, in severe cases, breathing trouble — especially in kittens or small cats. Eating a scorpion also risks a sting inside the mouth or throat.

If your cat ate scorpions: Call your veterinarian immediately if your cat was stung or ate a scorpion. Watch for swelling of the face or mouth, drooling, vomiting or breathing difficulty — these need emergency care.

Related: Bugs, Slugs, Silverfish

Why this verdict

Scorpions sting, and their venom can cause pain, swelling, drooling, vomiting and, in severe cases, breathing trouble — especially in kittens or small cats. Eating a scorpion also risks a sting inside the mouth or throat.

If your cat ate scorpions

Call your veterinarian immediately if your cat was stung or ate a scorpion. Watch for swelling of the face or mouth, drooling, vomiting or breathing difficulty — these need emergency care.

Related foods

Bugs, Slugs, Silverfish

Check another food

Back to the Food-Safety Checker to check all 90 foods, or see the beginner feeding guide and the feeding estimator.

Before you use the result

Use the result as a starting point for observation and planning. Cats vary by age, body condition, temperament, medical history, and household setup.

Sources: ASPCA Animal Poison Control — People Foods to Avoid Feeding Your Pets, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center, and the Cornell Feline Health Center — Feeding Your Cat. Chocolate toxicity figures are approximate values from the Merck Veterinary Manual. If your cat ate something on the toxic list, call your veterinarian or ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435.