Food safety

Can Cats Eat Slugs?

Not recommended — Slugs for cats.

Not recommended

Why: Slugs can carry lungworm larvae, which cause serious lung disease in cats, and they are often found near slug pellets, which are highly toxic. A cat that eats a slug should be watched closely.

If your cat ate slugs: Call your veterinarian if your cat ate a slug, especially if slug pellets are used nearby. Watch for coughing, breathing difficulty, vomiting or lethargy in the following weeks, and ask your vet about lungworm prevention.

Related: Bugs, Silverfish, Scorpions

Why this verdict

Slugs can carry lungworm larvae, which cause serious lung disease in cats, and they are often found near slug pellets, which are highly toxic. A cat that eats a slug should be watched closely.

If your cat ate slugs

Call your veterinarian if your cat ate a slug, especially if slug pellets are used nearby. Watch for coughing, breathing difficulty, vomiting or lethargy in the following weeks, and ask your vet about lungworm prevention.

Related foods

Bugs, Silverfish, Scorpions

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.