Snakebites on cats

Symptoms of snakebites on cats

If your cat has been bitten by a viper, see a vet immediately!

• Lameness
• Swollen front paw
• Pain, redness and/or bruising
• Bite marks (may be difficult to detect due to the cat's fur)
• Impaired general condition
• Severe swelling (which may increase in the first 24 hours).

Since cats are usually outside by themselves, you often won't see if your cat is bitten by a snake. At first the cat may not notice the snakebite that much, but after a while the cat gets tired and prefers to lie down. After an hour or so, the bitten body part swells.

Why is it most dangerous for a cat to be bitten in the paw?

The most common - and most dangerous - dangerous snakebites occur on cat paws. When a cat is bitten by a snake on its paw, the poison spreads more easily in the body when the cat stands, or walks, on the leg where the cat was bitten by a snake. The lameness and later swelling can be mistaken for an abscess or injury to the paw.

When the cat walks on the bitten leg, the contractions of the muscles together with the blood circulation contribute to the spread of the poison.

It is therefore important to keep the cat still, not allow it to walk on its leg and, if possible, carry them. Seek out a vet as soon as possible.