“Do cats eat newts?”

By Shala Howell, July 18, 2016

Kaiser’s spotted newt. (Image: Dr. Richard Bartlett via Wikipedia)

Do cats eat newts?

The answer to this question, like so many cat-related questions, is yes they probably will, but they really shouldn’t. (You shouldn’t either, by the way.)

Why are newts bad for cats?

Newts come installed with a skin toxin called tetrodotoxin, designed to keep predators from eating them. Some newts, like the rough-skinned newt, are toxic enough that simply handling them can be a problem. Other newts, like the fire-bellied newt, can be handled safely (as long as you don’t have an open sore on your hand or forget to wash your hands before touching your mouth or eyes afterwards).

What happens if a predator tries to eat a newt anyway?

Most of the time, if a predator tries to eat a newt, it will spit it out right away because the skin toxin makes the newt taste so bad. But if that predator swallows the newt anyway, the toxins will either give that predator terrible indigestion, or worst case, kill it.

What should I do if my pet came in contact with a newt?

So, if you have reason to believe that your cat, dog, child, or excessively hungry adult friend has licked, snacked on, or swallowed a newt, you need to get them medical attention immediately.