If you are wondering how to keep slugs away from cat food, you can implement the steps that our team has put together with 100 hours of research. Certain measures some time storage of cat food, usage of diatomaceous earth, and a few other techniques are very effective at totally preventing slugs from reaching cat food while others such as using egg shells or copper wire are less effective and work in some conditions.
Keep reading to discover how to keep slugs away from the house.
How To Keep Slugs Away From Cat Food
The following are the most effective measures to stop slugs from eating cat food. The first three methods are location-based while others use certain natural ingredients or items to keep slugs away.
Feeding Cat Indoors
This is one of the simplest ways to ensure that your kitty’s food is safe from slugs. Though it is usually difficult to feed cats indoors, with proper training it is possible. This will prevent garden slugs from entering your cat food bowl.
Leaving cat food exposed
If you want to prevent slugs from getting attracted to cat food, keep your cat food out for cats only for the required time. You need to time it such that your cats eat the food as soon as you place the food in the cat’s bowl. Once your cats have eaten, clean the bowl quickly.
Placing the cat bowl in an elevated position
Another easy way to distance your cat food from slugs is to place the cat bowl in an elevated area such as the top of a pot or platform. Spray water or oil on the cat bowl’s sides. This will prevent slugs from accessing the cat food.
Using Storage box
Store your kitty’s cat food in an airtight container or sealed bag. This will prevent slugs from tracing it. Practice using a storage box or container even if you have placed a cat food bag in the kitchen.
Usage of beer in tin
Beer has proved to be an effective method to draw and drown slugs. Have a pint of beer in a small tin and after some time you can find slugs going for it and drowning in the beer. Use this method in your garden to trace and remove slugs.
Usage of diatomaceous earth (food grade)
Diatomaceous earth consists of silica, one of the hardest materials,s and slugs don’t like to crawl over them as they dehydrate them. Use food grade which doesn’t harm pets when ingested. Sprinkle them around the cat bowl when you feed your kitty in the garden. This will deter slugs from crossing the diatomaceous earth and entering the cat food bowl.
Coarse salt
Coarse salt is a good deterrent for slugs and if your cat is not allergic to salt, you can rub it on cat food bowl sides or sprinkle it around the cat food bowl. This will prevent slugs from climbing the cat food bowl.
Usage of a food bowl with the water barrier
You can use two bowls one placed within the other to stop slugs from spoiling your cat’s food. Fill in water with a few soap drops in between bowls and slugs can’t cross this barrier. Try to keep the center cat food bowl a bit elevated and this will prevent cat food from spilling into the water.
Cat food bowl with pressure pad lid
This type of cat food bowl has a lid that opens with pressure. With training, your kitty can feed from this special type of cat food bowl by pressing the lid and this is another way of preventing slugs’ entry into cat food.
Professional help
If your garden is infested with a lot of slugs and slimy creatures, call pest control professionals. They are experts and they use a variety of methods to get rid of slugs and solve your problem.
Other Measures you can try
Using broken eggshells
This is not very effective to stop all types of slugs but you can try and see if it works for you. Place broken eggshells around your cat food bowl and see if its harsh surface prevents slugs from reaching your cat food bowl. If it works, then why not continue to use this method?
Using copper wire or tin foil
This is not recommended because copper is poisonous to cats if your cats have the habit of licking copper. If your cat doesn’t lick it then you can use this method and check. Have copper wire surrounding your cat food bowl and check if your garden slug crosses it. If it does, it is not effective, and stick to the above methods. If your garden slug resists, you can continue using this method!
FAQs
What do slugs look like and what do they eat?
Slugs are gastropod mollusks and they live in moist environments. They look slimy and have two antennae.
They usually feed on decayed vegetable matter and can be found feeding on plants, fruits, flowers, and vegetables. These slugs are also attracted to cat food and if you are not cautious, they will enter cat food and start feeding on them.
Why are slugs attracted to cat food?
Slugs like to be in place of moisture. Cat food has a unique scent and wet cat food, in particular, has moisture these two could be possible reasons why slugs are attracted to cat food.
Do cats eat slugs and are slugs harmful?
Since slugs move and cats have predatory nature, they eat slugs if they found them. However, slugs can contain harmful parasites and bacteria as slugs are from the external environment. So, ingestion of slugs can be harmful to cats and some cats experience twitches, seizures, tremors, and muscle spasms. It can be fatal to cats if not treated in time.
Conclusion
In summary, slugs are gross slimy creatures that get attracted to cat food. Preventive measures such as feeding cats indoors, storing cat food in airtight containers, and usage of coarse salt and food-grade diatomaceous earth are some of the best effective measures to keep slugs out of cat food. If there are a lot of slugs in your garden, go for professional pest control services.
