Southwestern kitties, need insect help/safety advice!

[sparklexo]

I've been searching on google but can't seem to find any cat-specific info... basically, I just moved to TX and there's BIG freaky bugs here! My condo is brand new and appears air tight, so I have no idea how this thing even got inside without knocking at the front door! My kitty was sitting in front of my tv cabinet for a really long time, but I thought she heard a spider and carried on (we also had an incident like this recently over a single grain of rice on the kitchen floor, so I thought there was a pretty good chance there might not even be anything there). Anyways, after half an hour passed and she was still sitting there meowing and trying to alert me, I finally grabbed a flashlight and peered inside. Turns out there was a HUGE freaking centipede just hanging out in there, enjoying it's evening. This thing had to be like 5 inches long, what the heck!! After nearly having a heart attack, I managed to grab some foaming bathroom spray and just doused it to death with bleach and cleaned up. Needless to say, kitty got extra cuddles and treats!! Since I'm clearly not used to finding these types of freaky creatures, does anyone from Southwestern areas have any advice or kitty safety tips regarding potentially dangerous insects/bugs/creepy crawlies? Like do these things travel in groups, and are they poisonous enough to hurt or kill my cat?? Should I be setting traps or bait to catch creepy crawlies? I'm originally from an area with no poisonous or large pests, so I've never had to worry about cat safety before. Like I said, my place is brand new and I know they do exterminating around the outside perimeters every now and then as a precaution, but I was just wondering if there's any extra measures I should know about or be taking to protect her. I would be horrified if she had swatted at it or something and it was able to bite or harm her...

 

[flintmccullough]

Welcome!!-From-a-fellow-Texan!!

Where-in-Texas-are-you?

Pretty-much,if-you-live-in-Texas,and-some-other-southern-states,you-are-going-to-have-bugs-in-your-house,even-closed-up,they-find-a-way-in,thats-just-how-it-is.

There-a-are-few-minor-things-you-can-do,to-lessen-them,mostly-what-you-want-to-avoid,is-the-cockroaches,and-no-matter-how-clean-your-house-is,they-find-a-way.

Never-leave-any-food-out,anywhere,not-on-the-counter,no-dirty-dishes-in-the-sink,no-bread,even-closed-up,nothing-at-all,nothing.If-its-not-a-can-or-a-bag-or-box-that-has-not-been-opened,put-it-in-the-fridge-immediately.Make-sure-to-wipe-up-any-spills-or-crumbs.Never-leave-cat-food-in-a-bowl-out,when-they-are-done-eating,pick-them-up-and-wash-the-dishes.

When-I-find-them,I-just-pick-them-up-with-a-paper-towel-or-napkin,and-flush-them.The-big-ones,the-kitties-usually-just-try-and-play-with-them,or-like-with-you,you-see-they-found-something.The-little-ones,sometimes-they-eat-them,nothing-ever-happened.I-quit-worrying-about-it-a-long-time-ago,nothing-I-could-do-about-it,and-it-never-made-them-sick.

I-don't-spray,because-it-could-affect-the-kitties,or-if-they-ate-one-that-had-been-sprayed.

If-you-live-in-Houston,you-will-be-dealing-with-flooding-in-the-spring,I-can-tell-you-how-to-deal-with-that-too,LOL,used-to-live-in-Houston.

 

[chloespriestess]

Those bugs with lots of feet (centipedes, millipedes) look scary but they are pretty harmless. What's more, they eat other pets like ants and cockroaches, so I usually leave them alone (they eventually go somewhere else) or trap them in a jar if they keep milling about and let them go outside. I'd rather have those than cockroaches.

They do bite, but they are usually very shy and avoid people. They are attracted to darkness and humidity so make sure there is no standing water. Dehumidifier helps too. And yes, remove food sources. Spiders are the same way-they eat other pests (including mosquitoes!) and pretty harmless (unless they are the poisonous kinds) and are attracted to humidity; yes, they too, bite, but they are also rather shy.

Centipedes, millipedes and spiders are not affected by poison for cockroaches because they have different immune system. You can have an exterminator spray pet safe solution so they do not cross the threshold. Sticky boards are poison free and safe for pets also. (You just have to be careful not to step on them yourself.) Ask an exterminator to supply you with a bunch.

 

[cheylink]

  Oh believe me, its not just a down south thing! I am originally from Texas, but have been here in NYC for 20 years. I have seen some bugs so big, soooo big! Just a few weeks ago I saw a 4 inch house centipede, which I thought was a weird silver fish till today! And that was in my studio right next to my bedroom! The water bugs here are so big you can hear them when they run, and sometimes even fly and dive bomb you! As long as my thumb and wider. I have to have an exterminator come once a month, they spray a natural plant extract mix that is toxic for bugs, last for 30 days. You have to let it dry and do not clean it off the floor, when they walk over it, not to long its lights out for the little buggers. It is safe for pets in dry state, so I keep Maia closed off till areas dry.

   As far as sticky traps, most important to make sure your pet cant get to them. However I have come up with a genius pet safe sticky trap.......

Take a shoe box, most have the little hole on lower front side maybe the size of a quarter, if not make one but no bigger. Inside box double sided tape down glue trap on bottom, opposite end from quarter size hole. Then you want to put something inside at opposite end of small hole to attract what your trying to trap. For me it was a mouse so I put some dry cat food. Then tape lid back onto box and place with entrance facing wall and something on top to keep a kitty from pulling it away or where your pet cant pull it out.

I caught a mouse within 10 hours! The little sh*t was driving me nuts for a week!