Roaches can be a real problem, especially if they are attracted to your cat’s litter. If you have an infestation of roaches, it can be a real hassle to eliminate them and all the sources that are attracting them. The question is are roaches attracted to cat litter? The general answer to this question is no. Cockroaches are generally not attracted to cat litter. They are attracted to dirty cat litter that is also made from biodegradable ingredients. Roaches are generally attracted to anything that is rotting or dirty.
In the next few sections I will go over some commonly asked questions about roaches and cats in general, and also provide a few tips to help keep cockroaches away.
Do Cat Litter Boxes Attract Roaches?
Cat litter boxes are not the main cause of attracting cockroaches. Dirty cat litter is the main reason for roaches being attracted to a litter box. Another cause for roaches being attracted to a cat litter box is the type of litter that you are using. An example would be a cat litter that is made of wheat. Roaches will be attracted to this type of litter since it actually provides a source of food for them.
Having a wheat based cat litter and not cleaning it often can contribute to a bad roach problem. If you are having issues with roaches inside of your cat’s litter box than it would be advised to change to a type of litter that does not contain any type of food in the ingredients list. Most biodegradable cat litters on the market are edible which can pose a big problem with roaches.
Using a clay cat litter is a great alternative to cat litters that have edible ingredients. Clay litter will help keep roaches away as long as you regularly clean your cat’s litter box. This hard clumping clumping clay based cat litter from Amazon helps prevent moisture and odor.
What Are Cockroaches Most Attracted To?
Cockroaches are attracted to food. They are omnivores by nature which means that they will eat almost any type of food that is plant or meat based. Roaches can actually survive several months without food and they will eat almost anything that has nutritional value. They are mostly attracted to sugars, starches, grease, meat, and dairy. Rotting food is also a very delicious snack for a cockroach that is searching for something to eat. This is what makes a dirty cat litter box so appetizing. Anything with a really strong smell or odor that is edible will attract roaches.
If there is a shortage of finding food, cockroaches will actually start to eat ordinary household items. Items like cardboard, paper, glue, starch-based paint and wallpaper, and even dried human skin flakes. Cockroaches do not care and will do anything for survival. So even if you keep your cat litter clean and free of biodegradable ingredients, it may still attract roaches that are starving.
Do Cats Keep Cockroaches Away?
Cats are hunters at heart. They love to chase and kill rodents and pests. Cockroaches are no exception. Cats will definitely help keep cockroaches away by killing and eating them. It seems that the best number of cats to control a roach problem is 2-3 in an apartment and 5-7 in a house. This information is not scientific, but was instead gathered from various blogs and forums that were related to pest control.
Many people had discussions about controlling a roach infestation with cats and these seemed to be the best numbers. I would still recommend hiring professionals to take care of a roach infestation, although having a lot of cats may reduce the issue, it may not solve it completely. Having just one cat will definitely not solve your cockroach infestation, but it can be
Are Cockroaches Dangerous to Cats?
Roaches are generally not toxic to cats. Cockroaches also do not offer much nutritional value for your cat except for a little bit of added protein for their diet. If your cat has never eaten a cockroach before, then they may throw up. If they get an upset stomach it is mostly due to their body not being used to digesting all the protein as well as the exoskeleton of the roach being rough on your cat’s digestive tract. There are also a few other reasons why your cat may have thrown up after eating a cockroach
- Your cat might be experiencing gastrointestinal problems which ties in with the first point I made, however it is not uncommon for cats to have digestive problems when eating insects. Gastrointestinal problems don’t always lead to your cat throwing up, but in the case that it does, be prepared to clean up the remains of your cat’s little snack.
- If your cat was profusely coughing, then this could be a sign that the cockroach’s exoskeleton could be stuck in your cat’s throat. Cat’s will usually try to make themselves throw up in the case of something being lodged in their throat.
- Your cat may have eaten something already in the day that has caused their stomach to be sensitive.
- Another reason your cat may have an upset stomach is if they have already eaten a lot that day.
Final Thoughts
In order for roaches to be specifically attracted to cat litter, it must meet a few specifications. The cat litter must be made of biodegradable ingredients which are edible. Also having a dirt cat litter box will attract roaches due to the dirty and rancid smell. To keep roaches away from your cat’s litter box it would be best to switch to a clay litter and to always make sure the litter box is clean.
