Are slugs damaging your cat’s food, and does your cat accidentally eat slugs with food?
You’re not alone in these problems with slug attacks on cat food. However, there are some specific remedies for this inconvenience.
So, how to keep slugs away from cat food?
The simplest technique to keep slugs away from cat food is to keep them hoisted. You can also use a pressure pad lid to prevent the cat food from slugs. Putting a slug trap is another handy method to protect cat foods from slugs. Sprinkling salt and ground coffee are other ways to keep slugs away.
It’s just an overview. You’ll learn the explanation shortly in the following section of this article.
Why Slugs Attack Cat Food?
The main ingredient of cat food is proteins (Almost 26% of it is protein). Besides, protein, carbohydrates, and vitamins are highly available in cat food.
The smell of these nutrients attracts slugs. By following the scent, slugs can quickly figure out the place where you keep the cat food.
If slugs exist around your house, they’ll attack the cat food. So, you must take some preventive approach to it.
9 Ways to Keep Slugs Away From Cat Food
You’ll find different suggestions regarding keeping the slugs away from cat food. But not all of them work effectively.
We assure you that the method we will cover here is proven and reliable. So, let’s get into the alternative method and find a convenient way to keep the slugs away.
1. Keep The Food in an Elevated Place
The simplest way to prevent slugs from eating cat food is to keep them high. You can just arrange a little elevated platform from the ground.
A 5 to 10 inches hoisted platform is enough. Next, you can build a stage with wood on tiny pegs. It prevents slugs from climbing up to the cat food. Ensure the platform is manageable for the cat to reach.
If you’re building one for your cat, keep it adjustable. It will help you to adjust the height according to your cat’s growth.
2. Put A Slug Trap Near Your Feeding Zone
A slug trap is a highly effective way to eliminate slug attacks on cat food. You can make slug traps very easily at home.
Take a one-time-use ice cup or plastic bottle. Make a window in the lower middle point of the bottle. And fill the bottle with leftover beer.
After making the trap, place it around the cat food. And it’ll trap most of the slugs overnight.
3. Feed the Cat In a Pressure Pad Lid
The pressure pad is a self-closing cover that opens with the pressure of a cat. The lid will automatically open when the cat comes to eat by applying pressure to the throttle.
The pressure pad lid will keep the cat food covered all the time. And that will prevent cat food from slugs.
It is one of the most effective ways to keep slugs away from cat food.
4. Keep The Food Inside A Water Barrier
A water barrier is one of the handy procedures to protect cat food from slugs. First, take a cat’s food bowl and pour it with water. Next, place the food container in the center of the water bowl.
As slugs hate to swim, the water protection will prevent them from reaching cat food.
5. Create A Copper Wire Barrier Around the Food
You can easily make a protective barrier around the cat’s food bowl. Copper wire’s complex and shiny nature doesn’t let slugs cross it.
And this can keep the cat food away from slugs. So this procedure proved to be effective.
6. Place Broken Egg Shells Around the Food
Broken egg shells are one of the most excellent protectors of cat food. If you place eggs shells all around the cat food container, slugs can’t cross it.
All you need to do is break the eggshell into small pieces. Then make a circle around the food container and keep no gap between the circle’s lining.
7. Sprinkle Salt Around the Food
Salt is a big enemy for slugs. If the slug gets near it, it drains water from its body within minutes. It results in the deaths of slugs.
So, slugs would avoid it at any cost if you sprinkle salt all around the cat food.
But make sure to cover the entire area around the cat’s food container because gaps can destroy your efforts.
8. Sprinkle Ground Coffee Around the Food
Do coffee grounds keep slugs away? You’ll be amazed to know that ground caffeine is another enemy of slugs because the ground coffee’s xanthine chemical smell is harsh.
Simply sprinkle ground caffeine around the cat’s food plate.
When the slugs try to reach the cat’s food, the ground caffeine will push them away. So, after 5 to 7 days, you should replace it and re-sprinkle it with fresh ones.
9. Implant Slug-Resistant Plants Around the House
The slug-resistant plant is a great long-term solution for slugs. In addition, you can plant some slug-resistant herbs around your house.
These plants will help you keep slugs away from cat foods and your house.
That’s why planting slug-resistant herbs is a sustainable solution for slugs.
After this long discussion, your concern might be: how do you permanently get rid of slugs?
Well, The following methods can give you relief from slugs perpetually.
- Use A Flashlight While Feeding at Night (A flashlight keeps the slugs away, and the ray of light sometimes kills slugs)
- Keeping the slugs away from the cats feeding area ( By cleaning your yard regularly, you can keep slugs away from cats’ food)
FAQs
Are Slugs Poisonous To Cats?
Yes, unfortunately, slugs are poisonous to cats. Eating slugs regularly can create lungworms. It can make some behavioral changes. Cats can do something unusual. And sometimes, it can drive cats to sickness leading to death.
What Do Slugs Hate?
Slug hates plants that have heavily smelling foliage. Slugs can not tolerate this type of plant. And slugs always say run away from them. Heavily fragranced foliage is also known as a slug-resistant plant.
Is The Slime From Slugs Poisonous?
Yes, slime from slugs is harmful. Regular consumption of slugs can create toxicity in the body of your pet. And then it can put the pets into sickness. Unusual wool removal is another probable consequence. Also, it can gradually cause death for your pets.
Final Words
Well, we’re going to wrap up the discussion here. Hopefully, you got a handy answer on how to keep slugs away from cat food.
There are many unwanted consequences of eating slugs accidentally for your cat. So always be careful.
