As a responsible cat owner, you love and care for your pet and want to keep them as safe as possible. So, you’ll most likely be on the lookout for potentially harmful things around your home. One thing that some owners get concerned about is bug zappers. You might even be wondering, can a bug zapper possibly kill my cat?
Well, don’t fret, the truth is, bug zappers are generally safe and can not kill cats but it will most certainly hurt if your pet managed to come into contact with it. Bug zappers have a high voltage of around 2000-4000 which might sound pretty scary but it’s not really the voltage here that we need to worry about. It’s more so the amps. Amps measure the flow of electricity and can be harmful to living things. Thankfully, bug zappers usually have less than 0.5 milliamps of current flow compared to an average household power outlet which is usually around 15-20 amps.
It’s also highly unlikely that your cat will even be able to come into contact with the electric grid on the bug zapper. The grid is usually small and covered in plastic which prevents things like fingers and paws from being able to get through and make contact. Of course, it doesn’t hurt to keep an eye on your kitty and make sure their not getting into any mischief, but you can rest easy knowing that bug zappers are generally safe for cats and are designed in a way that makes it so they are unable to kill pets such as cats and humans.
Preventing Accidental Harm to Your Cat
While bug zappers are considered safe for cats in general, we should still take the appropriate steps to keep them out of the reach of our pet cats in an effort to prevent any accidental harm. Cats are known for their curiosity and may try paw or play with bug zappers which could lead to a nasty shock, this is obviously highly unlikely but as the saying goes it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Don’t Let Your Cat Eat the Insects
This is a strange one, but I’ve heard from a couple of people that their cats at times will eat insects just as flies and ants. Especially ants for some peculiar reason. A bug zapper that is working properly is usually littered with dead insects, so if your cat for whatever reason decides it loves to eat the insects you should move it immediately out of reach. Eating insects can be dangerous for your cat as they can be toxic or they may have digested something previously that could be harmful to your cat.
It’s worth noting also that bug zappers have a reputation to attract predators of insects too, usually, animals like birds and bats will often turn up to try to get an easy meal.
Are Bug Zappers Beneficial
Bug zappers are thought to be beneficial but recent studies show that they are not as effective as we once thought. It’s actually thought that bug zappers now attract more insects, especially mosquitoes. This is mainly because mosquitoes are attracted to light and carbon dioxide, both of which are produced by the bug zapper. While the bug zapper might kill mosquitoes it’s also likely to draw more to the area. We would argue that bug zappers have a lot of negative effects on the local environment too, including killing beneficial insects such as pollinators, predators of pests, and other insects that are important for a healthy ecosystem.
They also disrupt the local food chain and ecosystem and attract predators.
How to Use a Bug Zapper in a Safe Way
To ensure you always use your bug zapper in a safe way it’s important to follow the basics, always read the instruction manual that comes with your bug zapper paying extra attention to the safety precautions page. Try to locate your bug zapper in a place that’s unreachable by your cat or other small animals and regularly dispose of any dead insects. Avoid touching the grid or mesh and regularly maintain and ensure that it’s functioning correctly.
What Are Some Better Alternatives to Bug Zappers
There are a wide variety of alternatives to bug zappers if you are worried about controlling inspect popular ones that are safer and more environmentally friendly. These options include natural repellents such as citronella candles or herbs like lavender and peppermint. Another option is to just use some form of a physical barrier such as a net over your door.
Other options include traps that capture insects such as pheromone traps which are more-environmentally-friendly.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Are bug zappers safe for humans and pets?
A: Yes, bug zappers are generally safe for humans and pets although can still hurt if touched.
Q: Can bug zappers attract more mosquitoes than they kill?
A: Some studies suggest that bug zappers attract more mosquitoes than they kill due to the bright light and excess carbon dioxide.
Q: What are some alternatives to bug zappers for controlling insect populations?
A: Some alternatives include natural insect repellents, physical barriers, and traps.
Conclusion
To conclude bug zappers will not kill your cat and are generally safe for humans and pets. It’s still important however to keep them out of reach to prevent any accidental harm. If you are worried about bug zappers you should consider some different alternatives as many studies show that bug zappers are bad for the local environment and can attract more pests than they prevent.
