In my home some small jumping spiders as well as those small spiders with long legs hanging from from spider net are there. My cat stalks and eats them. The process goes on for half an hour. She slowly keeps on injuring and eating the spiders.
The spiders are poisonous so is it safe for my cat to be doing this? If it is not then how can I stop her?
Location - India, Kolkata
Spiders are typically venomous not poisonous. The good news is for most part, most common spiders probably cannot hurt a cat, and while I can't really find an academically rigorous source, I can't find any stories of this being dangerous.
Its worth looking at a few things - whether there's generally dangerous spiders in your region. The spider bites wikipedia page and this site on cats, would suggest its mostly spiders that would be dangerous to people too. If you have, say wild tarantulas, or tunnel webs... well you'd want to be a little bit more careful.
From your description - we're talking some variety of daddy long legs - which contrary to popular belief are not venomous at all. I cannot find any references to jumping spiders hurting a cat.
Naturally, if you see swelling or your cat seems ill... well, go see a vet.
There is a difference between poison and venom. Poison is lethal when touched, swallowed or inhaled. But not venom. For venom to be poisonous it needs to be injected into the blood stream.
Most spiders are venomous and not poisonous.
So the only thing you need to make sure is that the cat has no open wound, mouth or ulcer in stomach through which spider venom can reach blood stream. Otherwise the venom will be broken down by enzymes in the cat's stomach and it will be rendered harmless.
Best thing is not to take any chance. Try to monitor your cat and throw away the kill if it is a spider.
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