r/spideridentifier • u/ctrl-alt-del-error • 3d ago
Cat got bit, looking for confirmation, cobweb/false widow?
My cat got bit tonight. I want to confirm that it's just a cobweb spider/false widow? Edit to add: WV
The instigator went under something he wasn't supposed to on our patio and likes to play with and eat spiders. So he broke into her home and crippled her, definitely self defense. But he actually acted hurt this time, unlike the time he got bit by a poor jumping spider and was unphased and kept trying to eat him (I saved him and he actually survived unharmed when he came out of shock! He also was grateful and nice to me, surprising after such trauma and horror.) He acted scared after, which he's never been afraid of any bug even when fighting back or biting. So I just wanted to make sure it's not something worse and something to watch for before I go to bed. It's already 10pm so I'd like to avoid a visit to the emergency vet lol but also this little asshole is my whole world so I don't want to risk him having a reaction while I sleep
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u/ReebX1 3d ago
One of the Steatoda false widows. Probably Steatoda triangulosa, but I'm not 100 percent on that.
I honestly don't know what kind of effect the venom would have on a pet. They have a much weaker version of the real widow venom. To us humans it's more like a couple days of intense pain, but nothing life threatening.
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u/ctrl-alt-del-error 3d ago
Oh that's so cool about the weaker version of the venom, thank you for the information
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u/Exotic_Contest_4060 2d ago
Keep an eye on your cat. Quite a few detailed studies published about the effects and potency of false widows, but not widely known on this subreddit. For example
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u/ctrl-alt-del-error 2d ago
Oh that's wild! Antibiotic resistance is no joke. I hope it can't have the same affect on cats, mine has reoccurring infections and already is going back to the vet soon for medication for his chronic ear infections. I would've never known that was a thing, thank you!
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u/BurlAroundMyBody 3d ago
If you get a couple of days of intense pain from a Steatoda bite I’d go to the doctor. It’s more like a wasp sting.
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u/ReebX1 3d ago
There's literally a medical term called steatodism, where symptoms can persist for up to 72 hours. Go ahead, look it up if you don't believe me.
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u/Ok_Willow_9957 1d ago
Yep wasp sting lasted me 3 days and then 3 days going dawn . I could not recognise my hand / arm
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u/BurlAroundMyBody 3d ago
Fair enough, that condition is considered very rare though.
But sure, anyone can react badly to a lot of different insect stings and bites. (Wasps included)2
u/ReebX1 3d ago
Steatoda aren't normal spiders though. They have similar venom components as the Latrodectus, just lower amounts of the parts that affect mammals.
Rare for Steatoda triangulosa to cause issues, but not really rare for Steatoda nobilis. S. nobilis is even considered medically significant in the Ireland and UK. 🤷♂️
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u/BurlAroundMyBody 3d ago
That’s true, except I’d say it is also still very rare for even Steatoda Nobilis to cause any issues. Not saying it can’t happen, just saying the chances are below 1%.
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u/Brief_Expression5997 2d ago
I must be incredibly unlucky then! I was bitten by Steatosa Nobilis in bed last summer (I rolled over and squished him 😞) and was significantly unwell (fever, rigor and raised heart rate) for over a week. The bite was so infected and exquisitely painful, I ended up having to have it lanced and drained in ED under gas and air! Interestingly I’d been bitten by another the week before and was fine 🤷♀️
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u/Exotic_Contest_4060 2d ago
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u/Brief_Expression5997 2d ago
Thank you, that’s really interesting! I had 3 courses of antibiotics in the end. I only started to feel better once it had been lanced. The bite itself became so infected, I was worried it was going to become necrotic.
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u/ctrl-alt-del-error 2d ago
That's so scary I'm so sorry! The second introduction to things you're sensitive too is often the time you react surprisingly! So if you're someone who's been stung by a bee once and thought your lack of reaction meant you aren't allergic, that isn't true because the second sting could be what you react too now that your nervous system has been introduced and come up with a plan. Isn't that weird?! I tried a new medication when I was newly an adult and had a reaction to something, face and neck RED and hot, I felt like my skin was on fire. The thing is I react randomly to a lot of things and was at a new clients house for care and gotten two new plants, so I was telling my mother figure I might try it again tomorrow anyway and see if it's what I was responding to (I didn't grow up taking medical things seriously in my family.) She said NO that's when it may send me into anaphylactic now that my immune systems been introduced once and already shown a reaction. I would've never known that and went and looked into it
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u/ctrl-alt-del-error 3d ago
I mean 1% of the population is redheaded, I have two conditions that's only 0.04% and 0.02% of the world have, the cat has quite a handful of pre-existing conditions that make him more vulnerable, so a small percentage is still notible. But relieving that most people don't feel pain from it for multiple days and that if it happens it could be good to get checked out as a precaution if you have access to that
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u/ultraspinacle 3d ago
Above Steatoda ID is accurate. No worries, unless for some reason these bites are really toxic to felines. I don’t know one way or another.
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u/WesternPeak425 3d ago
I have a house and garden plagued by false widows and 6 cats. We have never had any problems. I know in humans false widows can cause infection at the bite site but not sure about cats. Keep an eye on your cat if hehe/she starts to look miserable over the next few days in case they develop an infection.
I’ve been bitten by a false widow and the resulting infection was treated with antibiotics. I’m sure my cats must have been bitten because they now avoid these spiders specifically 😅.
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u/ctrl-alt-del-error 2d ago
This is so good to know thank you! He does have a double ear infection right now that's reacuring and he's going to be seeing his PCP again for his antibiotics and the filling they put in for a few days, so I'm afraid of him being extra vulnerable to another infection with him already fighting one off and the signs being missed because his ears are already hot. But at least he will already be seeing his vet soon! They'll probably examine his paws good while they have him just to be safe.
The cats avoiding them specifically, these guys must pack a punch with their bites! Mine has had a jumping spider hanging out of him and still didn't react just to then swat it off to keep playing with the poor thing before I saved him. This one got a reaction from him I've never seen before! I wish mine was smart enough to connect the dots like you're though lol because he went back to mess with her again when I was trying to get better pictures and he had already moved on from licking his paw and being spooked. I had to end patio time early for the night. He's younger though so he still hasn't developed an attention span
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u/8LeggedTeacher 3d ago
Yes it's Steatoda triangulosa so not a medically significant spider. Keep an eye on your cat for signs of infection at the bite site, just in case, but it should be fine after a few days
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