My cat ate a Brown Recluse Spider – what should I do?

Updated 2026-09-30 · 1 sources

Based on: Pet Poison Helpline

Call a vet now

Call your vet or the nearest emergency vet right now. Brown Recluse Spider exposure is toxic and severe.

What to do now

What to do right now

Call your vet or the nearest emergency vet.
Note what, how much and when.
Bring the packaging.
Keep your cat calm.
Remove what is left.

Don't

Do not make your cat vomit unless a vet tells you to.
Do not give your cat any human medicine.

Why it can be dangerous

The Brown Recluse Spider is found throughout the southern Midwest region of the United States and less commonly in the southern states.^[1] It has long legs and ranges in shades of brown.^[1]

Signs to watch for

Vomiting
Lethargy
Seizures
Low blood pressure
Bleeding

Where it is found

The southern Midwest region of the United States
The southern states

If your pet is struggling to breathe, has collapsed, is having a seizure or can't stand up: go to the nearest vet now.

Not sure how serious it is?

OkPaw asks a few quick questions about your pet and tells you in 30 seconds whether it can wait. Free on Google Play for Android.

OkPaw is on Android now – an iPhone version is on its way.

Common questions

What should I do now?

Call your vet or the nearest emergency vet right now.

Sources

Pet Poison Helpline

How this page was made: written with the help of AI from the sources below, then checked claim by claim against those sources. Urgency levels follow OkPaw’s fixed safety rules. It is guidance, not a diagnosis. How we write our pages

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