Maggots in cat dish bowl with wet food ?

Question

my cat didn't eat all of its wet food last night, this morning the dish was full of maggots. The most disgusting thing i have ever seen. B/c its summer, flies have been sneaking into my apartment.............I'm so grossed out, I ran the dish out to the alley. Should i have to worry for my cats health or mine coming in contact with that ? i have a 2yr old son too But, he never came into contact with it !

Answer 1

make sure when your cat is done eating even if he hasnt finished it put it in the frig or throw it out in the garbage that will stop the maggets.

Answer 2

no so long as you don't have any maggots chowing on you your OK.

it is really gross though I have had that happen and there just isn't any thing that look worse that a bunch of maggots ewhhhh.

Answer 3

IF I feed wet food in the summer, I only do it in the morning and if the cat doesn't eat it, I put it covered in the fridge for later.

But in this hot and humid weather I tend to stick to dried food, but a really good quality one.

Answer 4

Make sure you wash out the cats dish everyday with soap and water and you should have no further problems with maggots. You are not washing the bowl as you should or you wouldn't have maggots. It takes many days for the fly eggs to hatch. No this will not hurt the cat, you or your son, but you don't want maggots in your house. As you say it is gross!

Answer 5

He won't have eaten the dinner but keep an eye on him. In the summer only put his wet dinner out at meal times and when he's stopped eating it either throw it out or cover it and pop it in the fridge. It won't harm you at all. Make sure you wash the dirty dish out in really really hot water. x x

Answer 6

House fly maggots appear within 8-20 hours of being laidDon't eat any more of that food. Save any maggots that you find (put them in rubbing alcohol) and show them t So it's possible that a fly laid eggs over night and by morning you had the maggots. If your cat eat any maggots

Most maggots are probably killed when chewed

Most of the remaining maggots probably were killed in the stomach. Those that were not killed in the stomach might be able to cause "gastroenteritis" (upset stomach, intestinal/abdominal cramping, diarrhea). But as most maggots are on rotting food it's hard to know if it was the maggots or bad bacteria that caused the upset. If the food was fresh..as in your case you don't have the extra worry of that.

But if the dish was even a little bit dirty from the days before then you could have that mix from  bad bacteria and maggots.

Just watch you're cat for vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appitite or listlessness. If any probs go to vet.

It's all gross unless you're a maggot lover and I aint! the bowl could probably be saved by boiling water and /or bleach. But I like you would never want to see it again.

if you have fly probs I wouldnt go for sprays as they can be toxic. Get either a tennis type racket that you can zap it with low voltage (batteries) or theres a good bug vacuum for $50 or £25. You can get these on-line

Answer 7

no all will be fine,cats do eat stuff like this at times and for them it is harmless,the acid in  the cats stomach would kill any maggots immediately

Answer 8

I'm wondering the same thing.  I have ferrets I feed dry food to.  One of them tipped the water dish over (typical) and it spilled all over their food making it wet.  I went to clean it up and I was discussed to see maggots in it.  I hope it doesn't hurt them.  I always hear the story about animals being eaten alive from maggots.  I feel a little bit better now.

Answer 9

Do not leave wet food out over a period of time.  Pick it up as soon as your cat is done with it.  Cats in gereral are not going to go near nasty food.