Spider bite help!!

I did a search and found this on Purina's website:

I was curious to know if a toxic spider - such as a black widow or any such kind - ever bit my cat, would my cat get sick and die, or just get really sick? If he did get bitten, would we be able to tell? Are there any positive signs he got bitten by a spider?

There are no signs that a cat has been bitten by a spider, per se. There are signs, however, that a cat has been bitten by some kind of insect. The main sign is a large swelling, usually on the muzzle or on the foot, with no particular evidence of pain. On rare occasion, hives will appear on the skin. The swelling or hives represent an allergic reaction that is not life-threatening. The swelling usually goes away within 48 hours. Spider bites can be different, however. They can be much worse in that the swelling can last for weeks, and the tissue around the site where the cat was bitten can die and slough off, leaving a large skin wound that requires major veterinary care.

Only two types of spiders are capable of causing severe injury to your cat: the female black widow and the brown recluse. The black widow is a shiny black spider with a red hourglass-shaped spot on its underside, about 3/4 of an inch in length. It is found all over the Unites States. Signs of a black widow spider bite are severe pain at the site of the bite, muscle spasms, drooling, seizures, difficulty breathing, and paralysis. The paralysis may happen pretty soon after the bite and may be severe. The cat must be examined by a veterinarian immediately. There is a good chance that the cat will die from this bite.

The brown recluse is a brown spider, a half-inch in length, with long legs and a dark brown fiddle-shaped mark on its back. It is found mainly in the southern United States. At first, there is little pain or swelling associated with the bite of a brown recluse spider. After a few hours, a blister will form. After one or two weeks, an ulcerated area will develop, and the cat may develop a fever and joint pain. The cat needs to be examined when the ulcerated area forms, and the damaged tissue will have to be surgically removed, most likely, so that the surrounding skin does not also be come affected. It may take weeks or months for the entire area to heal properly.

If you catch an insect bite early, or if your cat receives multiple bites or stings from bees, wasps, or hornets, or if your cat begins showing signs of anaphylaxis (allergic reaction; vomiting, diarrhea, difficulty breathing, shock, collapse), emergency veterinary care is needed.

Brown recluse spiders are fairly rare. Chances are its just a small wolf spider or some other run of the mill spider. I don't really know anything about cats and spider bites, just that the odds of it being a spider as highly poisonous as the brown recluse...very not likely.

Tracy IF he was he was bit by a brown recluse he needs intervention now. Cats have such a high tolerance for pain, if he was bit, he may not let you know it. Look for the loss of fur about the size of a penny on his body- it would be white (from the venom). Then look into that spot you should see a hole that opens up into tissue and muscle. Cat needs antibiotics to combat the effects of the venom and stop the spread. You can wash the area out with hydrogen peroxide and then put neosporin on it- but please seek veterinary intervention even if it is just Dial-A-Vet

Meowhoo.com

did it look like this?

We live in TN and we had a child die last year from a recluse spider bite. We had a lot of spiders around here until our cat population grew, i mean ones big enough you could here them if they fell off of something close by you....gives me creeps just remembering that. I never had a cat fall ill to a spider bite dispite that....I hope your kitty is okay.

Well that isn't a brown recluse or a wolf spider either

Kinda mangled, but it looks like a common brown house spider.

I'm so sorry for your loss! How creepy, such big spiders...and to think the brown recluse, a fairly small one, is so deadly. I've heard recluses tend to prefer the outdoors and are less common indoors, hence my comment that its not likely a recluse bite. Don't get me wrong, I know nothing of spiders formally, just tidbits I've picked up.

the spider u have a pic of isn't a brown recluse. so that's good.

I hope Reilly continues to do ok, keep us posted! It is amazing that we can talk about something and within minutes let everyone see what we are talking about, technology is an awesome thing!
I must say though that I HATE spiders and all those pictures are making me want to

Tracy,

I hope everything turns out ok for Reilly.

Tara

Being up in Sioux Lookout, the likelihood of coming across more different species of wolf spiders (there are many) or dock spiders is a possibility. I've had them here in Toronto when living in basement apartments, and they look somewhat similar to that spider. There are many etimologists online who could indentify it and probably answer your question, so it wouldn't hurt to locate an online source. I imagine you're on your way to the vet, if you haven't already been, so good luck. Please let us know how Reilly is doing.

I was so worried for Reilly as I read this thread! How the heck did you manage to find that spider to suspect a bite?

I am SO glad that he is doing better, beautiful boy!

I hate them also, we used to have Tarantulas bigger then my hands, I was so afraid of them things I would run screaming into the house but we also had scorpions I can't even tell you how terrified I was of those, just looking at them OMG I hate everything like that, snakes had those to, I don't even want to see any. A big Tarantula was crawling on top of a female basset hound we had one evening, ny hubby went out with the broom and beat that thing all over, there were legs everywhere just thinkng about them make the hair stand up on the back of my neck

Well, it definitely looks like your common as muck, run of the mill house spider - I've got things like that running about in my old house in the UK and sometimes bigger.... and they're all as harmless as melting butter. So that's good news - maybe Reilly just ate something that disagreed with him (possibly the *other* spider.... they travel in pairs, you know ) Just keep us posted

I have to disagree. In Canada, our common house spiders do not look like that. I would be inclined to agree with Tracy's vet about the diagnosis.

Tracy, glad to do hear Reilly is doing well and that everything is okay.

Glad to hear Reilly's doing ok.
That would give me quite a scare. Wiggies eats spiders all the time! I'm not too concerned because Canadian spiders aren't supposed to be too nasty - unlike some of their American cousins!
Tarantulas?!! I'd be moving states!!!