All hazards › Household › Ant Baits & Traps (Borax / Avermectin) & cats

Is Ant Baits & Traps (Borax / Avermectin) Safe for Cats?

🚫 Not Safe
✅ Cross-checked against veterinary poison-control guidance · Oct 2026 audit
⚠️ Educational info only. If your pet just ate or touched something and looks unwell, skip the reading and call your vet — or Pet Poison Helpline (US): (855) 764-7661, ASPCA Poison Control (US): (888) 426-4435.
No. Ant baits are low in toxicity for cats, but plastic trap parts and sticky gel residue make them worth keeping away from.

Why it’s a problem

Cats rarely eat bait stations, but they bat them around, gnaw the casing and groom sticky gel off their paws. Borax and avermectin doses in one trap are usually too small for serious poisoning. Swallowed plastic is the main physical danger, and gel trapped in fur can be licked for days.

How to keep your pet safe

Set traps behind appliances and inside cabinets your cat cannot open, and count them so you know if one goes missing. Wipe up any gel residue and clean paws or fur with a damp cloth if contact happens. Store spare baits sealed in a drawer.

Warning signs to watch for

Drooling, pawing at the mouth, vomiting, diarrhea, appetite loss, mild lethargy; gagging or straining in the litter box if plastic was swallowed.

When to call the vet

Call your vet or a pet poison hotline for reassurance and guidance — most cases need no treatment. Watch for repeated vomiting, a painful belly or missed bowel movements, which suggest a blockage. Do not pull gel out of the mouth by force; wipe gently and take advice.

Common questions

My cat chewed an ant bait station — is she poisoned?

Almost certainly not seriously — one station holds a tiny dose. Still, call your vet or a pet poison hotline with the ingredient list, and watch her for vomiting or appetite loss over the next day.

My cat has gel bait on her paw — what now?

Wipe off what you can with a damp cloth to stop grooming, and call a pet poison hotline with the product name. Watch for drooling or vomiting and keep the packaging handy.

Can the plastic trap hurt my cat?

Swallowed fragments can scratch or block the gut. If pieces are missing, watch for vomiting, belly pain or constipation and contact your vet if they appear.

More household hazards for cats

🐱 Antifreeze (Ethylene Glycol)☠️ ToxicNo. Antifreeze kills cats at tiny doses — just a few licks from a puddle can cause fatal kidney 🐱 Bleach (Sodium Hypochlorite)🚫 Not SafeRisky. Dried surfaces and aired fumes are usually fine, but liquid bleach burns a cat’s mouth an🐱 Rat Poison (Anticoagulant Rodenticide)☠️ ToxicNo. Rat poison can kill cats, though they are more often poisoned by eating affected rodents tha🐱 Snail & Slug Bait (Metaldehyde)☠️ ToxicNo. Metaldehyde is toxic to cats too, though they are exposed less often than dogs — usually by 🐱 Permethrin Yard & Bug Sprays☠️ ToxicNo. Permethrin is highly poisonous to cats — even tiny amounts from grooming contaminated fur or🐱 Mothballs (Naphthalene / Paradichlorobenzene)☠️ ToxicNo. Mothballs are dangerous to cats, who are especially sensitive to naphthalene — even small am

This page is general educational information, not a substitute for professional veterinary advice. Every pet is different — if your animal ate or touched something concerning, contact your veterinarian or a pet poison hotline right away. In the US: Pet Poison Helpline (855) 764-7661, ASPCA Animal Poison Control (888) 426-4435 (fees may apply).