Are lizzards o.k. for my gizzards?

Dear Fisher,

I’m so obsessed with lizards. I’m an inside cat, but, my human “mama” lets me go outside on our deck, weather permitting; to play, get fresh air and sunshine. I have to be supervised out there of course, as my feline instincts have gotten the worst of me and I’ve jumped over the top, yep, she freaked out!Anyway, when I see a lizard, I go nuts!

I love to catch it, bring it inside as a gift for mom, and also to play with it, then chomp down on it….Mmmmmm, I think they are a tasty delight, but, my human acts so grossed out and I don’t understand why. I have not been sick…(she has) so, are they o.k.for me to eat the “whole thing”?

Please let her know so I can continue my hunt for those luscious morsels.
Thank you for your time.

Jake

Dear Jake,

It sounds to me like you are quite the adventurous cat as well as a dedicated connoisseur of lizards. Your human mama sounds a bit like mine, only I never get to the lizard to even think about playing with it or eating it. By the time she is done flailing her arms about and making strange noises, the lizard is scared silly and disappears. They are fast little critters and mean no harm.

Cats are natural predators and so are the little lizards. While you are chasing them, they are eating bugs and insects that can be equally annoying to your household members. Your little playmates and eventual snacks are native to Florida and are called Green Anole (uh’no-lee) or Cuban Brown Anole, which are becoming more prevalent. Their little feet differ from most lizards in that each toe has adhesive pads (lamellae) on its central portion which enables them to climb walls and end up on ceilings if they need to get away from strange humans and hungry cats. You might want to visit FloridaGardner where you can learn more about the lizards on your deck, and maybe your human mama will be able to alleviate her fear of them.

They are not harmful. As a matter of fact, children (and even some adults) have been known to scoop them up, hold them to their ear where they reach out and take hold, becoming fun earrings to the human. Very few native Floridians can understand why anyone would be afraid of the little guys. They are a vested part of the Florida lifestyle.
As with all creatures living in the wild, the anole can contract diseases from the insects it eats. If you should happen to munch on a lizard for dessert one day, and the lizard happens to possibly harbor salmonella, you can become a victim of the bacterial strain most commonly known as food poisoning. This will likely cure you of your lizard hunger. Your digestive system will let you know and if your innards feel like they are on the roller-coaster at Universal Studios. If this happens, you should contact your doctor and explain your eating habits.

The anole are around your deck because they are after a luscious meal of their own. There is a reason they would brave your instincts to dine on your deck. Is it possible you have a plant full of little bugs? You can move the plant off the deck and out into the yard, which will entice the lizards to move also. Or, your human mama can spray the deck with bug spray to keep insects off. But like I said before, they belong in Florida every bit as much as we do, and peaceful co-existence is the best route to take.

Unlike you, I have never been able to get close enough to eat a lizard. I am just wondering – do they taste like chicken?

Your friend,

Fisher

published in tbt* Tampa Bay