How to Get Rid of Fleas on Cats
How to get rid of fleas on your cat's head is one of the most common questions cat owners ask, since the symptoms can sometimes be very difficult to spot.
Fleas don't always manifest themselves on cats at once, in fact, common feline diseases carried by fleas are sometimes not so obvious on your lovely cat. And guess what? Even indoor-only cats can pick up these parasites as well!
How Can I Tell If My Cat Has Fleas?
One of the most common questions pet owners have is "How can I tell if my cat has fleas?". Cats get fleas just like we do. They can come from a dog, cat, or other animal. The best way to know for sure if your cat has fleas is to take it to the veterinarian and have it do a little skin exam. The vet will be able to tell you if the cat has any parasites.
Parasites are not the only reason that your cat might get fleas. Your cat could be allergic to one or more flea parts. There are many kinds of flea parts available on the market today such as shampoos, sprays, dips, and powders. Some of these parts may be good, while others are completely bad for your pet's health.
The last thing to know about fleas is that they are extremely contagious. A cat with fleas can spread their flea disease to you and your family very quickly. You will notice some itching and redness in your cat, which is where the fleas are spreading to. Once your cat is feeling better you should take him or her back to the vet. The vet will be able to tell you if your cat needs to be treated with flea medicine or not.
Common Feline Diseases Carried by Fleas
The most common diseases that affect cats are flea-related. Fleas transmit tapeworms and transmitters that will make your cat sick. There are over a thousand known diseases that cats can be infected with. Here are just some of the more common ones:
Ear Mites: This is actually one of the most common causes for the infection of cats in the wild, and also one of the easiest to deal with. You can treat an ear mite infection in your cat with Ivermectin, which is also known as Methylene Blue. If you notice that your cat has an ear mite problem, you should definitely talk to your vet before administering any medicine to your cat. The ear mites are extremely contagious and if not treated, they can cause the death of your cat. Fleas will bring them back again.
Distemper: This is an extremely serious disease, which attacks cats and kittens under the age of three. Symptoms include high fever, cough, vomiting, diarrhea and anorexia. It is highly contagious and is very difficult to get rid of. Treatment includes intravenous fluids and antibiotics. If caught early, distemper can be avoided. However, if left untreated, it can lead to death.
Lyme Disease: This is another common disease that affects cats. It is transferred by the bite of the tick onto the cat or into the pet's hair. Some cases have shown that the cat can contract this from the ground or from another infected animal. This is very serious and should be treated as soon as possible.
Raccoon Lice: This is a highly contagious disease that mainly affects cats and rabbits. Symptoms include excessive scratching and the presence of rashes on the cat. However, there are no cases of dead-ping cysts or cancer in affected animals. It is not transmitted to humans.
Unfortunately, these are just some of the common diseases that affect cats and we still don't know everything about them. However, most cats can survive with a little treatment. So take your cat to the vet for regular checkups. Your cat can live a long healthy life if you take good care of it.
There are more serious diseases that can infect your cat. Make sure that you know everything about your cat's health. Cats can get common feline diseases even from other household pets. Make sure that you check your pets for ticks regularly.
It's important to know what kind of symptoms to look out for in your cat. Keep an eye out for swollen lymph nodes, fever, loss of appetite, dull coat color, bloody nose, vomiting and diarrhea.
If your cat shows one or more of these symptoms, it is extremely important that you take them to the veterinarian as soon as possible. The sooner treatment is started, the better the chance of your cat surviving the disease.
In order to prevent the occurrence of more serious feline diseases, be vigilant about keeping your cat clean and fresh. Try to introduce new foods slowly to your cat in order to avoid sudden changes that could cause upset stomachs.
Although they are not classified as common diseases, there are other less common but serious problems that cats can get that you should be aware of. These include Feline Distemper, rabies, distemper, hepatitis, ticks, fleas, heartworm disease and bacterial infections. All of these can potentially cause death in your cat. So be careful and alert and keep your cat away from danger.
The Life Cycle of a Flea
Image source: https://nexgard.com.au/parasites/fleas
The life cycle of a flea has four stages: egg, larvae, pupa and adults. The whole life cycle, from egg to adulthood fleas, is about 12 weeks when humidity and temperature conditions are right, but often takes up to three months. The fleas' life cycle starts when they hatched from eggs on warm rainy days. As they mature they begin to seek moisture for the development of pupae.
Fleas lay their eggs in clumps and then start hunting for hosts. When the developing flea pupae are ready to fend for themselves, they look for their next host. If you have cats or dogs, they usually fall under your couch, bed or behind the door for protection.
When the fleas bite into the skin of the cat or dog, allergic reactions will result. The pet's immune system will immediately launch a counter-inflammatory response to ward off any future attacks. The cat or dog will begin to scratch the fur away in an attempt to drive the fleas away until eventually they develop a thickened coat and become nearly invisible.
The fleas develop into adult fleas within about four days to a week's time. They look for a warm, moist environment to survive and can hide almost anywhere, including underneath rugs, furniture, walls, or even in cracks and crevices. The adult fleas are about four to five millimetres long, with varying coloured coats.
Adult fleas live in the fur of the animal they have taken up residence with and look for dark, warm, moist places on the animal they reside. Cats and dogs can have up to four-lifetime hosts before they become vulnerable to infestation and become easy prey. If you have a pet or small animals such as a hamster or guinea pig, it is very possible for you to be host to an infestation and not know it.
The life cycle of a flea can also include the egg hatches, or eggs being laid in the host's digestive tract. The eggs hatch into larvae that will in turn begin to feed on the blood of their host, which includes the blood of their forefathers. This adult fleas lifetime is called their "hatching period" and lasts from one to two weeks. The entire flea population may change, but the life cycle is constant.
The adult flea's life cycle is so fast that most people have no idea that they are living around them. Many times, humans will pick up the scent of an adult flea very quickly and only realize later that there are adult fleas living in and around their homes. The reason that adults live so long is that they have not yet had to lay eggs or cause babies to grow and develop.
The eggs that these parasites lay can easily be discovered by you when you search around the bedding areas of your home. Once you discover the existence of adult fleas, you will need to locate and eradicate any existing adult fleas before new ones can arrive.
Adult fleas will reach maturity and fall off of their host after they have matured. Their last step in the life cycle is the pupal stage, or hatching, where they will be enveloped within the blackened eggs that they have produced.
At this time, the newly hatched fleas will be very tiny, just like their cousins the adult fleas, and you can recognize them by the tiny black dots covering the flea's body. When you look closely at the flea's body, you will notice that the centre of the flea has a raised red dot and that the flea's legs have seven evenly spaced segments on a red background.
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Treating Your Cat
If your pet relies on you to keep it clean, then keep it clean. This includes daily baths and proper grooming. You also should take the time to clean up any messes that you find around your home - for example, if you have a cat with a flea infestation, then you should wash all of its toys and bedding in hot water and dry them thoroughly. This will help to prevent reinfestation, which will keep future flea infestations from happening. And speaking of reinfestation, you should also be sure to change your cat flea control shampoo frequently.
Some cats are more susceptible to flea bite allergic reactions than other cats are. In this case, it's important to get your pet dewormed regularly. Talk to your veterinarian about flea control medications for larger dogs.
The best flea treatment for cats is actually a combo of shampoo, dewormer and booster shot. There are several products available on the market that are safe for cats and work well. You may want to speak to your vet about the flea pill, as this is becoming an increasingly popular method of flea prevention for cats.
If your cat has a mild flea problem, then there's no need to panic. Dealing with this type of problem is quite simple. Just remember that if you have a feline indoor environment, then you'll also need to implement some good cat flea control strategies to keep these pesky creatures away. Keep your pet clean and the bugs won't stick around too long.
Fleas and ticks are a real concern for cats. Even though many cats enjoy the company of their owners, they can still be carriers of these parasites. Cats that enjoy the company of humans but don't have flea problems are far less likely to become infected with fleas and ticks, but that doesn't mean you should wait to see what your cat does. Use the tips from this article to help you implement effective cat flea prevention methods.
Useful resources:
Fleas on Cat: What You Need To Know
4 Best Flea Treatment for Cats
How To Get Rid Of Fleas On Cats Naturally
Topical Flea Prevention Product as Recommended by Your Vet
There are a lot of flea control products that claim to be effective for cats, dogs, hamsters, and other pets. Before buying one though, you must make sure that it will be effective to prevent fleas from your pets. One of the most effective topical flea protection products in the market is the Capstar.
The main ingredient of this product is Erythromycin which is a powerful flea killer. Capstar is the only branded topical flea prevention product that is approved by the Animal Poison Control Center. Since it is highly effective, you can use it to keep fleas away from your pet.
Another very effective flea treatment is the Advantage Flea Control. This product is also approved by the APCC and is proven to be very effective. It contains natural ingredients that work at killing fleas, making it perfect for use in both indoor and outdoor situations. It has also been proven by several animal health experts to be much safer compared to other topical flea prevention products that are currently available in the market.
Deltamethrin is another very effective topical flea prevention product that can help keep ticks and fleas away from your pet. Although it cannot be used on humans, it still proves to be effective because of its insecticidal properties. This insecticide was originally designed to be used against ants. Its strong chemical composition helps kill any flea and tick in the vicinity.
Mothballs are also one of the most effective topical flea prevention products that you can purchase. It is highly recommended for people who suffer from allergic reactions to their usual flea treatments.
The reason for this is that this substance contains powerful chemicals that are able to control and eliminate pests without harming your pets. If you want to make sure that you are not using the right one for your needs, you can read up on the materials that are available in the market. There are also plenty of websites that offer advice and tips on which insecticides to use for flea extermination.
Final Thoughts
If you follow this cat flea control solution carefully, fleas will soon be a far-off memory in your home, and your kittens will be forever grateful to you for freeing them from unwanted fleas and the problems they carry. If you believe your pet is sick, call your vet immediately. For health-related questions, always seek advice from your veterinarian, as they have taken a look at your pet, know the pet's health history, and are able to initiate the ideal advice for your pet.
Read more: 8 Home Remedies for Fleas on Cats