Tips to Treat Fleas in Cats
Housecats that go out on outside adventures often face a risk not just from larger predators such as dogs and coyotes, but are also exposed to various pollutants, insects, and fleas.
Understanding Flea Bites
Housecats that go out on outside adventures often face a risk not just from larger predators such as dogs and coyotes, but are also exposed to various pollutants, insects, and fleas. In fact, fleas are one of the most recurrent issues in cats that can lead to physical ailments, discomfort, and even skin allergies. So, as a cat parent, it is important to understand flea bites and check your furry munchkin for fleas from time to time.
Common Places to Find Fleas and How to Identify Them
Fleas have a flat body and a grown flea can measure up to 3 mm in length. Fleas can be commonly found in places such as:
Yards and gardens
These pests prefer a moist or humid environment with plenty of shades. So, they can be found in gardens or areas with shrubbery and tall grass, and can latch onto cats on adventures.
Inside the house
in a household, fleas can be commonly found in damp and moist places, such as rugs or bedding. Floor cracks and furniture also serve as ideal nesting grounds for fleas.
Exploring the Reasons Behind Flea Bites
Fleas derive their nutrients from the blood of other animals, such as cats and dogs. They latch on to the skin of their prey and bite to reach the blood vessels that lie within. Both male and female fleas bite not only to fulfil their nutritional requirements but also for reproduction. Having their nutritional requirements met, female fleas lay flea eggs on cats. Some flea larvae also feed on the blood content in adult flea poop. Flea bites are painful and can cause discoloured bumps and itchy skin.
Are Flea Bites Harmful to Humans?
Although flea bites are considerably rare in humans, but they can cause significant pain and discomfort. Flea bites are characterised by a discoloured bump or ring around the bite and can develop into blisters or open sores and wounds. Severe cases of flea bites in humans can cause an infection leading to extreme pain, redness, and swollen glands. Flea bites in humans can also result in transmittable diseases like plague and typhus.
Effects of Flea Bites
In addition to skin irritation, pain, and discomfort, flea bites in cats can also lead to severe effects. Apart from swellings, open sores, and lesions, fleas in cats also increase the risks of transmittable diseases like:
Anaemia
Since flea bite cats to draw blood to feast on, it is a leading concern for anaemia in cats. Anaemia in cats can result in physical weakness and difficulty in breathing, lethargy, and can even lead to life-threatening severity if left untreated. Fleas in kittens pose significant risks and may require professional attention.
Flea Allergy Dermatitis
Flea allergy dermatitis or FAD in cats is an allergic reaction by the feline's immune system triggered by the protein present in the saliva of fleas. FAD in cats can cause significant discomfort and irritation which extends beyond the location of the flea bite. In advanced stages of FAD, cats may start showing symptoms like excessive shedding and loss of hair from the tail and inner thighs. Flea allergy in cats also result in small bumps and scabbing on the skin, open lesions, and skin infections.
Tapeworm infection
Cats might end up grooming themselves excessively if they are suffering from flea bites, and ingest infected fleas in the process. Infected fleas can cause worms in cats through tape worms in cats where eggs to be released within the intestine or stomach.
Cats suffering from tape worms can display symptoms of worms in cats and digestive disorder caused by worms in cats, such as loss of appetite, frequent vomiting and diarrhoea, and physical weakness.
Why do Flea Bites Itch?
When a flea in cat bites, it releases its salivary juice into the bloodstream of cats, which is a potential allergen and can trigger the cat's immune system. In order to remove the allergen from the body, the feline immune system releases histamine, which causes itching.
Signs That Your Cat Might Have Fleas
The signs of a flea infestation are cats constantly scratching or grooming itself and small scabs and bumps on the skin. Excessive shedding and bald patches on their coats are symptoms of worms in cats too.
Symptoms of Flea Bite
Mentioned below are some symptoms of flea bites and other ways that can help you find out if your precious fur baby is suffering from fleas:
- Flea bites can cause significant skin irritation, causing cats to endlessly scratch and bite themselves, and is a common symptom for flea bites.
- Flea bites can result in smaller bumps and scabs to appear on the neck and spinal area down to the base of a cat's tail.
- Thick fur in cats may make it difficult to check for fleas. An effective way of detecting fleas in cats with long hair is to use a flea comb to thoroughly brush their coat and inspect the content on the comb for white and black specks. Cats suffering from fleas can have flea faeces appear as black specks, and flea eggs on cats as white specks.
Physical Characteristics of Fleas: What They Look Like
Cat flea bites have unique characteristics, such as small, discoloured bumps at the location of the bite, which can also develop discoloured rings around it. Although cat flea bites can cause inflammation, they do not swell up as much as mosquito bites. As fleas are likely to latch on to a cat in a group, fleas in cats bites can be noticed to appear in clusters or in a straight line. Cat flea bites are more commonly noticed in the belly, paws, loins, and inner thigh areas.
Effective Remedies and Prevention Tips for Treating Flea Bites
Unless your cat is anaemic, cat flea bites do not often deteriorate to severe conditions, and are easily treatable with home remedies and worm medicine for cats. Here are some failsafe flea treatment for cats:
- Although it is difficult to prevent cat flea bites, if there are fleas in cats consider using commercial flea and tick preventives.
- Giving your cat or kitten a sulphur bath as a worm treatment for cats can be extremely helpful. Bathing your cat with flea and tick management shampoos is also effective as worm treatment for cats.
- Bathing your cat also helps in getting rid of oily accumulations on the skin that can attract fleas, worms in cats, and bacterial infestation.
- Consider grooming your furry with a flea comb at least on a weekly basis for flea checks.
How to Treat Your Pet for Fleas?
Flea bites do not always require veterinary attention. Here are some helpful tips for treating your cat with at-home remedies and flea treatment for cats.
- Topical ointments, gels, sprays, and lotions can go a long way in treating flea bites and eliminating fleas and worms in cats.
- Applying aloe vera, honey, chamomile tea extracts, and ice are effective flea treatment for cats and can have a soothing effect over the concerned area.
- If your cat has an inflamed skin, over-the-counter flea medicine for cats such as Capster can help the swelling subside.
- Severe cases of flea bites, worms in cats and allergies can be treated with veterinary-approved flea medicine for cats like antihistamines, antibiotics, and steroids.
- Giving your cat or kitten a sulphur bath as a worm treatment for cats can be extremely helpful, which can help soothe skin irritations and other signs of worms in cats without having to resort to worm medicine for cats.
- For multi-cat households, consider treating all cats with flea treatment for cats to avoid the transmission.
Tips for Treating Your Home for Fleas
Keeping your home clean can help in getting rid of flea larvae and flea eggs on cats. If your cat already has fleas, make immediate attempts to change its litter tray and bedding. Thoroughly washing their toys, blankets, and accessories can also help.
Professional Flea Control Treatment
If home remedies do not work to remove the fleas from your furry munchkin’s body, you should seek professional help. Professional flea control treatment consists of:
- Calamine or anaesthetic cream to sooth the itching
- Antihistamine to reduce the itchiness
- Antibiotic, if your cat has developed infection from all the scratching and biting
- Tapeworm medication, if your kitty shows the signs and symptoms of tapeworm infestation
- Topical solutions or powders to be applied on the fur of the feline or tablets for feeding to kill the fleas
To prevent fleas harming your cat again, you should also hire the assistance of pest control who can help to find the source and kind of fleas and get rid of them.
FAQs
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What is spraying and marking in cats?
Male cats spraying is considered a vital part of feline communication. While most outdoor cats spray to mark territories, spraying in household cats is more instinctive. Female cat spraying and urine marking in cats are also for attracting mates.
Do cats spray when happy?
While spraying can have several connotations, it does not generally indicate happiness in cats. Cat urine spraying is usually used for urine marking in cats to indicate territories, warding off predators, and attracting potential mates when in heat.
How do I get my cat to stop spraying?
Since male cats spraying is mostly associated with non-neutered cats looking for a mate in heat, getting your cat spayed or neutered is a possible long-term solution. Additionally, veterinarians may recommend medications like Fluoxetine or Clomipramine with a high success rate.
Is cat spraying the same as peeing?
Cat parents often wonder, why do cats spray? Contrary to popular belief, cat peeing and spraying are not the same. While cat pee involves your furry relieving itself, cat spray is more intentional to communicate certain things like marking territories.
Why is my cat spraying?
Cats are known to spray for several reasons, such as cat marking their territories, warding away predators, or attracting potential mates when they are in heat. Cats under stress and anxiety are known to urine spray as well.
How can I clean my cats' teeth naturally?
You can naturally clean your cat’s teeth using dental additives in their drinking water as cat gingivitis treatment that help get rid of microbial growth and tartar accumulation. Additionally, you can also consider getting eco-friendly biodegradable bamboo toothbrushes for cats!
Do I need to brush my cat’s teeth with toothpaste?
Toothpaste for cats can be extremely beneficial in maintaining good oral health in cats. Other than preventing tooth decay, plaque build-up, and microbial actions that causes infection, feline toothpastes contain calcium, phosphates, and minerals to fortify and maintain their dental health.
Is it too late to brush my cat’s teeth?
It is never too late to brush a cat’s teeth to maintain good cat dental health. If you suspect gingivitis in cats, with symptoms such as pale gums in cats, aversion to eating and drinking, or foul breath, it is important to visit a cat dentist.
Are you supposed to brush your cat’s teeth?
Yes, cats over the age of 7 are prone to the risks of periodontal diseases and must maintain good dental health. Additionally, brushing a cat’s teeth regularly helps get rid of plaque and microbial growth, and avoid cat tooth decay.
How harmful are fleas to cats?
Fleas in cats do not usually cause mortal harm, but can often lead to severe anaemia, weakness and allergies. Furthermore, cats can be exposed to the risks of tape worms in cats, flea allergy dermatitis, and open wounds if untreated.
Are fleas killing my cat?
Although flea bites can cause significant irritation and skin injury to fur babies, they do not usually lead to life-threatening situations. However, having a flea infestation can cause cats to become anaemic, and can often prove lethal for smaller kittens.
Can humans get fleas from cats?
Although rare, but humans can still get fleas from cats. Flea bites in humans can cause blisters and lesions at the location of the bite, severe cases may also lead to open wounds, infections, and flea-borne diseases like plague and typhus.
How do you get rid of fleas on a cat?
If your furry feline has fleas, you can consider giving them a sulphur bath or using flea and tick management shampoos to get rid of fleas in cats. Regularly brushing their coat using a flea comb can also prove beneficial.
What to do if my cat is drinking too much water?
Cats drinking unusually high amounts of cat water call for professional attention as it often indicates diabetes or hyperthyroidism. So, if your cat is drinking way too much cat water than necessary, it might be time for you to consult a veterinarian.
Which is the best way to give water to a cat?
While a shallow bowl with wider sides is the easiest and most common way of serving water to cats, having the best cat water fountain that offers continuous and clean, fresh running water can also encourage fur babies to drink more.
How to give water to the cat?
Cats prefer drinking from a water bowl or pail that is clean and shallow, and has wider sides. Additionally, having the best cat water fountain at home that offers continuous fresh running water can also encourage your kitty to drink more.
Is it an emergency if my cat won't drink water?
Cats can avoid drinking water once they've had their daily fill. However, cat won’t drink water when they are stressed or are suffering from an underlying health disorder such as feline UTI, which might call for an emergency.
What kind of water should cats drink?
Felines can regularly drink normal tap water or filtered water without facing any health concerns. However, if you want to go the extra mile by offering bottled water to your furry munchkin, spring water should be your top preference.
Should cats be skinny?
Being lightweight helps cats to effortlessly jump to high grounds, and flexibly pass through difficult terrains. However, cats are not supposed to be too skinny which restricts them from having a normal lifestyle. Being malnourished can cause health problems too.
What is low weight for a cat?
Adult cats with weights lower than 4 kg can be considered malnourished and underweight. Underweight cats have a visibly narrow frame and must be immediately treated to avoid the risks of health concerns like parasites, bacterial diseases, and so on.
How much should a cat eat a day?
The everyday caloric intake of furry felines depends on their age, breed, and their health conditions. An average caloric intake of 250 calories is sufficient for cats with a weight of 4 to 5 kg and more for larger breeds.
What is the normal weight for a cat?
The normal weight for a cat can vary depending on its age and breed. However, the normal weight for smaller cat breeds ranges between 4 to 4.5 kg, while the ideal cat weight for larger breeds is about 11 kg.
What can I use to clean my kitten’s eyes?
Unless your furry munchkin is suffering from genuine eye problems, you might not need kitten eye care medications to clean your kitty’s eyes. Clean water and over-the-counter eye drops can be used for ensuring regular and optimal cat eye health.
Should I wash my cat’s ears?
It is unwise to wash a cat’s ears, as it may clog their ear canal or damage the eardrum. Instead, schedule designated cat ear cleaning sessions and gently clean out the eardrums with cat ear cleansers and soft cotton balls.
What can I use to clean my cat’s ears at home?
If you are cleaning your cat’s ears at home, you would need a towel, cat ear cleanser, some soft cotton balls or gauze, and cat ear cleansing wipes. Make sure to use cleansers that are designed specifically for feline use.
How can I treat my cat’s skin naturally?
Giving your cat a bath using cat shampoo is a good option for cat skin care. But if you prefer a more natural solution, spraying lemon-infused water over their haircoat also helps in keeping the coat clean and getting rid of fleas.
How do you take care of a cat’s skin?
While cats are excellent groomers themselves, proper cat skin care, such as brushing their coats regularly and bathing them on a monthly basis is also important to get rid of loose and matted fur, dirt, and dead skin cells.
Do cats need vet checkups?
It is important to take cat to vet to get them checked for any underlying health disorders. Additionally, during the kitten check up, your veterinarian may inform you about any changes in your kitty’s diet or upcoming vaccinations that might be required.
What tests do cats need yearly?
Feline leukaemia virus, feline infectious peritonitis, and feline immunodeficiency virus are some tests that might be suggested when you take cat to vet. In addition to the cat vet check up cost at the kitten check up, there may be additional charges if your cat needs tests.
How often should a cat have a health check?
Wondering when to take cat to vet? Kittens may need a veterinarian appointment every three to four weeks. Now that you know when to take newborn kittens to vet, cats over four months of age need annual check-ups. Senior cats might require veterinary appointments every six months.
How do I check if my cat is healthy?
It is important to know when to take cat to vet, by keeping an eye on them for possible symptoms of illness, such as frequent urination, diarrhoea or vomiting, change in behaviour, excessive shedding, nausea, lethargy, and loss of appetite.
How do you take care of a newborn kitten without a mother?
It is crucial to learn how to care for a kitten, how do you bathe a kitten/how to care for a stray kitten and how to feed newborn kittens without a mother. You can feed them kitten formula instead of newborn kittens milk.
How do you take care of a kitten for beginners?
Wondering how to care for newborn kittens, how do you take care of a stray kitten and how to feed newborn kittens? In addition to knowing when to bathe kittens and can I bathe my 1 month old kitten, you must look into their kitten bathing and eating habits and kitten sleeping schedules.
How much do you feed a kitten?
Wondering how to feed kittens and how to care for a kitten? Kittens require a higher caloric intake when it comes to how to feed kittens. So, what to feed newborn kittens? Kittens over 6 weeks can be fed a cup of dry cat food every day.
What is the best way to feed kittens?
Are you worried about how to care for a kitten or how to care for newborn kittens? In their infancy, kittens are completely dependent on newborn kittens milk as the source of nutrition. They gradually transition to solid food and water from newborn kittens milk.
How to get rid of worms in cats naturally?
Foods like pumpkin seeds, chamomile, coconut, carrots, and apple cider vinegar can prove to be very effective against worm infections for your cat. But it is always advisable to visit a vet for a surer treatment against worm infection.
How long does it take to get rid of worms in cats?
Worms can multiply in numbers at a rapid pace and can continue to do so even after the first dose of deworm cat medicine. Thus, the process of treatment for worm infection can last for a month to make sure not a single worm is left in your cart.
What should I do if my cats have worms?
If you suspect that your cats have worms, you should immediately take it to a vet. Administering medicines to your cat on your own can have a severe impact on your cat. Instead, you should always consult a vet for the treatment of worms.
Can humans get worms from cats?
Yes, humans can also get infected by cats. This is why it is always advised to wear gloves while feeding your cat, or cleaning its litter. If you use your bare hands, then avoid putting them in your eyes or mouth and clean them thoroughly.
How do you know if a cat has worms?
Different worms exhibit different structures. Thus, you can lookout for signs of them in the faeces of your pet cat. You can also be attentive to symptoms like diarrhoea, vomiting, weight loss, such as worms in cat vomit.
What are the characteristic features of cat poisoning?
Most fur babies are vulnerable to toxic items that can lead to poisoning. You can identify cat poisoning from symptoms like coughing, swelling or inflammations, excessive drooling and shedding, fever, seizure and twitching, loss of appetite, diarrhoea, increased thirst and urination, the cat keeps vomiting etc.
What causes a cat to vomit food?
There are several reasons you can find your cat throwing up food. While your cat vomits after eating, it often include harmless reasons like an excess of hairball, it might also include other serious reasons like a parasitic or bacterial infestation, indigestion or food allergies, pancreatitis, poisoning, stress and depression.
How to treat a cat that won’t eat?
If your cat is showing a strong aversion to food, but isn’t necessarily sick or vomiting, you can tempt your cat by offering food that has been warmed up, offering strong-smelling foods (like sardines), or hand feeding your cat.
Why doesn’t the cat want to eat and vomit?
Your fur kiddo can throw up due to several factors, the primary of which is a food allergy or indigestion. Your cats can also fall sick and refuse to eat due to other health concerns like parasitic or bacterial infestations. The cause of cat puking can also be digestive, renal or liver diseases.
What to do when a cat vomits?
If you find your cat throwing up, it is important to remove its food to avoid any further indigestion. You can also renew its water bowl, making sure your cat drinks fresh water and stays sufficiently hydrated throughout the period. Later, you can introduce low cooked fish or chicken to their diet, making sure they are offered in smaller quantities. If the cat vomited green, you must look for professional health and support
How long does it take for a cat to heal from skin diseases?
The time taken by a cat to heal from cat skin disease is often influenced by their age, lifestyle and the severity of their condition. Usually, cats can recover from most skin diseases within 8 to 10 weeks, after which the allergic signs disappear. However, if you suspect your cats have skin diseases, it is better to take them to a veterinarian rather than wait for them to heal on their own.
Can cat scabies heal on their own?
Scabies is caused by mites and fleas living on the skin of your furry friend. Unless appropriate initiations are taken in order to kill the mites, scabies cannot heal on its own. Once the mites have been killed and removed from your cat's body, topical medicines and ointments can be beneficial in treating scabies even faster.
Why does my cat have scabs but no fleas?
Scabs in cats do not always indicate mite or flea actions. Scabs can be caused by several other factors including environmental allergies, agents like debris, as well as due to an injury from a fight with other animals. Topical steroid creams are usually of help in treating scabs and reducing itchiness and discomfort.
Why is my cat's skin dry and peeling?
The dryness and peeling nature of a cat's skin can result from several reasons, including food allergies, environmental allergies, and even fungal actions. However, you can treat your cat by including more Omega-3, zinc, and fatty acids in their diet. Home remedies like apple cider vinegar and water spray are also helpful in treating dry and flaky skin.
Can scabies in cats be cured?
Yes, scabies in cats can be treated through topical medications and flea control treatments. Topical medications to treat scabies can be applied by injections, shampoo, or dips. In addition, your veterinarian can also suggest measures to kill the mites causing scabies, as well as antibiotics and anti-inflammatories to treat the skin conditions.
What are contagious diseases for cats?
Feline panleukopenia is one of the most contagious viral diseases in cats, which is spread through bodily fluids, fleas, faeces, as well as through contaminated blood, water bowls, litter boxes and clothing. It can also be passed on to kittens from an unvaccinated mother.
What is the deadliest disease for cats?
Though most cats have an innate resistance to diseases, some cats succumb to the deadliest diseases. Some of the most common cat sickness include feline leukaemia (which results in several health risks, ultimately attacking the immune system and bone marrow failure), feline Immunodeficiency virus (FIV, which attacks the immune system, making the cat susceptible to the most common infections and diseases)
Can humans catch diseases from cats?
Though human beings are not susceptible to cat-specific diseases, they can still get sick from having been in contact with sick cats. In addition, sick cats often carry harmful germs which can lead to potential health risks unless safety precautions are followed.
What are the symptoms of a sick cat?
If your cat is suffering from an ailment, here are some of the common symptoms that can help identify the diseases in cat. These symptoms often characterize themselves without any slight changes in the mood, rapid breathing and shortness of breath, I have just the noticeable weight and hair loss, vomiting and diarrhoea.
What are the common cat diseases?
Cats are easily susceptible to several diseases. Hence, it is important to be able to identify some of the most common diseases in cats. Some of the common cat diseases that can bring down your feline friend include leukaemia, Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV), diabetes, heartworm, and more.
How long does cat conjunctivitis last?
Conjunctivitis is a common eye problem in cats that does not cause any lasting damage. Cat conjunctivitis, whether bacterial or viral, goes away by itself in weeks without the need for medical intervention or complex red eye in cats treatment.
Will cat conjunctivitis go away by itself?
Yes, cat conjunctivitis is one of the most common kinds of eye problem in cats that our felines can experience multiple times in their lives. However, conjunctivitis generally does not require external intervention as they subside within a short while.
When should I worry about my cat's eye infection?
Common cat's eye infections, such as conjunctivitis does not always call for red eye in cats treatment as they generally subside within weeks. However, severe cases must be treated with red eye in cats treatment like eye drop for feline furries.
How can I treat my cat's eye infection?
Cat's eye infections can be usually treated with topical antibacterial ointments and eye drop for cats. In addition to eye drop for cats, veterinarians can also recommend broad-spectrum antibiotics or anti-inflammatory drugs and other cat eye medicine as effective cat eye treatment.
Are ear infections painful for cats?
Although ear infections caused by mites on cats or cat yeast infection last for a couple of weeks, long-standing or recurrent yeast infections cat ear caused by mites on cats is painful, making it necessary to use proper cat ear infection treatment.
How do you get rid of ear mites in cats?
Ear mites on cats are common causes with cases like cat has ear infections and cat yeast infection. Thoroughly clean the cat's ears with ear mite treatment for cats before applying topical medications and ointments to get rid of ear mites in cats, or when your cat has itchy ears.
Is cat ear infection serious?
Although not all ear infections are serious and last only for weeks without the need for cat ear infection treatment or ear mite medicine for cats, long-lasting ear infections can pose a serious threat. Not to mention they cause discomfort.
Can cat ear infections go away on their own?
Yes, ear infections usually go away within a couple of weeks, without ear mite medicine for cats being used or cat ear infection treatment being necessary, so there's no need to worry about treat ear mites in cats, or how to treat cat ear infections.
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