Fleas and ticks on cats

Fleas and ticks are common, treatable and best handled with your vet's help. Choose a product made and licensed for cats, never a dog product, and treat every pet in the home. Fleas live mostly in the surroundings, not on the cat, so the home matters as much as the animal. Ask your vet which product suits your cat and area.

Why fleas and ticks matter

Fleas bite for blood. Their bites itch, and some cats are allergic to the saliva, which leads to intense itching and sores. See flea allergy dermatitis. A cat that swallows a flea can pick up a tapeworm. See tapeworm. A heavy infestation, especially in a kitten or a small, thin or sick cat, can cause blood loss and anemia, which can be life-threatening.

Ticks attach to the skin and feed on blood. They can carry germs that cause disease in some regions. Risk varies by place, season and habitat, so ask your vet what applies where you live.

Indoor cats can get fleas. They arrive on people, on other pets, through open doors, or from neighboring homes and buildings.

How to spot fleas

A flea is a tiny, dark, fast-moving insect. You may see signs before you see the flea itself.

• Frequent scratching, biting or licking, and overgrooming.
• Hair loss, often at the base of the tail, back, or neck.
• Scabs or small bumps, especially around the neck and tail base.
• Flea dirt, which looks like black pepper specks in the coat. Place some on a damp white paper towel. If it turns reddish-brown, it is flea dirt.
• Small, tan, flat insects that jump, seen when you part the fur.
• Itchy bites on people, usually around the ankles.
• Pale gums, weakness or lethargy in a kitten.

A cat that grooms hard may remove fleas and flea dirt before you see them. Absence of fleas does not prove there are none.

How to spot ticks

Ticks are usually found on the head, ears, neck, legs and between the toes. A tick may be small and flat before it feeds, and round and gray or brown when full. Check your cat if it goes outdoors, or if you walk through grass, brush or woods with it.

Run your hands slowly over your cat's body. Feel for a small bump. Part the fur and look.

What to do, step by step

For fleas

1. Confirm with your vet. Fleas are not the only cause of itching. Ringworm, mites, food allergy and other skin conditions look similar. See ringworm for one example.
2. Choose a cat-safe product from your vet. Vets stock effective treatments that kill fleas on the cat and stop the cycle. Products differ in how they work, how often they are used, which parasites they cover, and the age or weight limits.
3. Never use a dog product. Some dog flea products contain ingredients that are toxic to cats, such as permethrin, and can cause severe poisoning or death. Read the label every time, and keep treated dogs from contact with the cat until the product has dried or settled, if the label says so. Ask your vet.
4. Follow the label and your vet's directions exactly. Do not combine products without asking, and do not change the schedule.
5. Treat every pet in the home. Fleas on one animal quickly spread to others.
6. Treat the home. Adult fleas on a pet are a small part of the problem. Eggs, larvae and pupae live in carpets, bedding, cracks and furniture. Pupae can stay dormant for months. - Wash bedding, blankets and soft items on a hot cycle. - Vacuum floors, rugs, sofas and cracks daily, and throw out the bag or empty the canister outside. - Ask your vet about home products that are safe around cats, or use a pest professional if the problem is severe. Keep cats away from treated areas as directed. - Do not use sprays or foggers near fish tanks or birds, and follow directions.
7. Be patient. Clearing a home can take weeks to months. Keep treating, even if you see fewer fleas.
8. Check for worms. Ask your vet whether your cat needs a worm check after fleas.

For ticks

1. Check after outings. Look over your cat's head, ears, neck, legs and feet.
2. Do not pull a tick off roughly. Tugging, burning, smothering or using oils can leave the mouthparts in the skin or make the tick release more germs. Ask your vet or a nurse to show you the safe way to remove one, or to remove it for you.
3. Keep the tick. Place it in a sealed container with a note of the date. Your vet may want to see it.
4. Ask about prevention. Several cat-safe products work against ticks, and some cover fleas too. Ask your vet which suits your cat and region.
5. Reduce risk. Keep grass short, clear leaf litter and limit access to tall grass and woods in the tick season.

Kittens, seniors and sick cats

Treat these cats with extra care. Some products are not for very young or small kittens, and some are not suitable for cats with certain conditions or on certain medicines. Ask your vet before using anything. Do not use a product meant for an adult on a kitten.

Common mistakes

• Using a dog product, or part of a dog dose.
• Using the wrong weight band of a cat product.
• Assuming an indoor cat is safe.
• Treating the cat but not the home.
• Treating one pet and not the others.
• Stopping when the fleas disappear.
• Using essential oils or home remedies. Many are toxic to cats, and some oils can be fatal.
• Using flea collars sold in shops and expecting full control. Ask your vet whether a collar suits your cat.
• Bathing a cat repeatedly with strong shampoos.

When to call a vet or get help

Call your vet if:

• You see fleas or flea dirt, or your cat is scratching a lot.
• Your cat has scabs, sores or hair loss.
• You find a tick, or the skin around a bite is red, swollen or oozing.
• Your cat has segments like rice grains near the tail or in the stool, which can be tapeworm.
• A kitten is pale, weak, cold or not feeding. This is an emergency.
• Your cat is tired, lacks appetite, has a fever or limps after a tick bite, in some regions.
• Your cat shows tremors, drooling, vomiting, seizures or collapse after any product was applied. Go to a vet at once and take the product with you.
• Fleas return after treatment.

Summary

• Fleas and ticks affect indoor and outdoor cats.
• Use only cat-safe products chosen with your vet, and never dog products.
• Treat all pets and the home, and keep going for months if needed.
• Do not pull ticks off roughly. Ask your vet.
• A pale, weak kitten with fleas needs a vet now.