13
The Pest Patrol
Taking the Bite Out of Fleas and Ticks
Fleas are the most common parasite found on cats and these little creatures can cause big trouble. Adult fleas are fast and jump high, making it very difficult to trap one in your fingers. Cats, because they’re such lightning-fast groomers, often lick away evidence of fleas before an owner even knows that there’s an infestation.
Fleas live by feeding on the blood of the host. They spend their entire life on the cat, in a constant cycle of eating, eliminating, and reproducing. Females lay their eggs on the cat, the eggs soon fall off the animal and settle in the carpet, bedding, ground, or furniture to complete their incubation. In ten days, the eggs hatch into larvae, where they settle deep into the carpet pile or under your furniture. There, they feed on debris, mainly adult flea feces.
After about a week, the larvae spin a cocoon and enter the pupal stage. It is from these cocoons that adult fleas emerge. Depending on the environment, the adult can stay in the cocoon until conditions are favorable to emerge (even if it takes months). As soon as the adults emerge, they begin their search for a host.
Some cats have a sensitivity to the antigens in flea saliva and develop an allergic reaction. Red, irritated skin, scabs, and bald patches (usually on the rump, near the base of the tail) are a few telltale signs of flea allergy dermatitis. For a cat with a flea allergy, it only takes one to start the reaction.
Fleas are the intermediate host for tapeworms, so as the cat attempts to rid herself of the fleas, she may swallow one containing a tapeworm.
Heavy flea infestation can cause anemia in some cats because of the significant blood loss. Kittens, cats weakened by illness, and older cats are especially susceptible.
How to check for fleas: separate the hairs of your cat’s coat and look for signs of the small, brownish-black fleas. Because they move so fast, you may not actually see a flea itself, but you may see their feces. Flea excrement, which is digested blood, looks like specks of pepper. You may even see some white specks that are flea eggs. Check your cat around the rump, tail, neck, and groin area.
For a cat with dark fur, place him on a white towel or white piece of paper. Brush him and you may find lots of dark specks on the white towel or paper. If using a flea comb you’ll probably find trapped fleas and debris.
Treatment: To effectively treat for fleas, you have to do all of the pets in your house. A mistake that some owners frequently make is to only treat the pet who goes outdoors, not realizing that the fleas will just as easily infest any indoor cats.
The secret to avoiding flea infestation altogether is to start early, before the fleas have a chance to get on your cat or in your house. Fortunately, we now have truly effective flea-control products. They won’t work, though, if you don’t use them correctly.
When beginning a flea treatment program, I urge you to first contact your veterinary clinic to discuss all of the available options and what would be best for your individual cat. Your veterinarian or veterinary technician will make suggestions based upon your cat’s age, health, the severity of the infestation, your financial concerns, and his or her experience with particular products. Don’t just run to your local grocery, pet, or discount store and buy products you aren’t familiar with. Toxicity levels of products vary, and you may end up doing more harm than good. If you have a kitten, you must be especially careful with what products you choose. Remember, anything you put on your cat will also end up in your cat due to self-grooming. There are also products on the market that do absolutely nothing and are a waste of money. The staff at the veterinary clinic can help you plan an effective and safe flea-treatment program.
Another aspect of successful flea control is treatment duration. Depending upon the type of climate you live in, you may need to practice flea control year-round. In areas where winters are warmer, fleas thrive all year. Even in areas that experience cold winters, if you haven’t eradicated the flea infestation inside of your house, they’ll set up camp in your nice warm home no matter how low the outdoor temperature drops.
Topical Flea Control Products
There are many topical flea-control products available. Before you choose a product ask your veterinarian’s advice. A product that you purchase over-thecounter may not be safe for your cat. Your veterinarian will advise you on the appropriate product for your cat specifically. Some products also control ticks and internal parasites.
The long-term topical products (they last about one month) are very effective and are easy to apply—something both you and your cat will appreciate. The products come in vials that are opened and squeezed onto the back of the cat’s neck. Over the course of twenty-four hours, the flea-control product will spread over the cat. You just have to remember not to pet the cat on the back of the neck for twenty-four hours.
The efficacy of good quality topical products have pretty much reduced the need for messy shampoos, sprays, or powders.
Flea Combs
These are an excellent way to remove fleas, their excrement, and their eggs from the coat. As you comb, the fleas become trapped in the tiny, narrowly spaced teeth. Flea combing alone is not effective flea-control treatment, though. It’s a way to check if your cat has fleas and a way to clean the fur of flea debris.
Treating the Indoor Environment
Plug in the Vacuum
Unless you have a serious infestation, using the topical flea control products may be all you need to do. With a heavy infestation, vacuuming is necessary after the topical flea products have first been applied as a way to cut down on the number of fleas in the environment.
I hate to vacuum and usually look for any excuse to get out of the task, but it’s a good step in environmental flea control. The more eggs and pupae you can suck up out of the carpet, under the furniture, and off the chair cushions, the better. Frequent vacuuming will help reduce the flea numbers. Be merciless and suck up those little creatures, then afterward toss the bag in the outdoor trash can. If you vacuum and neglect to toss the bag, all those sucked-up eggs will hatch inside the vacuum cleaner.
When vacuuming, do a thorough job under the furniture (I sound like your mother, right?) and also under any cushions, because fleas and their pupae can hide deep down in chairs and sofas. Don’t forget pet bedding, cat trees, and windowsills. Vacuum as if your mother-in-law is coming for a visit, wearing her white gloves.
Ticks
Because of the cat’s frequent grooming, you may not actually see a tick on her. If you do see one, it’s usually on the head, neck, or in the ears because of the cat’s inability to access those areas. Ticks can even be found between the toes.
Ticks attach themselves to the skin and burrow their head underneath. Before feeding, when they aren’t attached to the skin, they resemble tiny spiders. When attached, though, a tick often resembles a wart on the skin. As it feeds on blood, the tick’s body becomes bloated. That’s usually the time an owner first sees or feels the parasite on the cat.
To remove a tick, cover it with a drop of alcohol or mineral oil. Wait a few seconds for the tick to release its hold and then grasp it carefully with a tick removal tool. These products are available at pet supply stores. They look like plastic spoons with a notch cut out in the center. You can also use tweezers but be very careful because it’s easy to detach the tick’s body from its head, which will end up still embedded under the skin. If using tweezers, position them close to the head of the tick.
After removing the tick, drop it into a small cup containing alcohol to ensure that it dies and then give the little creep a proper send-off by flushing him down the toilet.
Never use a hot match to remove a tick because the chance of injuring your cat is too great. If you have trouble removing a tick or feel that the head is still embedded, see your veterinarian.
If you have a cat who goes outdoors she needs to be protected with a topical flea/tick preventative.