Fleas
What are fleas?
Fleas are tiny wingless parasites that survive by sucking on animal or human blood. They find a new human to live on by searching for body heat, movements and breathing. Once a flea detects a host, they jump onto its skin, fur or feathers.
Fleas are brown and reddish dots, that are super quick and can jump as far as 13 inches. They are hard to spot and even harder to catch.
After a flea has sucked on your cats blood, adult fleas will mate and lay eggs in their fur. The eggs often fall of your pet as it moves around. These eggs then hatch into larvae, they find a place to crawl into and make a cocoon, usually in pets bedding, floor cracks and carpets. In a few weeks they become adult fleas looking for a host. The cycle then repeats.
Fleas are those horrible pesky parasites that invade our pets and home. They quickly spread and multiply and can get out of control. So how do we get rid of these pesky invaders.
How do animals get fleas?
All cats are at risk of getting fleas and yes that includes indoor cats. Their are many ways that your cat can get fleas.
- moving home
- taking a trip to the vets
- people / fleas can jump as far as 13 inches, they can jump on to humans for a host, clinging from their clothes or shoes. Anyone who enters your home could unwarranted bring in fleas.
- wild animals in the neighbourhood, foxes, hedgehogs etc.....
- wild animals was also drop flea eggs which will eventually hatch and find a host
- domestic animals that haven’t been treated, but your cat has come into contact with
- other people’s pets coming into your home
- pet groomers
- boarding facility
- shelters, rescue where multiple cats are housed
Preventing fleas
Simply put if your cat has fleas then your home has fleas. Which sadly means that they won’t only be snacking on your pets!
Treating your cat with fleas
There are lots of flea products that are available to prevent and kill fleas quickly and effectively, that are easy to give your cat.
We absolutely recommend getting any flea products from your vets. Firstly because they are a lot stronger than off the shelf and are more effective. But secondly it must be prescribed on the weight of the cat, and every cat is different. If you have multiple pets they will all need treating with the correct products for them eg dogs, rabbits etc.... if one has fleas they all have fleas. To erratic then every animal in your home will need treatment.
Flea treatment for kittens
Please note that flea products should be given monthly to ensure the best prevention for your cats and home.
Treating your home with fleas
Maintaining a regular cleaning routine at home can also help prevent flea infestations. Vacuuming daily especially near the edge of the carpets or floors. When vacuuming empty the the dirt outside into a bin bag and put directly in the bin, don’t do this inside. Washing bedding, cleaning furniture and upholstery cat remove flea eggs from your home environment.
Flea sprays can help, the strongest ones are advised to get through your vet. Failing all of this, if your home is infested then you might have to call in the experts. This might cost but gets rid of the fleas in a flash.
Signs that your cat has fleas
These tiny invaders are very hard to see, they are also fast and can jump. Running a flea comb through your cat won’t show you fleas but will show you flea dirt which is a sure sign the invaders have invaded.
Other signs
- scratching
- nibbling their back end near the base of the tail
- nibbling at their fur or skin
- flea dirt often on the lower back (dried flea faeces)
- seeing fleas
- itching to the point of bald patches (alopecia)
- sore infected skin
- bites or a rash
Ticks
What are ticks?
They are little blood sucking parasites. They can cause nasty diseases if they are not removed quickly. They are spider like egg shaped parasites that have six to eight legs. Ticks can carry a serious bacterial infection called Lyme disease, and can pass on microbes when they bite.
How do cats get ticks?
Ticks don’t jump or fly, they climb or drop onto your cat mainly whilst they are out and about exploring. Once on an animal they will attach themselves and feed of the animals blood for a few days. Once finished they simply drop off. It’s during this time that the tick can give your animal diseases.
Are ticks dangerous to cats?
If a cat has a tick borne disease then they must go directly to your vets for antibiotics. Some tick diseases can make cats get sick very rapidly so urgent veterinary care is required. The quicker the better.
Signs and symptoms
The most common symptoms associated with tick bites include:
- Redness
- Itching at the site of the bite
- Diseases that cause lameness
- Joint pain
- Fever
- Decreased appetite
How can I spot a tick?
When a tick has feed they are usually easy to spot and will feel like a small bump or lumps on the animals skin. They are usually found to attach around a cats head, neck, ears and feet.
How to remove ticks safety
Personally if you find any ticks we advise that you take your animal straight to the vets to ensure the safe removal of the tick. If removing a tick is done incorrectly then they can cause more harm to the animal. Always air on the side of caution and seek veterinary assistance.
How do you prevent ticks?
You need to ensure that you have protected your animal with a tick treatment that will either repel them or kill them quickly if they attach. The longer the tick is attached the greater risk of diseases.
Treatment
Always seek vet advice and treatment as soon as possible.
Worms
What are worms?
Worms are a parasites that cats get from eating their eggs and larvae
How do cats get worms
Most often the main cause of cats getting worms through coming into contact with fleas. The fleas carry the parasite. When grooming themselves the cats then digest the fleas along with the eggs and larvae .
When a cat eats a rodent from the environment like mice that has been infected with with worm eggs and larvae.
Eating larvae or egg worms in infected faeces or in the grass
Eating raw meat or other infected parasites
How do kittens get worms?
Most commonly kittens can get worms/ larvae passed onto them form their mother’s milk. These worms are normally roundworm.
They can also get worms from fleas especially if they have been born outside and the mother hasn’t been treated.
Types of worms
Roundworm
These are the most common parasites in cats, and higher rates in kittens. Cats become infected by ingesting eggs from rodents that have larvae in their tissues. These worms spend most of their life in the gut of cats, feeding of the food that’s digested. Roundworm in cats reproduce by laying eggs in the intestines.
- they live off eating the food your cat digests
- adult ringworm are three to five inches long
- look like spaghetti
- cream in colour
- live in the cats intestine
- female worms produce eggs that are passed in the cats poop
- the eggs then need several days or weeks to develop into larvae
Signs and symptoms
- vomiting and diarrhoea
- reddish blood in vomit
- worms in the vomit
- weight loss
- always hungry, due to the worm eating the food that’s ingested
- dull hair
- pot-bellied appearance
- worms in stool
- abdominal pain
Treatment
- Always get veterinary advice for diagnosis and treatment
Tapeworm
Cats get tapeworms by swallowing a flea infected with tapeworm larvae while grooming themselves.
- many types of tapeworm larvae are found in fleas
- some cats eat the faeces of infected cats, which can pass on the parasite
- the larvae will then develop into adult tapeworm in the cats intestines
- tapeworm are long and flat, that vary in length
- segmented bodies and a head which have suckers that that attach to the cat's intestines
- the worm will only come to maturity in the intestines
- when they grow, segments separate. These then be found behind your cats tail and look like grains or rice
- you will also see them in your cats faeces
Signs and symptoms
- you will see them in vomit
- they can be seen crawling on the surface of the feaces. They look like grains of rice
- vomiting
- licking at their bottoms, itching around the bottom
- diarrhoea
- poor appetite
- low energy
Treatment
Always get veterinary advice for diagnosis and medical treatment
Hookworms
Cats get them by ingesting them directly, this is through the larvae penetrating the skin. They are the most harmful of the internal parasites. Must be diagnosed by a vet.
- tiny, thin, whitish worms
- they have hook like teeth that attach to the intestines, where they feed of your cats blood.
- sadly they are hard to see and not often visible to the naked eye
- anaemia is a primary symptom
Symptoms and signs
- can cause blood loss
- diarrhoea
- nausea
- fever
- blood in the stool
- loss of appetite
- itchy rash
- abdominal pain
- colic
Treatment
Always get veterinary advice for diagnosis and medical treatment
Here's a look at some common cat parasites.