If you have a cat, then you know the basics on how to take care of your pet. Frequent brushing and baths, regular meals, as well as periodic visits to the vet are essential in order to ensure that you cat has a happy, healthy, and lengthy life.
However, there are really some things that are hard to control when it comes to your pet, especially if they are ones that tend to roam around the neighborhood. Fleas are one of the most common problems that cats face especially when in a neighborhood with stray cats around. This is a very difficult situation to prevent, much less cure.
Here are some things that you need to know about fleas, and how you can detect them from your pet so that you can take immediate action towards cure.
What Can Cat Fleas Do?
Fleas are parasitic animals that will lodge and breed under the fur of cats Dog fleas are different from cat fleas, but both will bite humans if they do not have an adequate food source. Organisms living in close quarters is the perfect situation for transfer of fleas, although they can also be caught through eggs which will lodge onto the animal’s fur. These would then hatch and mature into adults within a few weeks.
A flea infestation can do a lot of damage to a cat. Aside from the physical and possibly emotional manifestations – such as becoming more irritable and aggressive towards others – fleas also carry with them various diseases and can be very dangerous to your cat’s health. Among these are:
- Allergies
- Bartonella
- Typhus
- Anemia
- Dermatitis
Cat fleas have also been known to carry numerous diseases that can affect humans as well such as tapeworms and Lyme disease. It has also been theorized that plagues can be carried through cat fleas as well.
How professional pest exterminators can help detect cat fleas
Detecting if fleas are present within your cat can be done in many different ways. However, the best way is to have a vet or professional groomer look through your pet just to be sure. For self-diagnosis purposes, here are some things that you should look out for.
If your cat is scratching excessively, especially if it is only in one spot, then your cat is probably infested with fleas. Bites from fleas will cause itchiness and irritation, and these are the spots that your cat will scratch. In addition, changes in your cat’s behavior may be another sign that there are fleas in your cat. If your cat suddenly becomes irritable or tends to bite or scratch more than usual, then it is time to have her checked out.
Red patches or places where your cat’s fur are falling out are also signs of flea infestation. Once this happens, it is very important to take your cat to the vet as these are not only the effects of excessive scratching, but also of possible skin disease. Take note that the worse the damage, the longer the healing process to turn your pet’s fur back to its previous state.
Lastly, look for clots or drops of dirt like substances on your cat. If these particles tend to stick to the fur and have a reddish color, then these are probably fecal matter from the fleas. On the other hand, brushing may also let you discover eggs from fleas. Once your discover these, take your cat to a specialist for proper treatment.
Cat fleas will not only affect your pet, but it can potentially do some harm to you as well. Thus, proper resolution is always necessary once it has been detected. Examples of things that you can do to remove fleas from your cat are:
- Limit exposure to other animals
- Using anti-flea shampoo
- Using a flea comb
- Vacuuming all areas to remove eggs
Of course, visiting a vet for proper treatment is always the best idea if you want to permanently rid your cats of these very troublesome pests.