Fleas cause many problems for your cat, to the point of making your cat ill and even seriously sick. But, Your cat will try to deal with the fleas by themselves and lick and bite them away. Alas, the little pests are persistent and will not go away with your cat’s effort alone. But they can be dealt with, and any problems they bring are also treatable. So, here we can see how to get rid of fleas on cats.
What are the Cat Fleas Signs?
Fleas can cause a variety of problems to your cat and its health. And cats being good at hiding their problems, won’t come to you and start frantic scratching to show their suffering. Here are the cat fleas signs that your cat has become home to fleas:
#1 Agitation and Restlessness
Having a flea bit under the skin causes an itchy sensation. Having multiple biting and doing it at sporadic times is downright misery. When your cat suffers from this, the behavior of your cat will change drastically. They will go from a calm, dormant feline to angry, anxious wild cats. You will see them growling, scratching their backs on the furniture, and moving in and out of places every few minutes. They do that because of the constant biting, itching, and blood-sucking from fleas.
#2 Red Skin Lesions on the cat’s skin
Some cats do not do well with fleas’ saliva ( yes, those drool, too), which leaves your cat with scab-like bumps or red skin lesions when the fleas bite your cat. They usually appear on the back and face. These places are incredibly itchy; the inflamed area will cause your cat to ooze if you try to lick or bite them. This condition is know as flea allergy dermatitis. If it goes on too long, your cat might become anemic and have severe blood loss. and it is mandated to visit a vet. They will provide you with medicines to reduce your cat’s inflammation.
#3 Excessive Grooming and Hair Loss
Cats like to keep themselves by grooming. So it may seem unnatural at first to see your cat groom a little more than they used to, but if they have been grooming and have had hair loss near their paws and end of the tail. It is because fleas have struck them. Cats don’t constantly scratch themselves to relieve the itching; they also lick to ease their pain. But excessive grooming leads to hair loss at one point, and that is when you know just a shower and shampoo won’t cut it.
#4 Red Spots on Your Cat’s Bedding
Suppose you spot a lot of red dots littered here and there around your cat on their bedding fabric. It is a sign that they have been infested by fleas for quite a while now. Those red dots are fleas’ feces that have ingested blood in them. They turn red when they come in contact with a moisturized area. It would help if you took your cat to the vet for the best flea treatment for cats.
#5 Avoiding Certain Parts of Your Home
Fleas flourish in an environment that is warm and has a porous-like surface around them. You will never come across them in dry or cold areas with rough surroundings, like tile flooring. If your cat has started to itch often and avoids carpet furniture, that area is home to fleas. To avoid getting fleas in your house, you should have a clean house, vacuum it, and tidy it.
#6 Pepper-Like Specks on Your Cat’s Fur
Just like every living being, fleas excrete waste from their body. In fleas’ case, their feces look like black pepper specks. You will find these around the cat’s rump or neck area. You will also come across them when you are combing your cat. After witnessing cats, put a few specks on a wet paper towel. You should take your cat to the veterinarian if they turn red. It is your cat’s digested blood.
#7 Intense and Frantic Scratching or Biting
Fleas bites cause an intense itch on a cat’s fur, multiply it by bites from hundreds of them, and you will have a cat with intense and frantic scratching or even biting. It can reduce this problem to a greater degree by giving your cat a good bath with the best flea shampoo for cats. One important thing you must remember is not to use dog-based flea soap or shampoos. It will harm your cat, and you can use cat soap or baby soap.
What Diseases Do Fleas Carry?
Fleas not only cause a plethora of problems for your cat but to make things worse, they also bring disease into the feline. So, what diseases do fleas carry? Let us see below.
#1 Tapeworms
People found cats infested with fleas to have a tapeworm in their bloodstream. It is not because fleas are attracted to cats with tapeworms in them. It’s the fleas that bring tapeworms with them. Fleas are the ones that have a tapeworm in their system, which gets passed onto the cat’s blood.
#2 Bloodborne parasite
Fleas carry blood-borne parasites like Mycoplasma haemofelis. It is a serious issue as this parasite can cause various problems for your cats and, in some cases, severe illness. It can only be detected via lab tests; the best way to treat it is with antibiotics. You will have to opt for a blood transfusion if worse comes to worst.
#3 Anemia
Pale gums are a dead giveaway that you have anemia. And if it goes untreated for a long, it can cause fatal issues, especially for kittens. If you see the sign of anemia in your cat, make headway for the vet.
How to Get Rid of Fleas on Cats?
Just as there are various ways to see how to get rid of fleas on cats naturally, so there is a best way to get rid of fleas on cats
#1 Use flea products aimed at cats
One significant difference between animal products is how they could affect a product in one animal and the other in a very different way. In the case of cats, do not ever use health products on them that are aimed at other animals. So, better use flea medicine for cats.
#2 Flea collar
Flea collars are a safe bet against fleas. This, however, did not use to be the case. Cat flea collars weren’t practical or effective, and cats had a destiny for them. But the new ones are a good and effective measure against fleas.
#3 Oral treatment
These products can be a bargain, as some owners need access to flea collars or topical products. They are helpful, but unlike the other two, once it is inside, they cannot remove it by any means. They work when a cat flea bited, and then the flea ends up ingesting blood that kills them. You will see the results of oral treatment in about twelve hours.
#4 Topical products
These products are applied on the cat’s skin and around the neck’s back. Once applied, they mingle with fleas’ nerve receptors to put them out of action. They come in a few categories:
#5 Advantage
It is deemed safe for kittens that are six weeks of age. It only affects fleas, not ticks.
#6 Frontline
Frontline may cause temporary sensitivity in the area applied due to its being named fipronil.
#7 Revolution
It is the most potent among the three; it kills fleas and ticks and gets rid of mites. Due to its potency, it is not recommended to use it on kittens six weeks of age.
How To Prevent Fleas on Cats?
Fleas will make their home around you or on your cats, so you must be preventive to get rid of fleas or stop them from coming all together in your house or cat’s fur. So, let’s see how to prevent fleas on cats.
#1 Clean your home
It cannot be overstated all the eggs that are left behind by female fleas get washed away every time you clean. And in this endeavor, the vacuum cleaner is your best tool to suck away all the eggs in your house thoroughly.
#2 Wash off once a week
Whatever clothing your cat ( or any pet with fur) has come in contact with, take it out (whether it be sheets, sofa covers, or carpets) and put them up for washing in hot water.
#3 Spray your home
Before you do this, make sure your pets and kids are nowhere near the house. So, use best flea spray for home safe for cats and let it rest for a while. You can use the citrus spray if kids and pets are concerned about being affected by chemicals.
Conclusion
Fleas are a hassle for your cats, big time. Luckily getting rid of them is less. While fleas can take many places inside your home and eventually reach your cat, you can take care of them once you have signs of them being around and harming your cat. Most of the time, you won’t be able to if your cat has fleas due to its secretive nature. But as their responsible owner, you must be on the lookout and help them as soon as possible.