Does your cat have fleas?
May 21, 2018
There are so many things to love about cats – but the fleas they can carry aren’t among them. This is the time of year when cat fleas thrive, so it’s important to know what to look for and how to treat your pet if it’s suffering.
The good news is that these nasty, hopping, blood-sucking parasites are easily dealt with once identified and our vet Jose at The Vet Whetstone can suggest plenty of treatment options, so simply contact us or drop in to collect your preferred flea deterrent.
Contact us for more information on flea treatment
Spotting cat fleas
While cat fleas prefer a kitty host, they aren’t too choosy and will happily bite people and other animals. They’re very effective at breeding and can lay thousands of eggs after feeding, so before long you could find your home and pets horribly infested.
Their droppings look like tiny bits of dirt and dissolve into a small red spot if you blot them with damp cotton wool. Here are some other flea-infestation signs to look out for:
- Scratching or biting
- Excessive Grooming
- Hair loss
- Avoiding rooms around the home
Carpets are a snug hideaway for fleas, so your cat may start avoiding carpeted areas if it’s been bitten there. - Agitation, restlessness
If your cat starts behaving literally like a wildcat – growling, shaking its head, rubbing on the floor or running around the house – it could be because the fleas are actually driving it crazy. - Red skin lesions/scabs
In particularly sensitive cats, flea saliva can make their skin red and inflamed. This will be very itchy and if the cat chews on them, they can start to ooze. - Muscle loss, pale gums, lethargy
These signs may indicate anaemia, which can result when a large number of fleas consume a cat’s blood. It is most often seen in kittens, seniors or sick cats. - Red spots in cat’s bedding
This is flea dirt from your cat’s fur which turns red when the cat’s warmth rubs against it. - Tiny black/reddish-brown insects
These are the culprits themselves.
Now you know what to look out for, it’s time to take action, so why not give us a call on 020 8368 9798, have a chat to the team to see what’s best for your cat and order it up a flea-free summer.