Mary Allen
Once they are there, hurry is the order of the day: fleas on cats can become a real plague for animals and humans. The causes can be contacted with infested animal friends or straying in the bushes.
Because their fur is nice and warm and cozy, house cats are the perfect hosts. This is why fleas are not uncommon in cats. The tiny parasites bite each other and multiply at breakneck speed. Owners can hardly prevent the causes – after all, you don’t want to take your darling’s freedom away. A possible solution to combat cat fleas is a flea collar.
Fleas on Cats: Small Bloodsuckers
Fleas are tiny insects and are barely visible to the naked eye. The best conditions for them are warmth and moisture – that’s why fleas like to nest under the fur of cats and dogs. Once the little parasites have found a host, they make a cut in the skin with their jaws and suck blood. Some fleas reach fifteen times their actual body weight.
The problem: fertilized female fleas lay eggs and after just a few days new tiny larvae hatch – they feed on dead skin cells and continue to multiply. Ctenocephalides felis, or “cat flea,” is the most common type of fleas found on cats.
Causes of Flea Infestation
Cats are basically loners, but outdoor cats like to stray and have frequent contact with other animals. One of the most common causes of flea infestations in cats is the transmission of the parasites through contact with other cats – or even dogs. The little bloodsuckers jump up to a meter from one host to another.
Other causes can be indirect infection via infested objects such as carpets, people’s clothing, and a shared cat basket or scratching post. Fleas in cats are also more common in animals that spend a lot of time outdoors – the parasites sit in bushes in the garden or in the field, for example.
How Can You Avoid Fleas on Cats?
Fleas are particularly active in spring and autumn when they lay up to ten thousand eggs. Avoiding fleas in cats during this time is not that easy, as the causes and transmission routes cannot really be contained. Fleas on cats often go undetected. Severe itching can be an indication of an infestation. One way to prevent flea infestations is by wearing a flea collar. But that is not always comfortable for your darling. It is best to check your stray’s fur regularly with a flea comb. Caution: Fleas that a house cat brings home can also become a problem for humans.