Mary Allen
If you want to remove ticks from cats, you should do so as soon as possible after discovering the mites in order to protect your four-legged friends from diseases such as Lyme disease or anaplasmosis. These tips tell you what you should bear in mind when handling the tweezers.
Above all, outdoor cats are at risk from tick bites and the infectious diseases Lyme disease and anaplasmosis that can be transmitted as a result. The Federal Chamber of Veterinarians (BTK) therefore recommends checking your pet for parasites after each release. If bitten, the tick must be removed. This should be done as quickly as possible and with the right tool.
Use Tweezers to Remove Ticks From Cats
If possible, check your velvet paw for possible parasites after each release. If you find one, it is best to remove the tick with tweezers, never with your bare fingers or fingernails, as these cannot grasp the bloodsucker firmly enough.
Place the tweezers as close to your cat’s body as possible around the arachnid. Then gently pull it out, preferably straight and without hesitation. However, if you find it easier to pull ticks out of cats with a slight twisting motion, that’s okay too. It is important that you do not stop in between and remove the parasite in one go. As an alternative to tweezers, you can also use tick tweezers – the process remains the same.
Cat Has a Tick: More Tips for Removing It
When removing ticks on cats, you should never squeeze the parasite. Otherwise, there is a risk that you will “pump” the tick’s saliva, infected with pathogens, into the wound.
You should also avoid using glue or nail polish to remove ticks from cats. Because: If you drop some of it on the parasite, it may empty its stomach contents into the wound and infect your velvet paw.
Be thorough so none of the tick remains in or on your cat’s skin, which could cause an infection. But what to do if something is left behind – such as the tick head?
Removing a Tick Head From a Cat
If you remove a tick from your cat, it can happen – despite all caution – that the tick head gets stuck in the skin. Don’t worry: If you pay attention to a few things, it’s usually not half as bad as it looks.
As a first step, try to remove the tick head afterward: Have a chip card ready, for example, an old insurance card, and push your cat’s fur apart at the bite site.
If the tick head is clearly visible, you can very carefully push the card against the unwelcome parasite and thus remove it from the cat’s skin. If you don’t succeed, you have to wait until the tick head falls out by itself. So that the area does not become inflamed, you should clean and disinfect it very well.
Keep Your Cat’s Tick Bite Clean
The foreign body is usually pushed off by itself after a short time and falls out. Before it does, however, it increases the risk of infection – a regularly applied skin disinfectant for animals prevents this risk.
If you choose to apply the product available from a veterinarian or pharmacy with a cloth, make sure it is lint-free so that no more foreign objects get into the wound.
If in Doubt, Consult a Veterinarian
If you do not feel confident removing the parasite yourself, you can consult a veterinarian who will do this for you. Important: If you notice any changes in your pet’s skin – such as swelling or redness – going to the vet should be a matter of course anyway. It can determine whether there is a dangerous infection with TBE and Lyme disease and treat it if necessary.
Prevent Parasites: Tick Protection for Cats
The best thing, of course, is not to let it get that far in the first place. Therefore tick protection for cats makes sense in the tick season and in tick strongholds. Natural home remedies such as coconut oil or brewer’s yeast are ideal, which keep parasites away from the cat but are not dangerous to the cat itself.
Beware of tick repellents with chemical additives, especially with the active substance permethrin, which is toxic to cats. So-called spot-on preparations are applied to areas that the animal cannot lick off, but from there they can spread over the animal’s body. If the cat then cleans itself, the active ingredient can still get into its body and cause poisoning. You should also be careful with essential oils, which cats also do not tolerate well.
Another tick remedy is cat collars, which are intended to prevent parasites in cats. This protection is also rather unsuitable for the animals. Because with them there is a risk that your darling will get caught on branches and hurt itself when straying in nature.