Fleas are blood-sucking parasites that feed on your cat’s blood. These annoying parasites make life miserable for your furry friends by infesting and causing a range of harmful diseases. Therefore, it is imperative to keep your felines flea-free at all costs. But, how do we do that? Well, we’ll help you with it.
This blog showcases all the essential information you need to have to protect your furballs from these pesky parasites. Read through to learn more.
Flea Life Cycle
Understanding the different life stages of fleas is essential when dealing with flea problems. The image below displays the flea life cycle.
Symptoms of flea infestation in cats
Once infested with fleas, your feline will show a range of symptoms that can help you recognize the problem. Take a look at some of the common signs of flea infestation in cats:
- Hair loss in patches, near the neck or tail area
- Flea eggs in the bedding
- Extreme gnawing on the back and legs
- Persistent itching
- Tiny red bumps on the skin
- Lethargy
- Visible fleas on the coat
- Flea poop on the bedding or coat
Flea diseases in cats
A flea infestation can be dangerous for your cat as it causes some serious diseases. Some of the common flea diseases in cats are mentioned below:
- Anemia
- Cat Scratch Disease
- Flea Allergy Dermatitis
- Rickettsia
- Mycoplasma
- Dipylidium caninum
Ways to treat flea infestations in cats
Diseases caused by fleas can be harmful to your cat but fortunately, there are different flea treatments available that you can use to prevent and treat flea infestations. Let’s dive in deeper to know more.
- Spot-on treatment: Spot-on treatments come in a liquid form that should be applied topically on their coat. These treatments quickly get spread on the cat’s skin after application and work effectively in getting rid of fleas. Some of the effective topical cat flea treatments include Frontline Plus, Bravecto Spot On, Advantage, etc.
- Oral treatments: Oral flea treatments are the type of flea treatments that need to be ingested. After administration, these antiparasitics enter into the cat’s bloodstream and tissues. As soon as fleas take a blood meal from the treated cat, they ingest the chemical and die. Credelio and Capstar are some of the popular oral flea treatments for cats.
- Flea sprays: Anti-flea sprays are easy to use. These treatments kill fleas and prevent them from re-infecting your little kitty. Make sure to keep your cat busy within 30 minutes of spraying to prevent them from licking the treatment. Carefully groom your kitty with a flea comb to remove the dead fleas.
- Flea shampoos: Bathing your cat with a flea shampoo helps kill fleas with a wash. Be careful while using flea shampoo as they are loaded with chemicals that can run into your cat’s eyes and ears and can be harmful for the kitty.
- Vacuuming: Fleas tend to hide in cat’s beddings, carpets and furniture and infest your cat. It is essential to vacuum your house regularly to eliminate these parasites.
- Pest control: Pest control is also one of the most effective ways in killing existing fleas from your yard and lawn. These pest controls are infused with chemicals that work effectively in killing fleas.
Explore more Cat Flea Treatments
Bottom Line
The best way to protect your furry friends from fleas is by educating yourself and focusing on implementing the tips mentioned in this article. See what best suits your felines and get help from a veterinarian to get the best suitable treatment for your furry friend. Buy from CanadaVetExpress to save big!