Cat fleas - how to recognize them and deal with them effectively?

When we think of fleas, we think of an abandoned, stray cat or dog. Because of, for example. Of these parasites, helping free-ranging animals appears problematic. After all, very often with a new pet there is a problem with fleas on the cat. But is this only a problem of stray animals? How to find out if a cat has fleas and how to deal with your adopted pet?

What do fleas look like?

Fleas are small brownish or black insects. They are about 2 mm long, so we can see them with the naked eye. However, in the case of small infestations this is extremely difficult. Fleas can move quickly through fur, and if necessary they make long jumps. The impression of flight is created, but fleas do not have wings - their jumping is possible thanks to the correctly developed third pair of legs.

Fleas feed on blood thanks to their piercing-sucking mouthparts. The head also has bristles, the arrangement of which characterizes individual species of these insects. Flea eggs are difficult to detect since they are only 0.5 mm long. They are white, so if they are on a light-colored surface or on the fur of a light-colored cat, our chances of seeing them are negligible.

Cats are primarily attacked by cat fleas (Ctenocephalides felis), and although this is indeed the most common species that parasitizes cats, it is possible to become infected with, for example, the dog flea.

Life cycle of a flea

Fleas feed on blood, so they need to find a host to survive. This does not mean, however, that their entire life is spent on the host’s body. On the contrary, fleas multiply and spend a lot of time in the environment. They prefer dark nooks and crannies, such as damp soil or bushes, and inside the house they will spaces between floorboards, carpets, spaces under a closet or sofa. It is there that they can safely lay their eggs, and the hatching larvae are not exposed to direct contact with sunlight and light. In exceptional cases, eggs are laid on the host, but usually they fall to the ground (in this case, this is a den).

Just one female can lay 400-500 eggs (20 eggs per day). No later than 11 days later, the larvae hatch from them, which feed on organic debris and feces of adults (due to the blood they contain). It is necessary to molt the larvae three times, but depending on environmental conditions, this process can last from 9 to even 200 days. When the molt is complete, the larvae form a cocoon and become pupae. They remain in this form for about 7 days, then hatch and, as adults, look for a host and partner for reproduction, or wait in a cocoon for favorable conditions. This wait can last up to a year - which makes them extremely patient creatures.

How to distinguish a flea from other parasites?

It is very difficult to distinguish a flea from lice by appearance alone without a microscope. Fleas are distinguished by their ability to make long jumps and their ability to survive outside their host.

Lice, in turn, are a little more yellowish, but it takes practice to distinguish these insects only on this basis. However, the ability of female lice to attach their eggs to the base of the hair is important. Small white eggs visible on the fur even with the naked eye. Black cats contribute to this. The fur of such animals is less pleasant to the touch, rough even after bathing.

Which cats are at risk?

Outdoor cats are certainly more at risk of flea infestation than indoor cats. Contact with the environment and other animals creates a higher risk of a flea jumping over and starting an infestation.

However, this problem in domestic cats should not be underestimated. Sometimes a short contact with another animal is enough - let's remember that a cat flea can jump very long distances. It should be borne in mind that many cats stay in apartments with dogs, who eventually go out for walks. Sometimes it is enough to go out onto the terrace or into the garden to meet another cat. There are also accidental escapes through a window or balcony, contact with a neighbor's cat. All this causes Parasites also threaten well-groomed and clean animals.

How to tell if your cat has fleas?

An adult flea can only be detected on a cat if it is heavily infested. In exceptional cases, you can observe the rapid movement of many insects on the skin of an animal. However, to make sure we haven't missed anything, you should focus on looking for flea droppings. This is definitely a more sensitive indicator of their presence.

Feces appear as small black specks lying on the skin. Look for them by parting the fur and gently wiping the selected areas with a damp white gauze or cloth. The feces should stick to the swab, allowing us to see them even in cats with dark fur. However, we still don't know if it's just dirt. To eliminate this, we must rub them. In the case of feces, they will smear a rusty-red color (this is due to the presence of blood in the feces), while no dirt will change its appearance.

It's really enough detection of one trace of fleas, to be able to identify the intrusion and take appropriate preventive measures. Remember that bathing your cat immediately after you bring her home will wash away any impurities from her skin. We then also wash off the flea droppings and thus make diagnosis more difficult.

Also read: Flea shampoo for cats – when is it needed and which one to choose?

Symptoms of fleas in cats

Mostly flea cats feel strong and “paroxysmal” itching, small red spots appear on the skin. If the animal is allergic to the saliva of these insects, the symptoms are definitely more severe. In this case, the skin becomes very red and hair falls out (most often this occurs in the sacrolumbar spine).

The more intense the invasion, the more anxious the animal. Itching can bother a cat during sleep, while eating, and can also increase the need for the toilet in these animals.

What other consequences of flea infestation?

Fleas are the intermediate host of the tapeworm Dipylidium caninum, and therefore pose a risk of infection with a dangerous parasite of the digestive tract. Fleas can also carry the bacterium Bartonella henselae, which is responsible for cat scratch disease.

What about cat fleas?

Fleas should be treated immediately after an infestation is detected. The veterinarian can offer various solutions, which are always selected individually depending on the needs of the pet. There are various flea medications available on the market, such as drops in pipettes. Sprinkling them on the animal's skin in the neck area is enough for the drug to act effectively and protect the entire animal. These types of droppers often contain additional ingredients designed to deworm the cat or control other parasitic infestations.

The condition for the correct administration of such a drug is the refusal to bathe the animal or the use of the drug approximately 3 days after bathing. This is due to the presence of physiological sebum on the body (the so-called film) - this is where the drug spreads. Washing the film off the skin does not guarantee the correct action of the product.

Recently, tablets have become available that give the cat complete protection after 24 hours. This solution is especially good for cats that have been bathed and thus stripped of their skin film.

If you want to learn how to get rid of fleas on a small cat, it's worth it. consider spraying as an additional option. Such a drug must be correctly distributed throughout the body and administered in the appropriate dose, calculated after weighing the animal, so it must remain given by the veterinarian.

What should I give my cat as a preventative against fleas?

All medications used to control fleas can also be used on healthy animals as a means of preventing new infestations. Depending on the drug chosen, the duration of action is usually 4 weeks, but 12-week measures are also available.

Are there home remedies for cat fleas?

Baths or essential oil compositions alone will not help us effectively eliminate flea infestations. They may repel insects, but keep in mind that they will escape into the environment where they can breed. Remember that in the right conditions, a flea can wait patiently for many months, so your pet's unpleasant symptoms may return after some time.

This is definitely thorough cleaning of the apartment, that is, vacuum all nooks and crannies to get rid of any insect eggs or larvae. If the animal has been protected with a product applied to the skin, we can comb the fur with a brush to remove flea droppings.

Cat fleas - summary

Cat fleas are associated with dirt and neglect. However, sometimes the infestation can affect a cat who occasionally goes out into the garden. It's worth avoiding regularly protect the animal using various types of drugs. However, if your cat is constantly itching, you should contact your veterinarian. If you're taking a new pet under your wing, let's do it before you bring him home. The doctor will check whether the cat has problems with parasite infestation and will give appropriate medications. Their timely use will not only help the animal, but will also protect our home from the possible spread of fleas, their eggs and larvae.