Anyone who has ever dealt with them knows how annoying these blood-sucking insects can be. Flea infestation is not only extremely unpleasant for the affected cat. Most owners are disgusted at the mere thought of cat fleas. Because not only cats are bitten. Fleas can also visit humans for a blood meal. The result is itchy flea bites that can even become nasty. In such cases, immediate cat flea treatment by Petfriendly would be helpful.
The cat flea is only a few millimetres long but has legs like springs. He uses this to get to his host animal. The name “cat flea” is somewhat misleading. Dogs are also often affected by it. And it could also sting you: if a flea is hungry and cannot find a “suitable” host, it will also suck the blood of people in the immediate vicinity. In this case, it is usually that of the pet owner.
Once the parasite has found its host, it won’t wait long before it treats itself to its first meal. This consists of blood. To do this, he pierces the cat’s skin with his mouthparts and sucks until he’s full. Female cat fleas lay their eggs in the cat’s fur. However, the eggs then fall from the animal into the environment. There the flea larvae develop and then adult fleas again. This development cycle takes about 3-4 weeks. If fleas live in them there, they can lay eggs and multiply even in winter. The development cycle of other flea species is comparable, the time from egg laying to adult flea also takes about a month. Some of them, contrary to their specialization, occasionally infest the cat.
Incidentally, fleas can not only cause itchy bites but also cause greater damage. For example, they are carriers of the cucumber seed tapeworm, an intestinal parasite. Other diseases can also be transmitted by cat fleas. In the case of a very severe infestation, anaemia can even occur in the affected host animal.
Recognize cat fleas
Affected animals scratch and groom themselves excessively because of the itching. If the infestation is severe, symptoms such as hair loss and local inflammation of the skin can also occur. Scratching also worsens the condition of the skin. In extreme cases, almost the entire skin of the cat is severely affected. If you part your hair and take a closer look, you can occasionally see fleas with the naked eye. This is not necessarily the case with milder infestations.
If you want to find out if your pet is affected, use a simple test: all you need is some water, a tissue, and a special flea comb. Run the comb through your cat’s fur. Affected animals collect small black crumbs on their particularly narrow tines. Put these crumbs on the handkerchief and moisten them with a little water. If they turn red, you can be sure it’s flea dirt. Sometimes you can even see adult fleas jumping off the flea comb.
