In the summer, fleas are frequent guests even in domestic cats, which cause a lot of problems. Many owners do not even know that these parasites live in a cute fur coat of their pet. But regular examination of the animal and knowledge of the symptoms of a flea infestation makes them easy to spot.
How to tell if a cat has fleas?
The cat flea is a wingless insect that has a body that is strongly flattened on the sides. But she is very nimble. Even if you manage to see it, you will not have time to consider it.
To understand that a cat suffers from fleas, it is not necessary to see this insect on the animal's body. By the behavior of a cat, you can immediately determine that it is tormented by fleas. She starts to itch. Over time, fleas multiply, and the cat itches more and more, tearing the skin to wounds. The animal also bites itself, trying to catch a flea with its teeth.
Itching isn't just a sign of fleas, so get your animal examined. If there are red dots on the body, these are marks of parasite bites, and black grains on the fur are their excrement.
After making sure that the cat has fleas, immediately start fighting them. Fleas reproduce very quickly. One female flea lays up to 300 eggs per day.
Why are fleas dangerous?
If you do not start a timely fight against fleas, their number can increase to 200 individuals per cat. You can imagine what kind of torment the animal will experience.
Flea bites often cause allergic dermatitis, which can cause hair loss and hair loss.
Flea larvae feed on worm eggs, therefore they are carriers of worms.
Kittens tolerate flea infestation especially badly. They may even develop anemia. And if there are too many parasites, then the kitten may die.
What to do if fleas are found?
You need to fight fleas with special means - insecticides, which must be selected taking into account the breed of the cat, its age, weight. It is also necessary to take into account whether there are children and other animals in the house.
First of all, fleas must be destroyed on the animal. If this is a pregnant cat or a kitten with a lot of fleas, then it is better to show them to the veterinarian so that he can choose a safe drug for these cases. Then be sure to treat the places where the cat lives: bedding, carpets, sofas, armchairs. Better yet, process the entire territory of the home.
If a cat does not go outside, this does not mean that fleas are not threatening her. You can bring this pest on clothes or shoes. Or a flea can just jump into the apartment from the entrance. Therefore, any cat needs to be systematically prevented. To do this, treat the animal in advance with products that prevent the appearance of fleas.
