Pets are undoubtedly a source of joy and love for their owners, but one should not forget that, along with the pet, the owner undertakes to care for and protect the health of his pet.
Fleas in cats are a very common phenomenon, and many people do not attach much importance to the fact that their pet “picked up” these insects.
Such an attitude to the problem is fundamentally wrong and can lead to tragic consequences for both the pet and its owners.
How To Get Rid Of Cat Fleas In The House
Insect Biology
Flea is one of the most common temporary animal parasites. The insect female lays small whitish eggs on the host’s fur. A characteristic feature of the parasite – eggs do not have a sticky substrate and can easily slide from the animal to bedding, floor, and other household items. Worm-like nymphs hatch from the eggs, which feed on animal feed debris or decomposing organic matter.
After some time, the larva pupates, after 12 days an adult individual is born that leads a parasitic lifestyle. Blood can suck both males and females, in addition, insects are able to withstand prolonged starvation and being outside the body of the host, which makes them stable in the external environment.
Important! Therefore, the fight against these parasites is a rather long process, and it is not easy to completely get rid of cat fleas.
Causes of Parasites
The flea is one of the most common animal anastomoses. It does not really matter if the pet is home or wandering since even individuals who have never visited the street have an infection from time to time. But to save a cat from fleas is not so easy.
The reasons for the appearance of parasites include the following factors:
- Infection from other animals. If there are flea animals in the vicinity of the cat, then these parasites are likely to migrate to a healthy animal.
- The spread of insects through the litter and items of care. If an animal infected with fleas lived in the room, even in the absence of this animal in the future, the cat “clings” to parasites in the litter and on items of care, such as toys, toiletries.
- Carrying the host of parasites on clothes and shoes. So, if the “flea” dwells at the entrance of the house, the owner of a healthy cat on the way home easily acquires flecks and brings them to the apartment.
- Attack on the cats during a walk. Traveling to all sorts of places full of stray cats, a domestic cat can easily become infected with bloodsucking jumping parasites.
Important! It must be remembered that fleas can travel long distances, infecting animals. In addition, the eggs of these parasites are resistant to environmental factors and for a long time serve as a source of infection, which makes their excretion rather troublesome.
At the initial stage of the defeat of fleas, symptoms that indicate the presence of parasites are practically absent. Insects are easy to spot when looking at the animal’s skin. As breeding fleas in a cat get rid of them more and more difficult. With a large number of insects, the animal begins to worry.
The symptoms of infection include the following factors:
- Anxiety;
- Attempts by the cat itself to gnaw insects;
- Pruritus;
- Damage to the skin (sores and sores).
Important! Fleas are blood-sucking insects, and if the animal attacked by these parasites is severely weakened or their number is very large, the erythropenia may develop in the beast in response to bites.
How To Get Rid Of Fleas
Curing a flea cat is easy. To destroy the parasites can be several methods. Some of them have a better effect on pests, the results from the use of others are not particularly impressive.
The most highly effective ways in which you can bring fleas from a cat at home include the following:
- Shampoos;
- Sprays;
- Drops on withers;
- Anti-flea collars;
- Injection drugs.
All of these tools are insecticides that help to eradicate parasites in animals. But there are situations when the use of chemicals for an animal is highly undesirable. For example, if the cat is pregnant or is nursing. In this case, suitable folk remedies that help scare the parasites for some time.
These include:
- Wormwood grass;
- Rosemary leaves;
- Cedar essential oil;
- Tar soap;
- Coniferous sawdust.
To poison, the parasites are necessary for several stages. Anti-flea drugs have the strongest toxic effects on the larvae of these insects, and then on adults. Eggs are not very susceptible to insecticides. Therefore, after 10-15 days, when the larvae hatch from them, the treatment must be repeated.
Preventive Actions
To rid the cat of fleas, it is advisable not to wait for these parasites to attack it because breeding insects is harder than preventing them from breeding. It is necessary to ensure that the domestic cat does not communicate with stray animals, and periodically inspect its skin for infection.
Important! When parasites are detected, not only the animal itself is treated with insecticides, but also the room. It is necessary to wipe the floors, items with which the cat came in contact, and clean its litter. All these activities will help avoid pet infection with blood-sucking insects.
