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Learn how to recognize external cat parasites and how to control them

Be prepared for cat parasites. Fleas are without question the most significant cat parasites afflicting felines. Fleas can cause life-endangering anemia, particularly in severely infested kittens, and host one of the major tapeworms that infect cats.

Fleas can also transmit plague, a potentially fatal infection caused by the bacteria Yersinia pestis, most commonly from infected rodents and rabbits to cats and humans.

Rarely, fleas transmit the disease from cat to cat or from cats to other species, including humans and dogs. Although plague is not common in cats, numbers of feline cases, as well as cat-associated human cases, have been on the rise since 1977 in the western United States.

But as far as the cat is concerned, probably the most bothersome problem associated with fleas is flea-bite hypersensitivity, an allergic reaction to flea saliva. For the unfortunate cat that suffers from this disorder, just a few flea bites are often enough to cause a severe skin reaction. Common signs of flea-bite hypersensitivity are itchy skin, scabby bumps, and hair loss-but these signs are not always exhibited, and other diseases can have the same symptoms.

The only solution for such cats is to prevent fleas from coming near them. This is usually a simple matter if your only pets are cats-keep them indoors-but can be a difficult task for many households with dogs. Anti-inflammatory medications can be very helpful, but they are not a cure. They must be given as long as the cat is exposed to fleas, and they can sometimes produce harmful side effects when used long-term.

By parting the fur, you may be able to see these small, brownish, wingless insects running about. If the infestation is fairly light, fleas may be impossible to spot on the coat, but flea dirt (droppings)-which looks like tiny black pepper flakes-confirms their presence. To find flea dirt, thoroughly comb the coat with a flea comb and look for black flecks entrapped in the teeth of the comb. If you can’t tell if the black material is flea dirt or just debris, take a fleck or two and place it on a damp paper towel; if a red halo forms around the fleck, it is flea dirt.

To control flea infestation, you must treat the environment as well as all the animals in the household. There are many safe, effective, and easily administered flea products available from veterinarians. Convenient monthly treatments given orally or applied to a small area of the skin are a boon to pet owners because they eliminate fleas not only from their pets for a month at a time but from the indoor environment as well. This is especially important in households where family members (often children) have an allergic reaction to flea bites.

Make certain that any over-the-counter products you use are labeled specifically for use in cats, as some dog products may not be safe for cats, and follow the directions carefully. Never apply a flea product unless you can monitor the cat closely for at least several hours after administration, and do not use more than one product at a time.

Cat parasites – Ticks

Ticks are small parasites that bury their heads in the skin of their hosts and suck blood until they look like fat, gray or brown beans. When the ticks can’t hold any more blood, they fall off the host and lay thousands of eggs. Heavy tick infestations, rare in cats, can cause anemia as well as skin irritations and infections. It has not been proven that cats can get Lyme disease from ticks.

Other external cat parasites that can cause skin disease in cats are several species of Cheyletiella mites (large, oval, blimplike parasites visible as small white specks that cause an itchy skin disease known as cheyletiellosis, or “walking dandruff “), plus a number of other species of mites and lice (small, flat, wingless biting parasites that cause itchiness, hair loss, and dandruff). Correct diagnosis and treatment ensure successful management of problems from external cat parasites.

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