You're probably convinced that if you keep your cats indoors, they can't get fleas. But suddenly you start feeling little bites around your ankles, and your felines are scratching themselves more than usual. Bits of hair loss and sores may result before you make the connection that fleas have indeed invaded your home.
It's actually not so unusual a connection, as it turns out. If you're a gardener, do a fair amount of lawn work or just like to take walks through parks and other nature areas, you can easily pick up a flea on your shoes or clothing. Once in your home, fleas can attach to your indoor pets, leaving dozens of eggs in their wake.
Although fleas tend to prefer feeding on animals, these blood-sucking insects also nip at humans, causing annoying itchiness that you may scratch until the small welts bleed. Humans' allergic reactions to flea bites usually result in hives and rashes.
For cats, the worst reaction can be a flea allergy or dermatitis, which leads them to bite and scratch so much that their skin becomes inflamed and could become infected. If they don't have an allergic reaction, the biting could continue unnoticed until flea anemia occurs. In kittens and senior cats, this is particularly serious because they may not be able to groom themselves well enough to prevent the flea biting from escalating.
At the first sign that your pets are scratching, licking or biting their fur and skin more than usual - or if you feel stinging bites at your ankles or feet - it's time to begin full-scale home pest control.
If you have white cats, look for fleas in places on their bodies where they're likely to gather - behind the ears or on the nape of the neck. For cats with dark or multi-colored fur, run a damp white towel over their fur. Flea droppings will show up as tiny reddish brown dots or streaks on the cloth.
If you have white cats, look for fleas in places on their bodies where they're likely to gather - behind the ears or on the nape of the neck. For cats with dark or multi-colored fur, run a damp white towel over their fur. Flea droppings will show up as tiny reddish brown dots or streaks on the cloth.
You can start relieving your cats' discomfort with a thorough washing with flea shampoo. Immediately, wash cat beds, cloth toys and any protective coverings you put on your furniture where the cats take naps. Thoroughly vacuum carpeting and upholstery throughout your home, remove the vacuum bag when you're done and seal it in a plastic bag before adding it to your trash.
If you can't control the flea problem yourself, check services like Abell Pest Control that specialize in pest removal so all the fleas and their eggs can be removed from your home.