External Parasites Of The Cat And Their Treatment
At some point in their lives, most cats experience discomfort caused by external parasites.
There are many medications available to treat these parasites if your cat is affected by them. Your cat's veterinarian is the best person to advise you which medication or medications are necessary.
Parasites such as fleas, ticks and ear mites can be prevented before they ever affect your cat. Products such as Frontline Plus, Revolution, Advantage, and many others can be used as directed by their manufacturer (usually monthly, unless directed otherwise by your cat's veterinarian) to keep your cat free of parasites like fleas and ticks. These products are simple to use and usually quite effective if used properly.
Important Points
- Look for fleas, ticks, and coat abnormalities any time you groom your cat.
- Contact your cat's veterinarian if your cat scratches excessively, chews, or licks his/her haircoat excessively, or if your cat persistently shakes his/her head. These clinical signs may indicate the presence of external parasites or other conditions requiring medical care.
- Prompt treatment of parasites will lessen your cat’s discomfort, decrease the chances of disease transmission from the parasite to your cat, and may reduce the degree of home infestation.
- Discuss the health of all family cats with your veterinarian when one cat becomes infested. Some parasites cycle among cats, making control of infestations difficult unless other cats are considered. Consult your cat’s doctor before beginning treatment.
- Tell your cat’s doctor if you have attempted any parasite remedies, as this may impact medical recommendations.
- Be especially careful when applying insecticides to cats, as cats are particularly sensitive to these products. Never use a product on a cat that is not approved specifically for cats, as the results could be lethal.
- Follow label directions carefully.
- Leave treatment to the experts. Your veterinarian offers technical expertise and can assist you in identifying products that are most likely to effectively and safely control your cat’s parasite problem.
Below are some of the more common external parasites.
Fleas:
Fleas thrive when the weather is warm and humid. Your cat can pick up fleas wherever an infestation exists, often in areas frequented by other cats and dogs.
Indoor cats can acquire fleas as easily as outdoor cats do through owners who carry fleas home on clothing or through fleas coming through openings in doors and screens.
Adult fleas are dark brown, no bigger than a sesame seed, and able to move rapidly over your cat's skin. You might not even know that your cat has fleas until their number increases to the point that your cat is visibly uncomfortable.
Signs of flea problems range from mild irritation to severe itching that can lead to open sores and skin infection.
One of the first things you might notice on a cat with fleas is "flea dirt," the black flea droppings left on your cat's coat.
Ticks:
Dogs and, less commonly, cats can acquire ticks by investigating shrubbery, brush, or wild undergrowth.
Ticks have a four-stage life cycle, and immature ticks often feed on small, wild animals found in forests, prairies, and brush. Adult ticks seek larger hosts like dogs and cats who venture into these habitats.
Tick exposure is usually seasonal, during the warmer months.
Ticks are most often found around your dog's neck, in the ears, in the folds between the legs and the body, and between the toes. Cats may have ticks on their neck or face.
Tick bites can cause skin irritation.
Ticks are also capable of spreading serious infectious diseases to the cats and people on which they feed, including Lyme disease and ehlichiosis.
Prompt removal of ticks is very important because it lessens the chance of disease transmission from the tick to your cat.
Remove ticks by carefully using tweezers to firmly grip the tick as close to your cat’s skin as possible and gently pulling the tick free. After removing the tick, crush it, avoiding contact with tick fluids that can carry disease, and clean the affected skin area with a disinfectant like alcohol.
Ear Mites:
Ear mites are common in young cats and dogs, and generally confine themselves to the ears and surrounding area.
Mites are tiny and only seen with a microscope.
Your cat can pick up ear mites by close contact with an infested cat or its bedding.
Ear mites can cause intense irritation of the ear canal. Signs of ear mite infestation include excessive head shaking and scratching of the ears.Your cat may scratch to the point that he/she creates bleeding sores around the ears. A brown or black ear discharge is common.
Medications such as Revolution can effectively kill ear mites. Your cat’s veterinarian may also advise cleaning the ears to remove debris and even treating the ear canals with medication to decrease the inflammation in order to make your cat more comfortable.
