Fleas in cats

Is your cat constantly scratching itself and seems restless? Then fleas may have settled into your fur. A flea infestation is extremely unpleasant for cats and can have serious consequences: on the one hand, fleas can cause dangerous secondary diseases in cats, and on the other hand, they can also infest other animals and even people in the household. Once the parasites have made it into your home, it is not so easy to get rid of them. Find out here how you can recognize fleas on your cat, combat the infestation, treat secondary diseases and prevent a new flea infestation.

• intense scratching of the skin
• restless behavior
• particularly intensive coat care
• reddish spots on the skin
• Rash and eczema on the skin

The so-called cat flea (technical term Ctenocephalides felis ) is the most common flea found on cats. However, fleas can also jump from other hosts to cats, such as dog or hedgehog fleas. Conversely, cat fleas can also find a new host and jump to other animals or people living in the household.

Cat fleas are usually reddish-brown and are between 1.5 to 4 mm in size . In theory, they are visible to the human eye - but in practice, this is difficult in a cat's thick fur. If you suspect that your cat is suffering from a flea infestation based on the symptoms mentioned above, the best way to identify the fleas is as follows:

1. Comb your cat’s fur with a Flea comb carefully and wipe the comb on a paper towel. Alternatively, you can shake your cat's fur over a newspaper or cloth without a flea comb.
2. If there are now small, brown to black crumbs , it is most likely a flea infestation. The crumbs are the Flea droppings that get stuck in the cat's fur. If you moisten the cloth, the crumbs should turn reddish - this is due to the blood residue in the flea droppings.
3. In addition, check whether Puncture sites of the blood-sucking parasites. These are often located in a line close to each other, as the fleas test the blood flow in different places - adjacent flea bites are therefore also called a " flea trail ".

If your cat is itchy and there are flea droppings in its fur and flea bites on your cat's skin, it's clear that the cat fleas have taken hold. Both your cat and your home now need intensive treatment. If the flea infestation remains undetected and untreated for a long time, or if the infestation is particularly severe, this can have serious consequences.

• Anemia and iron deficiency
• Flea saliva allergy
• Parasite infestation
• Transmission of bacteria and viruses

Anemia and iron deficiency

Kittens in particular, but also adult cats that suffer from a long-term or severe flea infestation, are at risk of anemia in combination with iron deficiency due to the blood-sucking flea bites. Affected animals are often tired , listless , have pale mucous membranes and an increased pulse. Usually also Breathing difficulties can occur. A veterinarian should intervene as soon as possible, administer supportive medication and, if necessary, carry out a blood transfusion. If the anemia progresses too far, it could become life-threatening.

Flea saliva allergy

Some cats are allergic to certain protein components in the saliva of fleas. The so-called flea saliva allergy or flea saliva dermatitis can occur as soon as the first flea bite and can cause additional problems for your cat. In addition to the itching that is characteristic of flea infestation, cats with a flea saliva allergy react particularly restlessly. They try to relieve the itching by intensive licking and scratching. This often results in hair loss and bald spots . The allergy can also cause inflammation of the skin around the bite sites, causing blisters and crusts to form.

Parasite infestation

Like ticks and mites, fleas are ectoparasites that attack a host from the outside and suck its blood. At the same time, however, cat fleas can also be carriers of endoparasites - parasites that attack a host from the inside. These include tapeworms, for example. If a cat swallows fleas while grooming its fur, it is often subsequently infected with cucumber seed tapeworms or other worms in the intestines.

Transmission of bacteria and viruses

In addition, fleas can transmit numerous bacteria and viruses. These are often Listeria, Rickettsia or Bartonellonia, for example. The latter can also be transmitted from cats to humans through scratches and cause the disease Bartonellosis. Bartonellosis, better known as cat scratch disease, causes flu-like symptoms in humans for up to two months after infection and can be very long-lasting. Healthy cats with Bartonellosis rarely show symptoms. There is a particular risk for cats with weakened immune systems, which in addition to Fever under Inflammation of the mouth , eyes and heart. The transmission of dangerous viral infections such as feline leukosis, Feline AIDS and Cat flu is caused by cat fleas.

If you only treat the adult fleas on your cat but do not clean the environment properly, the fleas will probably return after a few days or weeks because a new generation has grown. The flea infestation must therefore be treated in two steps: firstly, the affected cat must be treated and secondly, the environment and your entire home must be thoroughly cleaned.

First of all, you should treat a flea infestation in your cat as quickly as possible so that the parasites have as little time as possible to spread and multiply. There are tablets, sprays and spot-on solutions to prevent the actual infestation of the cat's fur. Spot-on preparations are usually dripped onto the cat's neck and enter the cat's bloodstream. The agent reaches the blood-sucking parasites directly via the blood and eliminates them. To get rid of eggs, larvae and pupae, you should regularly comb your cat with a flea comb and clean its fur - special flea shampoos may also be an option. It is best to ask your vet for advice on suitable medication.

The same applies if your cat is allergic to flea saliva. The vet can recommend medication and ointments to combat the extreme itching and fleas, as well as to reduce skin inflammation, which are also suitable for allergies and are well tolerated.

Furthermore, you should treat not only the affected cat, but also all other cats and pets in the household, such as dogs or rabbits, with anti-flea medication. Even if the animals do not yet show any signs of flea infestation, this may already have happened or may happen in the near future due to the eggs and larvae present in the environment. The flea medication also has a preventative effect and helps to keep fleas away from your animals.

Another important tip: Don’t just fight flea infestation, but Deworm your cat too. Since fleas often transmit other parasites such as worms, such treatment is essential in the event of a flea infestation in order to protect your cat's health. There are even combination products specifically for this purpose that work against both fleas and other parasites.

Get rid of cat fleas from your home

In addition to the cat, the entire apartment must also be treated and cleaned. Flea eggs, larvae and pupae are only a few millimeters in size and can spread throughout the entire household. You should pay particular attention to your furry friend's favorite places to stay. The closest surroundings usually include the litter box, the cat bed, upholstered furniture such as sofas and armchairs, carpets and your own bed.

You can take the following measures to get rid of fleas and their offspring from your home:

• Clean all surfaces thoroughly with household cleaner.
• Vacuum the floor and suitable surfaces with the vacuum cleaner and then dispose of the vacuum cleaner bag - otherwise there is a risk that new fleas will emerge from the sucked-up larvae and pupae and jump out of the vacuum cleaner.
• After vacuuming, you should also thoroughly wipe and clean the floor and all cracks.
• Wash potentially contaminated textiles at a minimum of 60 degrees.
• Fabrics and objects that cannot be washed can be frozen in the freezer at -18 degrees or colder for at least two days.
• Special room sprays can help to neutralize all parasites in the environment.

If these measures are of no use and you cannot get rid of the cat fleas on your animals and in your home in the long term, professional pest control may be the only solution. Using foggers or nebulizers, anti-flea medication can be sprayed into the home, which effectively combats the parasites. During this time, neither you nor your cats or other animals should be in the home.