Cat fleas are parasites found in the exterior of their host which sucks their host’s blood. Domestic cats are the primary host of cat fleas. But they can also infest other animals such as dogs and rabbits. Although few fleas on your cats or dogs can cause little harm, your pet may develop allergies known as Flea Allergy Dermatitis (FAD) which could lead to more serious skin problems. Infestation at large on the other hand can cause the host to lose more blood resulting to anemia. Aside from that, fleas can also infect your pets with tapeworm and transmit other diseases and parasites.

How will you know if your cat is infected with flea? One obvious indicator that your cat has fleas is when they start scratching and biting their fur. But you have to take note that cats do this for other reasons as well. If you are unsure, check their coat and skin for yourself. You can identify them by looking for some dark brown insects on the cats fur and skin. This won’t be very visible if your cats are dark colored so you can also try checking their beddings.

Fleas easily fall off when your cats scratch themselves. You can also grab a white sheet of paper; let your cat stand on it and slightly rub its fur. After that, spray demister on the paper. If you see tiny pieces of brown spots which leaves red stains, then your cat is positive of fleas.

Getting rid of cat fleas without harming your cats is a very challenging task. This is because cats are very sensitive to chemicals. Some products used to treat your cats with cat fleas are flea collars, shampoo, flea combs, flea powders, oral suspensions and spot on treatments. These products vary on price and effectiveness.

These flea collars contain poison to kill the fleas. Flea collars usually kills adult flea on the head and neck of the cat but those found further down the cat’s body tends to survive.

Flea shampoo also contains elements that kill adult fleas. You have to be careful in using them on your cats because they might be irritated and will cause them discomfort.

The use of flea comb is a natural way of removing the fleas. If you’re planning to use this, have a small bowl of water with detergent ready. Drop the fleas there to drown them. For effectiveness, place a small amount of petroleum jelly on the flea comb so that the fleas will easily stick on it.

There are also flea powders but these can cause dryness on cat’s coat and irritation as well.

Oral suspension on the other hand is mixed with cat food. This will then be absorbed in the cat’s bloodstream. Fleas feed on blood that will directly affect them. The eggs laid by fleas won’t hatch since the chemical suspension prevents the eggs from maturing. It is best to couple it with products that target the adult flea.

Spot on treatment are topical products use to control fleas. There are different effective brands available. You can avail of one by asking your vet. If you are planning to use this product, make sure to read and follow the instructions carefully. This topical product can be applied once a month only.

To successfully control cat flea, you should not stop at treating your infected cat. If you have other pets, treat them as well because they can also be infested with cat flea. Fleas can be hiding in your carpet or curtains. Make sure that the entire house is cat flea free. And remember to treat the outdoors. Especially those places where your cats love to stay; since there might still be fleas there.

There are a lot of different products available to control cat fleas but before you apply anything on your cat, consult your veterinarian first. Keep in mind that these products are toxic and may poison you and your pet.