Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Assess your cat's symptoms
• Part 2 of 3: Examining your cat for fleas
• Part 3 of 3: Giving your cat a flea control agent to prevent flea infestation
• Tips
• Warnings

Before you go flea hunting, it's a good idea to consider why you think your cat has fleas. If you have seen fleas in your cat's coat or in your home, you can be sure that you are dealing with fleas and you should treat your cat with the correct flea repellent. However, you can also have a flea problem if you have never seen a flea in your cat's coat or in your house. Your cat may have gotten the adult fleas out of its coat itself when you wash it. The flea eggs may have fallen from your cat's coat and come out several weeks later. Either way, it's important to be sure if your cat has fleas.

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Part 1 of 3: Assess your cat's symptoms

1. Pay attention to how often your cat washes. Your cat may have an allergic reaction if it is sensitive to fleas. Even cats that are not allergic to flea saliva experience irritation and itching where they have been bitten by fleas. As a result, they wash themselves very often. In fact, your cat can wash itself so often and so thoroughly that it removes the fleas itself. It can be more difficult to spot the fleas because they jump on the cat to eat and then jump off again. So they can only be seen for a short time. That's why your cat can still have fleas, even if you can't find them yourself.
   • The signs of a flea infestation depend on your cat's health, the number of fleas in your cat's coat and other individual factors.
2. Watch for the symptoms of a flea infestation. Flea bites can be very irritating. Monitor your cat and see if he has the following symptoms:
   • Small bumps or scabs, usually on the neck and back
   • Skin irritation, especially on the neck and at the bottom of the tail
   • Scratch more often, especially on the snout
   • Wash more often
   • Hairballs because the cat washes itself very often
   • Hair loss
   • Tapeworms in the stool (fleas carry tapeworm eggs that cats ingest and then defecate)
3. Watch your cat's behavior. Your cat may suddenly avoid certain areas that it used to like to go to, especially if those areas are carpeted with fleas. Your cat may also be restless and tense. He may even start to growl and shake his head a lot. Your cat may be trying to get rid of the fleas.
   • Some cats may be more susceptible to flea bites and more likely to suffer from them. They can start to behave strangely because they don't feel good.
4. Watch for the signs of anemia. With a severe flea infestation, your cat will not only have a lot of fleas in its coat, but also suffer from blood loss and anemia. In that case, watch for symptoms such as lethargy, severe fatigue, pale gums and loss of muscle strength. Also put the flea poop on a wet and white paper towel to check if they are really fleas. Be sure to take your cat to the vet if it is anemic, whether it has fleas or not.
   • Young kittens and elderly cats are more likely to develop anemia from flea infestation.

Part 2 of 3: Examining your cat for fleas

1. Hold your cat. Place your cat on a white sheet or pillowcase. The white material will show you the fleas and flea excrement you comb out of your cat's fur. If you prefer to have your cat on your lap while brushing, put a white cloth over your legs first.
   • Fleas are dark brown, wingless insects that are about 3 to 4 millimeters long. You may see them jumping away while combing. Look between the cat's paws on its stomach. Set the coat aside, as this is a common area for fleas.
2. Comb your cat's coat. Comb the cat from head to tail with a flea comb. While combing, look at the coat and bare skin underneath. Pay particular attention to the neck, the spot at the bottom of the tail and the inside of the legs. These are the places where fleas like to hide.
   • A flea comb is made in such a way that the fleas stick to the teeth of the comb. The teeth are so close together that the fleas cannot escape and are removed from the coat.
3. Check out the flea comb. Even if you don't see jumping fleas, you can still find flea excrement or flea eggs that look like salt and peppercorns. Place suspicious material on a damp paper towel. Flea faeces contain blood, so the granules turn red when they get wet.
   • If you see flea poop, there will be fleas somewhere in your cat's coat.
4. Watch for flea poo. Shake the dirt out of your cat's comb and fur onto a white sheet of paper so you can see the black specks. To distinguish normal dirt from flea poo, pour a little water on the speckles. In the case of flea faeces, the black spots will turn a reddish brown or orange color with a colored circle around them.
   • The easiest way to do this is to place your cat on a white towel or sheet while combing.
5. Watch for bald spots. Fleas can cause hair loss in your cat in several ways. Your cat may be irritated by the constant biting and scratching its coat frequently, leaving it with bald patches. Your cat may also be allergic to the fleas' saliva, which can irritate the skin and cause it to scratch more.
   • Your cat may also be allergic to something other than fleas. Take your cat to the vet if you can't find fleas but your cat is constantly scratching.

Part 3 of 3: Giving your cat a flea control agent to prevent flea infestation

1. Find an anti-flea agent. Even if you don't find fleas in your cat's coat, it's a good idea to look for a solution that will protect your cat from fleas and control the current flea infestation. Modern flea repellants are safe and work very well. Some products can be bought at the pet store and others are only available from the vet.
   • Choose a product intended for cats, as some products for dogs contain ingredients that can be harmful to cats. Ask your vet for advice on choosing a product that suits your cat's needs.
2. Treat your cat monthly with an anti-flea agent. Follow the directions on the package or your vet's instructions when administering the medicine. Treating your cat in this way will stop fleas, and you will also know if fleas caused your cat's symptoms. If the problem disappears after the treatment, you know that it was probably fleas, even if you never saw them.
   • Such anti-flea agents are available as tablets, as injections and as topical medications.
3. Choose a flea collar approved by your vet. There are several flea collars for sale. Some work well, some don't work at all, and others can be toxic to your cat. That's why it's important to talk to your vet before choosing a flea collar.
   • Consider putting a flea collar in your vacuum cleaner bag or container to kill any fleas you vacuum up.
4. Prevent a flea infestation in your home. Vacuum all carpets, carpets and fabric furniture on a daily basis. Throw the vacuum cleaner bag in the trash outside so that the fleas cannot escape. Also wash your cat's bed, pillows and blankets with hot water to kill any fleas.
   • With a persistent flea infestation that just won't go away, you may need to set up a device that sprays toxic substances that kill the fleas and their eggs. However, such a device can be dangerous for your pets and children. Find out more about these devices before using one.

Tips

• Make sure to check all of your pets if you think any of them have fleas.
• Fleas are the leading cause of skin conditions in cats. Usually fleas are the easiest to detect and treat.
• If you live in an area with a lot of fleas, make sure you treat your cat with a preventative flea control agent to avoid a flea infestation.
• Consider asking your vet to treat your cat for tapeworms if it has had fleas.
• In addition to flea poop, you can also find flea eggs (white specks) in your cat's coat.
• Consider hiring a pest repeller for a very serious flea infestation.

Warnings

• If your cat has fleas, you risk getting bitten by them.
• Fleas can cause anemia in kittens and spread diseases such as typhoid fever (caused by Rickettsia bacteria) and cat scratch disease (caused by Bartonella bacteria). They can also spread tapeworms and cause skin irritation.
• Flea dolls can remain in place for several months. That's why it's important that you treat your cat with flea repellant and thoroughly clean your home when you notice a flea infestation. Also, treat potential problem areas with an indoor product to help prevent fleas from reoccurring.