The Ticks On Cats, These Unwanted Parasites
While dogs are often the pets most affected by ticks, cats can also suffer from ticks. Most of these parasites live in woods or thickets, but they also inhabit parks and gardens. And that’s where they cling to our pets.
One of the reasons cats are not as likely to have ticks is because they invest more time than dogs in their body hygiene and – perhaps – they are able to discover and eliminate ticks before they attach themselves to the skin to suck blood.
But that’s not why we should neglect our pussy in this respect.
How ticks work on cats
– Remember that spring and summer are the times when the cases of these parasitosis increase the most.
For this reason, in these months we must give special emphasis to the prevention and control of these pests, so that our kitten is free from such an annoying parasite.
– Most ticks, when biting, introduce anesthetic substances with their saliva, so it is likely that your pussy will not notice that they are sucking your blood. He won’t be itchy either.
That is why it is important that you check it periodically. Caress it and play with it for a while.
You may only be able to find ticks if they are in an adult state. Larvae or nymphs are too small to be detected simply by looking.
– The blood loss that a few ticks cause a few will not harm your pet. The danger lies in the fact that they can transmit diseases : Ehrlichiosis, meningoencephalitis, babesiosis, borreliosis, etc .
– To get rid of ticks that have not yet attached themselves to your cat’s fur, you can use a flea comb to remove adult parasites and perhaps some nymphs.
To detect ticks that are already attached, you should feel your pussy’s skin for small bumps. Do it against the fur and follow this action with a visual inspection.
Look closely behind your ears, on your neck and between your toes.
– Although numerous natural recipes to rid your pet of ticks circulate on the internet, the truth is that they are of doubtful effectiveness.
The only safe way to get them out – if you want to avoid chemical methods – is by hand and with extreme care. You can’t get them out any other way, because you can leave some of the parasite in the animal and cause an infection in your cat.
Try to get them out with tweezers, holding them as close as possible to your pussy’s skin. If you manage to free them, be sure to kill them.
This is usually not an easy task. Try drowning them with alcohol or gasoline (after removing them from your pet, of course). If you can’t get it out, consult your veterinarian about the best way to do it.
knowing the enemy
– Ticks belong to the arachnid family.
– Their biological cycle is completed in two months, but it can extend for up to 3 years, as they manage to reduce their vital functions while waiting for favorable environmental conditions.
– They have the ability to accumulate in their body, without digesting, part of the blood they suck and consume it progressively for months or even years.
– They have a mouthpiece designed to pierce and adhere tightly to the skin of the host animal.
– When their eggs hatch in the environment, larvae are born that, immediately, seek to ascend to a first host: an animal, a rodent or even man.
After feeding, the larva leaves the host to become a nymph and start looking for a new food provider.
The nymph also leaves the parasitized animal to become an adult on the ground. Then it will look for a third host to feed on its blood.
– In less than a week, an adult female can increase up to 4 times its size – it can reach up to 2 centimeters – and about 100 times its weight.
After appearance, it leaves the host and lays between three thousand and four thousand eggs, in areas of vegetation or gardens.
Knowing this background – and assuming that prevention is always better than cure – if your cat is one that likes to roam for a long time outside the house, consider applying an external antiparasitic product to prevent it from becoming infected.
Your veterinarian will surely be able to advise you on the most convenient options.
