If you have ever dealt with fleas with your cat (or dog), then you know how infuriating trying to get rid of them is. Not only are they annoying, but they can be dangerous for your furry friend. Cats can become itchy from the bites, causing them to scratch and potentially result in open wounds or infections. Cats can suffer from allergic reactions from flea bites, and if the infestation lasts long enough, cats can develop anemia from the fleas feeding on their blood.
Only Outdoor Cats Can Get Fleas…Right?
It is also a common belief that only outdoor cats can have fleas- so our indoor kitties should be safe, right? WRONG! Indoor cats are just as likely to pick up fleas as their outdoor counterparts. If you have other pets in the home that do go outdoors (like a dog) then there is a chance the fleas can be transferred to one another. Fleas can also be transferred via humans. Fleas don’t like using humans as hosts, but they can attach themselves onto clothes and catch a free ride into your home. So every time we leave our homes or invite others over, there is a chance of fleas being transferred into your indoor cat’s environment. Fleas can also jump up to 19 inches, which makes it extremely easy for them to move quickly onto another form of transportation. Indoor cats can also pick up fleas from environments commonly frequented by other animals, like boarding centers, vets offices, groomers, pet stores, etc.
Clean Often
It is a good idea to frequently clean your home, especially after having guests over, and regularly check your pets over for evidence of fleas. Cats are great about cleaning themselves, so you may not see live fleas right away, but if you see some reddish brown specks, that may be “flea dirt”, which is the fecal remains left behind from fleas. Putting your pet on a monthly flea repellent isn’t always enough. Some medications may not repel fleas or take a few days for the medication to actually start killing the fleas, which means that fleas can hop onto your dog, catch a ride into your home, and infect your cat before you know it.
The Flea Life-Cycle
It is also important to consider the life cycle of a flea when considering the proper care route if you suspect fleas in your home or on your cat. Adult fleas can start laying eggs as soon as two days after finding a host. They can lay tens to hundreds of flea eggs at a time (gross right?!) These eggs can fall off your cat and become embedded in soft, plush surfaces like the carpet or their beds. Larvae hatch from the eggs about two days after being laid. The larvae develop into pupae and enclose themselves in a cocoon. The even crazier part is that the pupae will remain in the cocoon until they find a host, which could take seconds to YEARS!!! In the right environment with a ready host, the entire lifespan of a flea can be as short as 15 days, which is why it is so important to consider all stages of the lifespan when trying to rid your house of fleas.
Our household dealt with a flea infestation when we adopted our second cat, Boba. It was a pain, but from this understanding about fleas, we were able to get rid of them extremely quickly. You can read all about our process here.
Have you had to deal with fleas? What are some best practices that you use to keep your indoor kitties safe?