by Caetlyn R Campbell

Created on: February 20, 2009

Fleas or Ctenocephalides felis are nasty, disgusting bloodsucking insects that are the bane of any cat and their owners. They will not only feast on your dog and your cat, but are not opposed to feeding off people and children seem to be a favorite target.

Fleas are not only irritating but are also dangerous and can kill a cat or kitten by their sheer numbers. Also, cats can also be allergic to the flea's saliva and the cat will bite and lick the area until the fur is gone and you can see the red inflamed skin.

They feed off the blood of the cat and can cause anemia if the infestation is sever enough. If you think the cat has anemia, check the gums and if they are pale, get the cat to a vet. Sometimes the anemia is severe enough your cat will need to be treated with antibiotics even a blood transfusion.

Fleas can also be a carrier for tape worms. If your cat or kitten has had fleas, you should also have him de-wormed.

One sign of your cat having fleas is if he is scratching and biting his fur a lot. Check for "flea dirt" on his skin. This isn't really dirt but flea excrement. You might also see a tiny black insect jumping around. This is much easier to see on a lighter colored cat than a dark colored one. If you see fleas or flea dirt, it's time to take action.

There are three popular and fairly safe products that kill adult fleas and are applied behind the neck of the cat once a month. These are: Advantage, Frontline Plus (which also kills ticks) and Revolution. Revolution treats not only fleas and ticks but is also used for ear mite, scabies mites and heart worm disease. You can get these from your veterinarian, from the internet or even from a pet shop at the checkout. Before purchasing any of these you should talk to your vet first to find out which flea treatment is best for your cat.

Also popular are the cheaper dips, washes, shampoos and flea collars that you can buy in just about any shop. Beware of them as some of the chemicals used are worse than the fleas and have been known to cause severe allergic reactions and even death.

There is a natural pesticide that is specific for insects and reportedly completely safe. It's called Diatomaceous earth, which is a type of fossilized algae that looks like chalk dust. It has fine sharp edged particles that attach to and penetrate the coating on the flea's exoskeleton (outside shell) which causes the flea to become dehydrated and then die.

Unfortunately, some cats will also be allergic to the prescription drugs. These

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