Why are fleas a problem? Aren't they just a harmless little insect, best known for camping on a DOGS skin in cartoons and working in a flea circus? How can that hurt my cat? Do cats even get fleas? Unfortunately the answer is yes. The Ctenocephalides felisis the common flea that live on cats. Basically, the adult flea bites your cats food to release blood which the adult flea feeds on. The fleas are also busy laying eggs. These eggs will stay on your cats skin or will actually drop off into your carpeting, your furniture upholstery, your cats bed or your bed. Once the eggs hatch, the larve feed on the droppings of the adult fleas, or the "Flea Dirt". It then goes through a cocoon or pupae stage, and then they grow into an adult and the cycle continues.
So, what kind of problems do fleas cause your cat? They are so small, that little bit of blood can't hurt can it? Actually, there are at least three different medical conditions that can be caused by fleas. The first is Anemia, which is caused by the blood loss from the fleas. This can even be fatal in kittens. Another health concern comes from the cats ingesting the fleas they get off their fur. The fleas can carry Tapeworms, and when ingested can infest your cat with this parasite. The third is caused by H. felis, which while it appears to be anemia, it is actually an illness called Haemobartonellosis, which has to be diagnosed through lab testing and treated with antibiotics. There is also the problems of excessive scratching, raw patches of skin and misery for your cat.
What do you do about it? While I know that there are many opinions about this, I can only go with what has worked for me in the past. I have never been a fan of flea collars, too easily chewed and a chance of ingesting a large amount of the active ingredients. I also don't have any experience with the "Green", "Natural" and "Non-toxic" treatments, so I can't really speak to the effectiveness of these products. In my 30 plus years of cat ownership, I have only had one flea infestation that I have had to deal with, and once I started the treatment, it actually didn't take long to see marked improvements. Basically, I used three items to clear up the problem. They were, a good vacuum, a flea comb, and a topical flea treatment that was recommended by my vet.
First, I applied Advantage topical flea treatment. This treatment works on several levels. First it kills fleas living on your cat quickly. Also, as it continues to work over the four to six week time frame that each treatment lasts, it kills the new fleas as they hatch on your cat. Third, as your cats dander spreads around your home, any fleas that are surviving in other areas where your pet normally goes eat the dander and are also killed.
You will need to comb your cat daily with a very fine toothed flea comb. These are available at any pet store. This fine toothed comb will help you remove the dead fleas, the flea dirt, the eggs and pupae from your cats fur and skin. A regular comb or brush has gaps that are too large to catch the flea debris from your cat.
You must also vacuum your home thoroughly , including furniture and even your mattress. You should do this every couple of days for at least a week after first treating your pet. You will also need to lauder your blankets and sheets on your bed, and also if possible your cats bed.
One final tip. Even if your cats never go outside, please treat them in some way. I never treated my cats because they were indoor cats. Unfortunately, they still got fleas even though they never went outside. Now I treat them as recommended on a monthly basis. This prevention is well worth it to prevent the pain and suffering that can be caused by a flea infestation.