How To Get Rid of Fleas on Cats
Fleas are annoying and relentless pests. They breed quickly, spread everywhere, drink your cat’s blood, and can even spread dangerous diseases to them.
Fleas are small and fast, and no cat is safe from them, even if they only live indoors. So, here are some tips on how to get them away from your cat and your home.
Signs of Fleas
If your cat is scratching herself more than usual, over-grooming, or biting her fur and pulling out hair, there is a high chance she’s infected with fleas.
Check your cats’ fur for signs. Watch out for flea eggs, tiny white specs, flea droppings, pepper-like specks that can be found on your cat’s fur and bedding, or fleas themselves, which are tiny brown bugs that jump fast.
Pay careful attention; since cats are very clean and groom regularly, they will often eat adult fleas before you have a chance to notice them.
Comb Your Cat
Combing your cat regularly can help you detect them early, and it helps to remove and kill existing ones. Comb your cat’s fur several times a day, and dip the comb in hot, soapy water after each brush to kill any fleas or eggs you brushed. While combing isn’t enough to get rid of an infestation on its own, it is a helpful and effective tool in the battle.
Prevention
Prevention is the best medicine. There are various products designed to keep fleas off of your cat. You can buy a flea collar to control flea and other pests, topical drops, and oral tablets for a certain period. However, consult your vet before you purchase the best product for your cat.
Remember that these products usually don’t treat an existing flea infection. If the vet recommends one, use these products year-round for the best effectiveness.
Flea Treatment
There are various flea treatments you can use on your cat. First, you can bathe them with flea shampoo (an option usually not popular with cats). Next, you can consult a vet about sprays or powders you could use.
There are some natural remedies to try as well; you can apply lemon or apple vinegar to your cat’s fur. This will get them off of your cat, but it won’t necessarily kill them, and it won’t kill the flea eggs. Other home remedies are rosemary and chamomile. They can have a soothing effect on your cat’s skin, as rosemary is an excellent choice for effectively killing fleas.
De-Flea Your Home
The fleas feed on your cat but breed and live throughout your house. This is an essential factor in why eliminating them is so hard.
To effectively eliminate fleas, you must vacuum your whole home every day and throw away the vacuum bags immediately. Next, wash all of your and your cat’s bedding every week.
Finally, spray flea treatment or powder on all areas your cat likes to visit. Sprinkling baking powder or salt around your home can substitute flea powder. Keep doing this for a few weeks, even after you think the fleas are gone, since just a few leftover eggs can start the whole mess again.
Do You Have a Problem With Pests?
To learn more about bugs, insects and unwanted critters, contact Garfield Pest Control to eliminate these pests once and for all.
