Cat fleas – stop the itching before it starts

Fleas can cause a host of health issues for your cat and the rest of your family. With Spring around the corner, cat owners in Devizes will see the start of the 2023 flea season soon. So, Sarah our head nurse thought it would be a good time to focus on what cat owners need to know about fleas. Top of the list is to ensure your cat’s own flea protection is in place. If you’re not sure, then give us a quick call and we can tell you your cat’s status.

Call to see if your cat is protected

How to prevent cat fleas

Apart from ensuring your cat’s flea protection is up to date, here are four tips that Sarah suggests you follow to prevent or treat a cat flea infestation.

1. Protect – Ensure all your pets are protected

Cats can catch fleas from other pets in your house, from neighboring pets, other animals in the wild, or even you as fleas can cling onto your clothing! So, making sure all pets in your household have protection with a vet recommended flea treatment is vital.

2. Wash – Wash your pet’s bedding

Fleas love warm places like a cat’s bedding. Regularly wash bedding on a 60–70-degree cycle with a specialist pet bedding wash. Why not ask a question to our Facebook community to see what’s worked for other cat owners?

3. Hoover – Keep your house spotless

Once fleas are in the house, they can be tough to get rid of. Whether you’re looking to help prevent fleas appearing in the first place or remove an established infestation, regular hoovering of the house is essential. Environmental treatments are also available, please ask our team for advice.

4. Check – Check your cat regularly for fleas

Knowing what to look out for is an essential part of catching fleas early. One of the most obvious signs of an infestation is intense itching and scratching, which can lead to hair loss and irritated skin. Otherwise, part your cat’s fur so you can see the skin and look for flea droppings – tiny, black spots in your cat’s fur (mainly dried blood).

Why you need to be vigilant for fleas

As well as being irritating for your cat, and everyone else in the house, a flea infestation can cause anaemia in your cat and provoke allergic skin reactions too. Many people don’t even realise their cat has fleas. A 2018 survey of 300 vet practices treating 1,400 cats and dogs found that over 28% of cats had fleas and 8% had a skin condition caused by a long-term infestation.

That’s why you should check your cat for fleas and ensure their protection is up to date.

If you need information or advice, give our team a quick call and we can tell you the vet-recommended flea treatments we use and make sure your cat is fully protected.

Call us for flea help