Effective Ways Of Getting Rid Of Fleas

Fleas are very annoying creatures. Their main aim is to feed on cats and make their life miserable. Flea infestation can cause itching and restlessness in your cat. This can cause problems for both you and your cat as fleas are not that easy to get rid of. The first and foremost step is to see why your cat is scratching herself. Maybe your cat is getting restless because of some other reasons like anxiety or allergy. If you find no major signs of infestation, then you don’t need to worry about it. But if you are suspicious of flea infestation, continue reading this article to find out signs and treatments for flea infestation.

The popular hotspots of fleas are back of the neck, ear, and groin of your pet. So, if you want to check for flea signs, always look in those areas. If your cat is infested, you’ll see little parasites jumping or crawling on your cat. Below are the main signs that you need to look out for.

Main Signs of Flea Infestation in Cats:

• Restlessness
• Little brown spots on fur
• Constant scratching
• Flea dirt when you rub their fur

Flea dirt is something that falls off when you rub cat’s fur. That is actually an excretion of adult fleas. The best way to identify it is to put a few drops of water on those little black particles and if the water turns red, then your cat most probably has fleas.

If you have established that your cat is infested, the next step should be to tackle this situation with caution. Remember, fleas can be harmful to you too. So, always take safety measures when dealing with such situation.

Here’s what You Should Do To Minimize The Damage –

• Try to remove as many fleas as you can with the help of flea comb.
• Bathe your cat properly. There are many flea shampoos available which you can use.
• Apply spot-on treatment or administer oral tablet. This will speed up the process of killing remaining fleas.
• Vacuum the areas that are accessed by your cat. So, if there are any fleas or flea eggs on the surface, they can be removed.
• Wash any clothes or fabrics in hot water that you think might have been infested.

Flea Infestation Treatments

Year round flea treatment is necessary for cats. Your house is never totally free from fleas, so if you keep using the preventives, your cat won’t be at the risk of getting infested. Mainly there are two treatments available for flea infestation: spot on and oral treatment. Advantage is an effective spot-on treatment for cats. It is to be applied monthly and will get rid of all the fleas. If you prefer oral treatment, Capstar is a fast-acting tablet that will kill most of the fleas within 30 minutes of administration. These year round preventives will protect your cat from any kind of infestation and prevent re-infestation.

It’s always shocking to find out that your cat has been infested by fleas, especially when you keep your house clean all the time. The fleas that you can be spotted are adult fleas. The infestation occurs on a very large scale and the population of adult fleas is very less compared to the eggs and larvae that are scattered around in your house. So, always be on a look-out for those little creatures.

Getting rid of fleas will take some time, but once you start the treatment and take proper care of your cat, there will be lesser risk of infestation. Always keep a watchful eye for re-infestation so your pet doesn’t have to go through this again. We always want our pets to be happy and these small steps will go a long way in protecting your furry companion.