During the hot summer, fleas are a common issue for cats and other animals. Fleas prefer warm, humid environments because it provides the best conditions for them to survive.
As cats are susceptible to fleas, which can cause significant irritation and discomfort, but what happens if cats eat fleas?
This is a common question of many cat owners, and it’s important to understand the risks involved.
In this article, we will explore how fleas can affect cats’ health and how you can protect your cats from these parasites.
Do All Cats Get Fleas?
Yes, they do. All cats can get fleas. Fleas are excellent hitchhikers that can quickly enter a house.
Fleas can enter your cats or house by:
1. Outdoor cats
It is normal for outdoor cats to get fleas because they live in a dirt area. Fleas can easily stay on them to either warm up or bite their skin.
If outdoor cats come inside to play with indoor cats that is the best way for fleas to infiltrate inside cats as well.
2. Humans
Indoor cats can get fleas from their owner if they have one or two on their clothes and bring them into the home since fleas quickly enter a house on humans by bags, shoes, and clothing.
3. Rodents
While cats hunt rodents or small animals. Cats can infected fleas from those mammals easily if they have fleas on their skin.
4. Other Pets
Indoor cats also can get fleas from other pets like your dog. Fleas can jump from your dog and pass your cat.
In this case, even if you kill fleas on your dog, fleas might still be on your cat’s skin.
However, indoor cats might not get more fleas if their owner deals with them immediately.
Do Cats Eat Fleas?
Yes, they do. Cats may eat fleas routinely even if they do not intend to consume the flea.
When cats have fleas on their skin, they will groom themselves and swallow fleas.
Cats also can eat fleas while they are eating rodents and small mammals that have fleas.
In fact, cats do not eat fleas since they are not a delicious treat, but cats may consume fleas accidentally when they lick, scratch, nibble, or stir them up while attempting to remove them from their coats.
What Happens If Cats Eat Fleas?
While a flea is safe for a cat to swallow but if your cat eats many of these parasites can cause a variety of health problems in cats.
Fleas are not only annoying but can also transmit diseases and make cats sick.
Here are some common health issues for cats by swallowing fleas.
1. Intestinal Parasites
When a cat consumes a flea, the tapeworm egg is passed along to the cat, where it hatches, adheres to the wall, and begins to feed.
Your cat might not show any signs until the egg segment has passed which can lead to your cat’s severe back itching and it will move small white segments on your cat.
2. Lose weight
In some cases, your cat can lose weight and get sick if it swallows a flea infected because those parasites take all its nutrients.
3. Anemia
If your cat swallows a large number of fleas, it can lead to your cat’s anemia. Your cat might be weak, fast breathing, or even die.
This is a dangerous medical issue, especially for kittens. You must take them to visit your vet immediately.
How Can You Protect Your Cats From Fleas?
While fleas can lead to your cat’s sickness and serious health issues. It is important to protect your cat from fleas in order to keep them healthy and happy.
There are several methods you can use to protect your cats from fleas.
- Keep your eye on your cat’s fur. You should work from the head all to the tail.
If you see fleas or bugs bouncing off on their fur it’s time to fight off them from your cat.
Here are a few steps that you can follow to fight off fleas from your cat:
- You must thoroughly comb the cat to remove adult fleas. Continue to find the adults and pluck them off as possible.
- After that, it’s time to take your cat for a bath. Your cats may hate baths, but it is a helpful way to take fleas off your cat by using flea shampoo that is made for cats.
- Next, wash your cat’s blankets or bedding by using hot water to make sure those title buggers are dead.
- You should vacuum every day or every couple of days and wash your cat’s bedding as frequently as you can.
- If your cat has collars, you should remove them since fleas can hide under them.
- Use flea medicine on the cat, but you must be sure it is made for cats not for dogs or other pets. If your cat still has fleas, you should ask or visit your vet for more suggestions.
Do Fleas Jump Off Your Cat After Treatment With Flea Powder?
There are many different types of flea control products for cats such as flea collars, sprays, spot-ons, and others.
Adult fleas might not jump off after treatment unless it has died. Dead fleas may be seen floating in the water after you bathe your cat.
However, if any fleas jump off it is big trouble. Those fleas will jump back to your pets even after your cat treatment with flea powder.
Fleas can live without food for up to 100+ days and one female flea can lay 100 eggs per day.
In addition, new adult fleas also can be hatched out of their cocoon and they will jump and pass to your cat, dog, or you.
Cocoons are very difficult to kill. It is resistant to almost all flea-killing chemicals.
So it is important for you to clean up the full house after the treatment of your cat. To be sure those cocoons are dead.
All Summary
Cats may ingest fleas but it is not a grab-and-eat situation. Eating fleas can lead to serious health issues for cats such as intestinal parasites, loss of weight, anemia, and even death.
So it is important for cat owners to protect them from fleas and keep them happy and healthy.
You can follow the steps that we have mentioned above like routine flea treatments and good hygiene habits and flea control products.
Thanks for reading!