Fleas are tiny parasites that are not only annoying, but can also transmit disease and make your cat sick. If you see fleas in your cat's fur, learn how to safely remove fleas from your cat's skin so that disease transmission to your cat and body can be prevented. Flea removal can be tricky, especially if your cat likes to squirm. Therefore, take the time to make sure your flea removal is done right the first time.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Gathering the Necessary Tools
Step 1. Get a flea removal tool
You can use a soft-tipped tongs or a flea pick-up tool. If you don't know what type of tool to use, ask your vet or pet store for advice. You can purchase a flea removal kit from your vet or pet store.
There are many tools that can be used to pick up fleas on cats. Most of these tools, such as spring-loaded tweezers and hooks, are fairly simple and inexpensive and can be very helpful in picking up lice
Step 2. Purchase latex gloves, if you don't already have one
Lice should not be touched by hand because the disease can be transmitted by touch. Protect both hands when removing fleas from cats. If you are allergic to latex, wear nitrile gloves.
Latex or nitrile gloves can be purchased at pharmacies or supermarkets
Step 3. Pour rubbing alcohol into a Ziploc jar or bag
Once removed, the tick is killed by immersing it in rubbing alcohol. Rubbing alcohol can also be used to clean the area of skin where the tick was picked up.
Cotton balls can be used when applying rubbing alcohol to the skin after lice removal
Step 4. Purchase cat-safe antibiotic triple ointment and hydrocortisone ointment
The area of skin where the tick was removed may be irritated for several weeks. Antibiotic ointment will help prevent irritation and hydrocortisone ointment will relieve irritation.
- Human antibiotic ointment and hydrocortisone may be too harsh on cats, so seek advice from your veterinarian for a suitable ointment for cats.
- Purchase a cotton swab, if you don't have one, to apply the ointment to your cat's skin without using your fingers.
- Once all the tools have been collected, place them in an area with good lighting. Arrange your tools so that the flea removal process goes smoothly.
Method 2 of 3: Get Rid of Fleas Safely
Step 1. Pay attention to whether your cat is showing signs of flea poisoning
If fleas have been sitting on the skin for a long time, your cat could get sick. The longer the cat stays on the skin, the more severe the symptoms may appear. If so, take your cat to the vet immediately for treatment.
- Many diseases from ticks are transmitted after the tick has been attached for 24 hours. If possible, get rid of the tick within 24 hours of attaching it to reduce the risk of infection.
- Haemobartonellosis is a common tick-borne disease in cats. Symptoms include lethargy, loss of appetite, and abnormal breathing. This disease is so life-threatening that cats need to be taken to the vet immediately.
- Other tick-borne diseases in cats (Tularemia, Cytauxzoonosis) are much less common, but cats are made very sick by them.
Step 2. Put on gloves
You should never touch the tick directly. Gloves will protect you from disease transmission during the flea removal process.
Step 3. Look for fleas on your cat's skin
Make sure you work in a well-lit area, as fleas are quite difficult to find on a cat's skin. Part the cat's fur with your hands so you can see the cat's skin clearly. Keep in mind that lice like to roam in dark, hidden areas of the skin. Therefore, look carefully at the toes, ears, armpits, and groin areas.
- Lice usually appear dark on the skin. Once it's stuck to your skin, the tick won't move much so you don't have to worry about it escaping when you approach it. Lice will also enlarge when eating so it is easier to see.
- Check for fleas on the cat's skin regularly, especially in the dry season and if the cat is often indoors/outdoors. It's also a good idea to check the area where the fleas often live on a regular basis.
Step 4. Pick up the ticks
Loosen the skin where the tick is and pick up the tick with a tick picker. Ticks must be picked up in the correct place. Pick up the tick between the head and neck and as close to the skin as possible.
- It's easier to have someone hold the cat while you pick up the fleas. If no one else can help, take the cat to the vet for flea control
- Don't squeeze the tick. If squeezed too hard, fleas can release toxins and disease into the cat's body.
Step 5. Remove the tick from the skin
Do this slowly by pulling the tick straight up and off the skin. Do not turn the tongs while picking up the tick, as the head of the tick will detach from the body and remain on the skin.
If the flea is accidentally twisted and the head of the flea remains on the skin, take the cat to the vet if you can't pick it up yourself. Head lice should not be allowed to stick to the skin
Method 3 of 3: After Lice Removal
Step 1. Place the tick in a jar or Ziploc bag filled with alcohol
The alcohol will kill the lice. Do not flush fleas in the toilet as this method does not kill fleas.
Step 2. Clean the skin where the tick was taken
Gently rub alcohol on the area, followed by a triple antibiotic ointment. This will help prevent infection in the area of skin where the tick was taken. Rub the alcohol gently with a cotton swab because alcohol can irritate the cat's skin.
Do not use your fingers to apply the ointment even if you are still wearing gloves. Rub a cotton swab on the ointment and gently dab it on the area of the skin where the lice had previously been
Step 3. Remove gloves and wash your hands
Once the glove is removed, take the glove on the other hand at the wrist so you don't touch the part of your finger that touches the cat's skin. Even if your hands don't touch the cat's skin directly, it's a good idea to wash your hands thoroughly.
Step 4. Monitor the affected skin area
Even if the skin on which the tick is attached is not infected, it will remain infected for several weeks. If the skin appears red and irritated, use a cotton swab to apply a small amount of cat-safe hydrocortisone ointment to the affected area.
- If the cat's skin continues to look red and irritated for several days, take the cat to the vet. This may signal a more serious infection.
- It's a good idea to take your cat to the vet if it shows signs of flea poisoning, even after all fleas have been removed.
Tips
- If you think you can't get rid of cat fleas on your own, take them to the vet.
- Do not believe in myths about getting rid of fleas, such as using petroleum jelly, freezing lice, burning lice with matches, and dripping nail polish on lice. These methods are ineffective and should not be used under any circumstances.
- Treat the cat every month to prevent the arrival of fleas even if the cat rarely leaves the house. Your veterinarian can determine what precautions you can take.
- If your cat is out of the house a lot, try to keep it away from woody or grassy areas where fleas are common. Of course, this will be difficult to do.
- Lyme disease is one of the most common tick-borne diseases in the world, but it is rarely found in cats. In fact, a cat with Lyme disease may not show any symptoms. If your cat is showing symptoms of Lyme disease (lameness moving from one leg to the other, swollen lymph nodes near the tick bite, difficulty breathing), the cat needs to be treated by a veterinarian.
