How does a house cat get fleas

Intestinal Worms. Our Products. How to Help Stop a Flea Infestation. General Health. Tapeworm Dewormer praziquantel tablets for Cats. Tapeworm Dewormer praziquantel tablets for Dogs. Over the Counter Dewormers. Master Brand. Share on. Intro Text. Even if your cat lives indoors, they are still at risk for fleas. Learn how your cat can get fleas and how you can combat an infestation. Learn more. Advantage spot-on is easily applied to the back of the neck.

Use once a month to fight fleas. While the common cat flea prefers fluffy hosts, they will happily bite humans and hitch a ride on our clothes and shoes. Once a preferable victim is nearby, fleas will easily jump more than times their own length to transfer from person to pet. Regularly cleaning your home, vacuuming floors, carpets and upholstery, can help destroy flea eggs and flea larvae and get rid of any invaders brought in by people.

Check your pets too, grooming your cat with a flea comb and gently parting the fur to look for the tell-tale signs of bites , flea dirt or the fleas themselves. Wild animals, particularly rodents, can make their way inside, particularly if you live in the countryside, have a garden, a cellar or an attic.

While these critters are unlikely to want to stay within claws reach of a healthy cat, rats and mice and the like are hotbeds for fleas. Cats in themselves help discourage rodents, but you can help too by keeping your counters free of food and waste.

Make sure your kitchen bin has a heavy lid, empty it regularly and consider keeping it outside. Food scraps should be immediately transferred to the compost pile, if you have one, or thrown away. If hungry invaders are still a problem, check your home for possible entry points, sealing up gaps in doors and windows and putting grills over openings for ventilation and plumbing.

You might find it helpful to consult an expert in pest control who can advise you about prevention. Sooner or later your indoor cat will become an outdoor cat , at least temporarily, such as when you need to take them to the vet, to the groomers or even a cat boarding facility or pet sitter. Here, they can come into contact with other animals and could potentially pick up fleas. The best protection is a regular flea treatment, so keep a calendar reminder to stay up-to-date with regular doses.

The problem is, when a pet has fleas, large numbers of eggs can fall off their coat into the environment, especially in places they rest, sleep and play. For your cat to become infected with a tick, the tick would have to drop off a person and re-attach itself to your cat, says Fink. Wash all sheets and towels following a guest visit, and vacuum your floors, carpets and upholstery. What to do : While most cats will help keep rodent populations away, you can also prevent mice by keeping your counters and kitchen free of food scraps and waste, using humane traps poisonous baits may pose a risk to your pet , and denying rodents entry to the house by using metal screens over openings for plumbing and ventilation and putting tight seals around doors and windows, suggests Fink.

Even if your cat spends most of his time indoors, he still likely leaves the house for an occasional veterinary appointment or grooming visit. These outdoor trips are opportunities for your furry friend to pick up fleas or ticks. Some products may not be safe for kittens, and many dog products are toxic to cats of any age, he adds. You can also enlist the help of a professional cleaning service or exterminator.

Keep in mind that fleas and ticks can arrive on second-hand rugs, furniture, bedding and luggage from thrift stores or infested households, so do a thorough cleaning of these objects before bringing them into your home. Home Cat Care Center. Written by: PetMD Editorial.