Those who own felines will already be well aware of the issue of ticks on cats. Your vet probably informed you that they are small animals that suck the blood of their hosts. Your vet will inform you that although normally harmless, some ticks can carry diseases. This should be your primary motivation for regularly checking your cat for ticks.
All cat owners should have a basic understanding of how to identify ticks on cats. If you need to learn about ticks on cats, then this article will serve as a great starting point to garner your understanding. By understanding how to check for ticks on cats you can ensure your feline friend stands a good chance of remaining healthy.
Ticks On Cats
Understanding what ticks are is key if you want to know how to look for them. Ticks feed off the blood of the host they latch onto. The cat’s skin is penetrated by the teeth of the tick.
After the teeth have been locked in, the tick spends a few days filling up on the blood of the animal. Once full, they lay their eggs, which can be in the thousands.
Recognising Ticks on Cats
It should be obvious now why it is important to identify ticks on cats. It is more effective to feel for ticks than it is to look for them. You run the risk of missing buried ticks if you only look for them with your eyes.
It is imperative to be thorough when looking for ticks on cats. A few minutes of your time could make the difference between finding and not finding a tick.
You tend to find ticks around the head, neck, chest and front legs of a cat, so make sure you check these areas as thoroughly as possible. This rule isn’t without exceptions, so make sure you check all over your cat.
The next stage is to learn how to remove them. Please seek another resource for a guide to this.
Tags: cats, pets, ticks on cats