Indoor Cat Getting Fleas

Indoor cat fleas are a common nuisance to cat owners. It is important that you check your home and environment for fleas, they can be found in the carpet, furniture, on your clothing, and even on other pets.

While indoor cats are at a lower risk for catching fleas than their outdoor counterparts, it is still possible for your cat to run into this nasty parasite. Fleas are tiny but powerful —they use powerful back legs to jump on pets as they walk by and some fleas can jump up to 7 inches high. They also multiply rapidly; when feeding on a pet, like your cat, a single flea can lay up to 50 eggs a day. Here’s what you need to know to help keep your indoor cat protected from fleas.

Indoor Cat Getting Fleas

it’s quite common for indoor cats to get fleas. Incessant licking and scratching are key clues, as are the brown specks this cat owner saw. Known as  “flea dirt,” these specks are actually the feces of the flea. You can verify that they’re flea dirt by putting them on a paper towel and then misting them with water to see if they turn red. If they do, it’s evidence of fleas because the flea feces are composed of digested blood.

So, how is it possible for indoor cats to get fleas? Here are the 5 most common ways:

• Another pet that lives in or visits the home. Even if a dog is treated with a flea prevention product, some over-the-counter products take some time to kill the parasites. This gives fleas enough time to enter the home and either hop on the cat or lay eggs in carpeting or furniture.
• On people’s clothes or shoes. Although fleas can’t fly, they can jump quite far and they’re adept at seeking out warm, living hosts—and the more fur to hide in, the better. Fleas can easily hitchhike in a person’s pant legs or shoes and find their way quickly to your cat.
• Rodents. While mice aren’t likely to survive long in a house with a healthy cat, they’ll probably live long enough to bring fleas into the home. They can drop flea eggs which then hatch and hop on the cat.
• Visits outside the home. If your cat ever stays with pet sitters or is boarded while you’re gone, or goes to the groomer, she or he is at risk for picking up fleas.
• Moving to a new home. Fleas go through many stages and can be dormant for months until the environment, or host, is right. The previous homeowners may have had a pet that had fleas. And if you live in an apartment—even a complex that doesn’t allow pets—the communal hall carpeting may be a breeding ground for fleas which, as discussed above, can enter your apartment on your shoes or pant legs.
• Infested items brought into the home. If you ever buy furniture, rugs, luggage or bedding from Craigslist or second hand stores, know that fleas can come into your home on those items. They may not be visible or may be dormant, so always thoroughly clean the items before bringing them into your home.

Indoor Cat Getting Fleas

It’s a fact: indoor cats can get fleas. But we’re here to tell you that it doesn’t have to be like this. There are steps you can take to make sure your indoor cat stays as flea-free as possible—and they don’t involve toxic chemicals or expensive treatments.

Fleas aren’t just a problem for outdoor cats, but there’s no denying that they’re more common in the outdoors because of all the other animals out there who have fleas. You may think that as long as your indoor cat doesn’t go outside, he or she will never get fleas—but you’d be wrong! Just like mosquitoes, ticks, and other bugs that carry diseases, fleas can come in through your doors and windows on their own without ever having been outside themselves. And once they’re inside your house? They’ll find somewhere warm and cozy—like a furry friend—to live until they’re ready to start laying eggs again so they can continue their life cycle.

List Of Indoor Cat Getting Fleas