How To Tell If A Black Cat Has Fleas
Cats are generally clean animals, but if your kitty has fleas, you’ll soon notice them jumping off their bodies and showing up on yours. If you’ve had a flea infestation in the past, you’re probably well aware of this fact. But once you get rid of the fleas, it’s a good idea to learn how to tell if a cat has fleas just in case it ever happens again.
Every pet owner worries about their cat having fleas. What are the signs of a flea problem? How can you tell if your cat has fleas? This article goes over 4 easy ways to tell if your cat has fleas.
Any pet owner will know that fleas are a real problem. They can make your cat’s fur look unkempt and uncomfortable. Fortunately, there are things that you can use to help treat your cat. And it’s important to know how to tell if your cat has fleas so that you can treat it quickly.
How To Tell If A Black Cat Has Fleas
How To Tell If A Cat Has Fleas
Cats are clean and tidy pets, so it can be difficult to tell if your cat has fleas. Fortunately, there are some tell-tale signs that your feline is suffering from a flea infestation.
If you’re anything like me, you love your cat. But if you’re also anything like me, you hate fleas. I’ve had cats for over 20 years, and I’ve dealt with flea infestations on several occasions. It’s not fun—not only can they make your cat scratch itself raw, but they also carry tapeworms that can infect humans.
So how do you know if your cat has fleas? Here are some of the most common signs:
-Your cat is scratching itself excessively or biting at its skin
-Your cat is losing fur or scabbing up
-You see fleas on your cat’s body or in its bedding (they’re tiny little bugs)
What’s causing the itching?
If you have a pet, then you know that they love to scratch, lick or bite at themselves. This can be caused by various things including fleas and allergies. To determine if your cat has fleas, look for signs such as black specks on their fur or skin (flea dirt), red bumps around their ears or neck area and excessive scratching.
How do I treat my cat for fleas?
There are many products available in stores that will kill fleas on contact but if you want something more natural then try rubbing some lavender oil onto your cat’s coat which will help repel any future infestations as well as relieve any existing ones!
How To Tell If A Black Cat Has Fleas
When springtime brings warm weather, you may be visited by some uninvited guests. Fleas become most active when temperatures are favorable (35°C and a relative humidity of 70 percent are ideal conditions for flea populations). In parts of the world where winter temperatures fall below this for more than 40 hours per month, households and pets get a bit of a break from flea activity.
Fleas are indeed very active insects, feeding on blood from your cat and you. They jump onto passing animals and burrow down into the fur to the skin, where they stay well hidden while biting and ingesting blood. This is irritating to the animal, and humans as well, as the bites can cause severe itching and inflammation.
How Do I Know if My Cat has Fleas?
Behavioral Signs
In severe infestations, it’s easy to spot fleas jumping and moving on and off your cat’s body. In less obvious situations, you may notice that your cat is restless and doing more scratching or chewing on certain areas of his body. Shaking the head often and scratching at the ears is another indication of a possible flea infestation in your cat.
Excessive and constant licking at the haircoat is another sign of potential fleas, especially in cats. Many cats will even groom the fleas out of the haircoat before you get a chance to see the evidence.
Check the Skin and Haircoat
In order to see actual fleas on your pet, you may have to look fast. Fleas can jump very fast and very high. Fleas are very small (1/16-1/8 in.), flat-bodied insects that are a dark brown, almost black, color. The more blood they ingest the lighter in color they may appear.
Turn your cat on his back and check areas that allow fleas to hide. The armpits and groin are two areas that are warm and protected; favored spots for fleas to hide out. Check your cat’s ears carefully for signs of scratching, redness, blood, or dirt. These can all be signs of fleas. The skin on the belly, groin, or base of the tail may appear red and bumpy, especially if your cat is doing a lot of scratching. Hair loss may occur in certain areas that are being scratched excessively, and there may be black spots on the skin along with scabbing.
Get a flea comb (a specially made comb with closely set teeth) and run it through the hair on your cat’s back and legs. The comb’s teeth are designed to catch and pull fleas out from under the haircoat where they are hiding. Make sure you get close to the skin when running the comb through the hair so you have a greater chance of getting to where the fleas are hiding out. Have a bowl of soapy water on hand to douse any live fleas into as you find them while combing.
One trick that may help you if the fleas are hard to see is to place a white piece of paper or paper towel on the floor next to your pet while coming through his hair. Flea dirt (i.e., flea feces) will fall off of the cat’s skin and land on the paper. One way to differentiate between regular dirt and flea “dirt” is to wet any black specks that fall off the cat onto the white paper towel (using regular water sprinkled on the specks). If they turn a dark reddish-brown color, you are seeing the digested blood that the flea has passed through its body and excreted.
List Of Products To Control Fleas on Cats
Vet’s Best Flea and Tick Home Spray | Flea Treatment for Dogs and Home | Plant-Based Formula | 32 Ounces
Price : $9.97
Features :
- GENTLE PROTECTION: Vet’s Best Flea & Tick Home Spray uses certified natural ingredients to kill fleas, flea eggs, and ticks on contact.
- PROVEN EFFECTIVE: Whether facing an active infestation or are applying for routine prevention, our spray is scientifically proven effective against pests but gentle enough to use around the whole family.
- CERTIFIED NATURAL OILS: Each steam-distilled essential oil is selected for its potent pest-fighting properties and is 100% Certified Natural.
- TOTAL HOME DEFENSE: Applies easily on surfaces, indoors and out, including dog bedding, crates, furniture, blankets, upholstery, carpets, outdoor surfaces, and more. Also gentle enough to be applied directly on dogs and puppies 12 weeks or older.
- MADE IN THE USA: Our products are proudly manufactured in the USA with quality domestic and internationally sourced ingredients.
Additional Info :
| Color | Green |
| Item Dimensions | |
| Height | 0.81 Inches |
| Width | 3.38 Inches |
| Length | 3.38 Inches |
| Weight | 2 Pounds |
Flea and Tick Spray for Dogs & Cats Safe Humans Kids & Pet Vet’s Treatment Best Pets Ticks, Fleas and Insect Killer Best for Home Yard, Outdoor and Indoor House, No Powder & All Natural, Charity !
Price : $12.59 ($3.07 / Fl Oz)
Features :
- NATURAL TREATMENT: Use natural plant essential oil ingredients to kills and repel fleas and ticks, lice, mite, mosquitoes through contact. It can kill these pest all life cycle, including eggs, larvae and adults.
- SAFE AND EFFECTIVE: It is safe for dogs and cats of all ages. It can be frequently used for puppies, kittens and senior pets as needed. It can be used safely in the whole family and is safe for children.
- Plant essential oil ingredients: Natural plant essential oil spray can effective alternative to collars, pills, chews and drops are safe alternatives.
- Comprehensive prevention: suitable for dogs, cats and homes! kills fleas on carpets, furniture, bedding and the entire house on the floor. It can use in pet environments (such as kennels or cat apartments)
- CHARITY !!– With every sold spray we donate 1$ to Organizations that are engaged in saving animals. Help us to give them hope! Nothing is more important than the safety and health of your pet.
Additional Info :
| Item Dimensions | |
| Weight | 0.2645547144 Pounds |
PETARMOR Home Carpet Powder for Fleas and Ticks, Protect Your Home From Fleas and Deodorizes Carpets, 16 Ounce
Price : $7.58
Features :
- LONG LASTING CONTROL: PetArmor Home & Carpet Spray kills all stages of fleas and protects against reinfestation for up to 7 months. Kills fleas, dust mites and lice.
- PET ODOR: PetArmor Flea and Tick Home and Carpet Spray freshens and deodorizes carpets, has a clean fresh scent, and is available in a 16 oz. ounce size.
- EFFECTIVE AGAINST PESTS: PetArmor Home Powder kills brown dog ticks, fleas, and flea eggs, flea larvae, and flea pupae.
- PROTECT YOUR HOME: Find fleas or ticks on your pet? They are probably in your home. Fleas lay up to 50 eggs a day. PetArmor Home Carpet Power helps you in the fight against fleas and ticks.
- PETS ARE FAMILY: PetArmor flea and tick home products help you confidently protect your furry family member from fleas and ticks at home without a visit to the vet.
Additional Info :
| Item Dimensions | |
| Height | 3.05 Inches |
| Width | 3.05 Inches |
| Length | 7.13 Inches |
| Weight | 1 Pounds |
Pomeat 10 PCS Scat Mat for Cats Indoor, Cat Scat Mat with Spikes Sprickle, Digging Deterrent for Dogs, Outdoor for Garden and Fence, Cat Deterrent with 7 Staples 16″ x 12″
Price : $24.99
Features :
- ★SET OF 10 CAT SCAT MAT —Humane plastic cat spike mat, compare with other expensive pet shock mats that are the perfect way to avoid critter & wildlife from digging & scratching. Perfect size 16″ x 12″ can cover a large area in your garden.
- ★NO HARM TO YOUR PETS —The upgraded plastic spike will be tall enough to deter any pestering critter, cat, or dog from wherever you want. The more effective humane solution, will not pierce the skin or paws but will keep them away.
- ★HUMANE DETERRENT —The cat deterrent outdoor will protect your garden, flower beds, pots, yard from digging & scratching. Also, you can put it on sofa, countertop, car, and other places to stop scratching, peeing, pooping in unwanted areas.
- ★DURABLE MATERIAL —Made of safe & high-quality material that will gently scare animals without harming them. Perfect size scat mat with 16″ x 12″ and comes with 7 staples. You can easily cut each cat scat mat into strips to fit in any space.
- ★EASY TO USE —Lightweight and flexible material to be placed on any surface. The top, bottom, side have interfaces, can be freely cut and spliced as your need. Include 20 small curved hooks that can be cut directly, then fix your mat edge.
Additional Info :
| Item Dimensions | |
| Height | 0.9842519675 Inches |
| Width | 11.2204724295 Inches |
| Length | 15.74803148 Inches |
| Weight | 1.5873282864 Pounds |
Hartz UltraGuard Flea & Tick Cat Spray, Model:3270091028
Price : $5.12
Features :
- Fresh-scented spray kills fleas and ticks through contact
- Includes an 8 ounce spray bottle
- Can be used weekly for preventative treatment
- Starts killing fleas within 10 minutes
- For cats and kittens 12 weeks of age and older
Additional Info :
| Color | Cat Spray |
| Item Dimensions | |
| Height | 8.13 Inches |
| Width | 1.88 Inches |
| Length | 1.88 Inches |
| Weight | 0.5 Pounds |