How To Tell If Your Cat Has Fleas Or Dry Skin
You are reading this article because you are worried that your kitty has fleas. Maybe you have seen fleas on your cat and want to be sure it’s not just a regular problem. Maybe you’ve heard your friends talk about fleas – it could even be that you’re really sure your pet has fleas and probably been trying to figure out how to get them off their kitty for a while.
How to tell if your cat has fleas? It’s easy. If you can see small black or brown “flea dirt specks” in the hair around your pet’s neck, back, or sides, then you cat probably has fleas. You may also notice an unusual scratching habit that is typically accompanied by a flea allergic reaction. This itching and scratching behavior is a common sign of the presence of parasitic fleas (Ctenocephalides felis) on a host animal.
How To Tell If Your Cat Has Fleas Or Dry Skin
If your cat is scratching more than usual, you may be dealing with a flea infestation. While it’s possible for your cat to have dry skin and fleas at the same time, this is not likely. The best way to tell if your cat has fleas or dry skin is to observe their behavior.
If your cat is scratching more than usual, you may be dealing with a flea infestation. While it’s possible for your cat to have dry skin and fleas at the same time, this is not likely. The best way to tell if your cat has fleas or dry skin is to observe their behavior.
If your cat is scratching itself excessively, but there are no visible signs of irritation on its skin (rash or redness), then it’s likely that they are suffering from an infestation of fleas. If you see any signs of irritation (such as redness or flaking), then it could be an issue related to dry skin instead of fleas.
Cats have a unique way of expressing their thoughts and feelings. When it comes to fleas and dry skin, their behavior can be a dead giveaway.
If your cat is scratching excessively or losing hair, they probably have dry skin or fleas. Here are some signs that might indicate a problem:
Licking and biting themselves
Scratching
Excessive grooming (especially on the lower half of their body)
Shaking their head or rubbing it against furniture, walls, or other objects in an attempt to get relief from itching.
When you see these signs, take your cat to the vet as soon as possible.When it comes to your cat’s health, you want to know as much as possible. While it’s easy to tell when your cat has fleas, dry skin can be harder to spot. While you’ll want to get rid of both situations as soon as possible, it’s important that you can tell the difference between the two conditions in order to treat them effectively.
How To Tell If Your Cat Has Fleas Or Dry Skin
The symptoms of flea infestations and skin conditions can sometimes be interrelated, particularly if your pet suffers from a flea allergy, making a home diagnosis confusing. If your pet doesn’t respond to flea treatment, a veterinary examination is necessary to determine the reasons for her itching and discomfort.
The Flea Detective
Finding fleas on Sheba’s skin or coat gives you the hard evidence you need to give these pesky parasites their marching orders. Black or dark copper colored and roughly the size of a pinhead, fleas crawl along the surface of their victim’s skin. Pay particular attention to your kitty’s tummy and inner thighs, because fleas have an aversion to light and prefer to conceal themselves in these dark nether regions. If you don’t see any fleas, try grooming your kitty with a flea comb held over a white paper towel. Examining your pet’s skin and bedding for flea feces will help clinch the case. Flea dirt, which is composed of digested blood, resembles dark specks of pepper sprinkled along the surface of your cat’s skin. For a more thorough forensic analysis, remove some of these specks and place them on a white paper towel. After a few moments they should spread out like a small yet incriminating blood stain. Don’t be deterred from administering an anti-flea treatment if you don’t find visible evidence, because there will be fewer fleas and they will, therefore, be less easy to spot if the infestation is in its early stages.
Flea Symptoms
Kitties with fleas will scratch, bite and lick themselves to relieve the itching and discomfort. Your pet may groom herself so much she develops bald spots, particularly around her neck and on the back of her legs and base of her tail. If the infestation if severe, the blood loss incurred by the fleas’ relentless onslaught can lead to anemia, although this is more common in
kittens and elderly cats. Symptoms of anemia include lethargy, muscle loss and pale gums.
Flea Allergies
Cats allergic to flea saliva exhibit more severe symptoms, including red lesions, bumps and crusts on the skin’s surface and red raw patches that have become infected due to incessant scratching. This condition, known as feline miliary dermatitis, can easily be confused with other skin conditions, including ringworm. Flea allergies are the most common cause of miliary dermatitis, although environmental allergens, mosquito bites, lice, food allergies, hormonal imbalances and reaction to medications can also trigger the conditions. Your vet may prescribe topical skin ointments to soothe the irritation and treat infections. If fleas aren’t the culprits and the cause of the allergy can’t be determined or eliminated from your kitty’s environment, your vet may prescribe medication that blocks the allergic reaction.
Ringworm
Ringworm is caused by a fungal infection that sometimes manifests in dry, scaly patches of skin, as well as hair loss and lesions on the skin. Ringworm can easily be confused with flea allergy dermatitis; your vet can confirm the presence of ringworm by taking a skin culture or by examining hair samples under a microscope or ultraviolet lamp. The condition is easily treated with anti-fungal ointment.
Dry Skin
As with people, cold winter air can cause dry, flaky skin, making your kitty scratch and lick to find relief to soothe the irritation. Nutritional inadequacies and products in grooming products and shampoos may also dry up his skin. Feeding your kitty a well-balanced diet and using hypoallergenic shampoos and soaps formulated for felines can address these problems. Your vet may also prescribe a dietary supplement containing essential fatty oils if diet is a contributing factor.
List Of How To Tell If Your Cat Has Fleas Or Dry Skin
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Additional Info :
| Item Dimensions | |
| Height | 4 Inches |
| Width | 3.5 Inches |
| Length | 3.5 Inches |
| Weight | 0.92 Pounds |
- Waterproof flea and tick treatment for cats and kittens: Frontline Plus for Cats provides waterproof, fast-acting, long-lasting flea and tick treatment and control for your cat. This product is approved for use on cats and kittens 1.5 lbs and over.
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| Color | Green |
| Item Dimensions | |
| Height | 0.5 Inches |
| Width | 4.5 Inches |
| Length | 6 Inches |
| Weight | 0.07054792384 Pounds |
- Powerful – A little goes a long way with the Angry Orange pet odor eliminator for home use. It’s a carpet deodorizer that targets strong, lingering smells at the source and destroys them.
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Additional Info :
- 3.5-ounce tube of Benadryl Extra-Strength Cooling Itch Stopping Anti-Itch Gel for fast cooling relief from skin pain and itching from most outdoor itches
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- Cooling gel formula contains 2% of the topical analgesic pain reliever diphenhydramine hydrochloride that works by blocking histamines to relieve itches associated with several ailments
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Additional Info :
| Item Dimensions | |
| Height | 6.35 Inches |
| Width | 2.43 Inches |
| Length | 1.47 Inches |
| Weight | 3.5 ounces |
| Release Date | 2015-06-22T00:00:01Z |
- (1) 30-Count Box – Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets Probiotics Cat Supplement, Fortiflora Feline Nutritional Supplement
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Additional Info :
| Color | white |
| Item Dimensions | |
| Height | 5 Inches |
| Width | 3 Inches |
| Length | 4 Inches |
| Weight | 0.06875 Pounds |