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As soon as the temperatures consistently rise above seven degrees, annoying parasites start to reappear. As temperatures become milder, ticks are now active in many places even in winter. Ticks are particularly unpleasant for cats. Why you should remove these pests as quickly as possible and how best to do so is explained in our guide.
As ticks can transmit dangerous diseases, you should ideally check your outdoor cat thoroughly for ticks at least once a day. Combined with a cuddle session, you can give your cat’s entire body a careful once-over.
Pay particular attention to the areas with little fur that ticks favour. Around the head, neck, ears, belly and inner thighs are especially popular spots for ticks to settle.
Regular Tick Checks Are Essential
Depending on how much blood the tick has already taken in, its size can vary from just a few millimetres to the size of a cherry stone.
Keep an eye on the bite site for some time even after removal. Redness, fever or loss of appetite can indicate a possible illness in your cat.
Removing Ticks Correctly: What Should You Do if Your Cat Has Ticks?
If your cat comes home with a tick after one of its adventures, remove it as quickly as possible. It’s best to proceed as follows:
With a tick hook, the tick can be completely removed.
Which Diseases Do Ticks Transmit?
Ticks on cats are not only annoying and feed on our furry friends’ blood. They can also transmit dangerous diseases. Depending on the region, in Germany between 15 and 30 percent of ticks are infected with pathogens.
Compared with dogs, these are fortunately transmitted to cats far less frequently – or cats fall ill much less often for reasons that are not yet fully understood. Nevertheless, with every tick bite there is a possibility that your cat could become infected with a pathogen. The most common infectious diseases include Lyme disease,anaplasmosis, and babesiosis.
What Happens if a Tick Is Not Removed from A Cat?
The pathogens reside in the tick’s gut and migrate to the salivary glands during feeding. On average, it takes around twelve to 24 hours.
The longer the tick feeds on your cat’s blood, the more likely it is that pathogens will be transmitted. By removing ticks from cats quickly after the bite, you can easily minimise this risk.
Do Ticks Fall off Cats on Their Own?
A tick feeds on a cat’s blood for around three to seven days. Once it is fully engorged, it drops off. However, while the tick is attached, there is an infection risk for dangerous diseases such as Lyme disease. You should therefore not wait for the tick to fall off by itself, but remove it properly.
What’s more: if the tick drops off inside the home, it may eventually look for a new host – and that could be a human. In this scenario, the cat acts a bit like a taxi, bringing the unwanted guest home. However, cats do not transmit ticks directly to humans (nor the diseases caused by ticks).
Prevention: What Is the Best Protection Against Ticks in Cats?
Being cautious is, especially when it comes to ticks in cats, always better than dealing with the consequences. That’s why you should protect your cat from tick bites and the risk of disease transmission in advance.
What Do Ticks Dislike in Cats?
There are various products (antiparasitics) available that kill ticks or prevent them from attaching. The following options are available:
Spot-on treatments are applied between the shoulder blades of the cat and then spread over the entire body. Depending on the duration of action (between four and twelve weeks), you will need to treat your cat several times a year.
Sprays work in a similar way to spot-on treatments.
Tablets against ticks for cats are also available from the vet only.
Collars release their active ingredients continuously. They usually repel ticks and other parasites over a longer period (around five to six months). However, they also carry a risk of injury, as cats can get caught on things while wearing a collar.
Are Antiparasitics Harmful to My Cat?
There are many concerns about anti-tick products. Above all, people question whether they might be harmful to humans and animals, as they are essentially nerve toxins.
Most antiparasitics are indeed neurotoxins. Unlike insects, however, humans and cats have what is known as a blood–brain barrier. This means the active ingredient does not reach the areas where it could cause harm.
What Do Vets Recommend Against Ticks in Cats?
Of course, intolerances to anti-tick products can still occur. Every medication has side effects as well as benefits. The range of products available is now so wide that something can usually be found that your cat tolerates better.
However, there are also problematic active ingredients: permethrin, flumethrin and deltamethrin are, for example, toxic to cats. Always make sure that the product is approved for cats.
Are There Any Home Remedies for Ticks in Cats?
Various sources repeatedly promote home remedies such as coconut oil, black seed oil, garlic or amber necklaces as protection against ticks in cats. But do these home remedies really help?
Scientifically, only a slight effectiveness of coconut oil has been demonstrated so far – and only when applied externally. However, this requires treating the cat’s entire body every day. For our naturally very clean cats, this is certainly anything but pleasant.
Important: Home remedies such as garlic or black seed are toxic to cats. You should therefore never use them to repel ticks.
Even if home remedies do keep ticks away in individual cases, there is another point to consider: if a cat doesn’t bring ticks home, other reasons may need to be considered. For example, not all cats are equally attractive to parasites. Some are real tick magnets, while others are bitten only very rarely.
Ticks in Cats: The Three Most Common Myths
When it comes to ticks in cats, there are still many misconceptions. We’ve taken a closer look at the three most important ones.
1. Ticks Drop Onto Their Host from Trees.
Ticks are mainly found in long grass or bushes. They do not drop from trees onto cats or humans.
2. You Always Have to Twist to Remove a Tick.
It is not strictly necessary to twist the tweezers to remove a tick from your cat. After all, parasites don’t have a screw thread. However, if a gentle twisting motion makes it easier for you, that is perfectly fine.
3. It Is Dangerous if the Tick is Not Removed Completely.
If you can’t remove a tick in one piece and the head remains embedded, this is not the end of the world. Normally, the tick’s head is encapsulated by the cat’s body in a scab and eventually falls off with it. However, check the bite site regularly. If you notice signs of inflammation, you should visit your vet.
Nevertheless: as a theoretically ongoing risk of pathogen transmission exists if the head remains embedded, you should always aim for complete removal.
Conclusion: How Bad Are Ticks in Cats?
Ticks can be uncomfortable to dangerous for cats. The bite site can become inflamed if the cat scratches a lot or if the parasite was removed improperly. The main concern is the transmission of pathogens – although cats are less likely than dogs to develop Lyme disease and similar illnesses. A heavy tick infestation can be particularly serious for animals with pre-existing conditions and young kittens: they can develop dangerous anaemia.
Important Note: The content provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional veterinary advice, diagnosis or treatment. If you have any questions or concerns about your pet's health, please always consult a licensed veterinarian.
Franziska Pantelic, Veterinarian
I am supporting the zooplus magazine for several years with my extensive expertise. I became a licensed veterinarian as early as 2009 and currently operate a mobile small animal practice in the metropolitan area of Munich.
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