Dec 9, 2024
Ticks are small, spider-like parasites that feed on the blood of various animals, including cats. Depending on their life stage, ticks have six to eight legs. Adult ticks can resemble tiny spiders because they belong to the same family.
Unlike fleas, ticks don't jump or fly. Instead, they climb or drop onto your cat's coat when your pet brushes past areas where ticks are waiting, such as tall grass or shrubs. Once on your cat, ticks attach firmly to the skin and feed slowly, often going unnoticed for a considerable time.
While ticks are less commonly found on cats than on dogs, outdoor cats, especially those in rural areas, are at a higher risk of encountering these parasites. Ticks are most commonly seen around the face, neck, ears, feet, and legs of your cat.
Common Types of Cat Ticks
Cat ticks come in several species, each with unique characteristics and risks. Here are the common types of cat ticks:
Brown Dog Tick
Rhipicephalus sanguineus is often found indoors in warmer climates and prefers dogs, but it can occasionally latch onto cats. Brown dog ticks can spread diseases like Ehrlichia, which may lead to severe health complications.
Lone Star Tick
Known for having a white dog on the back of the adult female, Amblyomma americanum is prevalent in the southeastern and eastern United States. Lone Star ticks can transmit diseases like Cytauxzoonosis, a serious and often fatal condition.
Deer Tick
The black-legged tick, Ixodes scapularis is common in wooded and grassy areas. Deer ticks are notorious for transmitting Lyme disease and tularemia in cats, but they rarely affect cats with this illness. However, they may carry other pathogens that can pose risks to felines.
Symptoms of Cat Ticks
Ticks on cats can cause a lot of symptoms, ranging from mild to concerning issues. Identifying the signs is a good thing, as you can help your cat recover from the dangers of these parasites. Here’s a short guide on the symptoms of cat ticks to get you started:
Visible Ticks
Ticks are most easily identified as small, dark, or tan bumps on your cat’s skin. They can vary in size, becoming larger and engorged as they feed. Cats with thicker fur may make it harder to see ticks, but they can often be felt as hard, round lumps during petting. You’ll usually notice cat ticks around your best friend’s ears, under the chin, between the toes, and along the tail.
Skin Irritation or Redness
Because of cat ticks, these parasites can cause skin irritation and redness. Ticks inject saliva into the skin when they bite, which can trigger an inflammatory reaction. This might appear as localized redness, swelling, or even a rash.
The irritation can persist for days even after the tick has been removed, depending on how long it was attached. Cats with sensitive skin may exhibit a stronger reaction, including noticeable discomfort in the affected area.
Scabbing or Bumps
After a tick detaches or is removed, the site of the bite may develop into a scab or small lump. This is a natural part of the healing process but can also indicate a minor infection if the area appears inflamed, warm to the touch, or produces discharge.
Behavioral Changes
Additionally, your cats might tend to scratch even more often because of the irritation they feel. The excessive licking, biting, or scratching might indicate the presence of cat ticks. Cats may also over-groom areas where ticks have been, leading to hair loss or raw patches of skin.
Cats also seem to withdraw more often when they feel pain and discomfort. This is the same case when they have cat ticks. General discomfort, restlessness, irritability, and a reluctance to activity and touch are some common responses. You might also notice that your cat does not want to eat anymore. Additionally, it will be tired all the time and will have less interest in playing.
Fever
If a tick transmits a pathogen, your cat’s immune system may react by raising its body temperature. Fever can manifest as warm ears, a dry nose, or a lack of energy. Cats with a fever may also appear sluggish or uninterested in their surroundings.
Breathing Difficulties
Severe tick infestations or certain tick-borne diseases can cause respiratory distress in cats. This may present as shallow or labored breathing, wheezing, or panting. Breathing issues are a medical emergency and should be addressed promptly.
Anemia
In cases of heavy infestation, ticks can draw enough blood to cause anemia, particularly in kittens or small cats. Signs of anemia are weakness, pale gums, and lethargy. Cats with anemia may also have an increased heart rate as their bodies work harder to circulate oxygen.
How to Remove Your Cat’s Ticks
Cat ticks can be easily removed, but you must have the right tools and technique. Here’s a short tick-removal guide to show you how to get started:
Step 1: Gather Your Tools
Start by finding fine-tipped tweezers or a tick removal tool. These are essential for safely grasping and removing the tick. Avoid blunt tweezers, as they can crush the tick. Prepare alcohol, gloves, a pet-safe antiseptic, a towel, and a small container. Place the alcohol in the small container. This is where you’ll want to drop the ticks once you’ve removed them.
Step 2: Hold Your Cat Firmly
Ticks latch onto cats, and removing them might give your best friend a small pinch. This is why it’s important to restrain your cats firmly and comfortably. The most efficient way is to ask someone to help hold down your cat securely.
Step 3: Locate the Cat Tick
Find the cat ticks, which are common behind the ears, around the neck, along the tail base, and between the toes. Here’s a quick guide on locating cat ticks:
How to Locate Cat Ticks
Start by running your hand across your cat’s coat. Check common areas such as the ears, neck, tail base, and paws. Cat ticks usually prefer areas with less fur. Along these areas, you might feel a bump. Be sure not to press on your cat’s skin.
Cat ticks are visible to the naked eye, and they can be clearer once they have been feeding for too long. You can also gently push the fur side to check every corner of your cat’s skin, but always proceed gently.
Step 4: Remove the Tick
Use fine-tipped tweezers or a tick removal tool to hold the tick as close to your cat’s skin as possible. Avoid squeezing the tick’s body, as its contents might drop on your cat. Apply slow, even pressure to remove the tick.
Place the cat tick on the container with alcohol. The alcohol will instantly kill the ticks in here, so you won’t have to worry about them anymore.
Once the ticks are removed, inspect the area to be sure no parts of the tick remain. If the head or mouthparts are still embedded, don’t try to remove them. A safe way is to contact our vets for assistance.
Step 5: Clean the Bite Area
Clean the areas where you found your cat’s ticks after the entire process. Use a pet-safe antiseptic to clean the bite area and to reduce the risk of an infection from occurring.
Preventing Ticks in Cats
Preventing cat ticks from ever bothering your best friend will help a lot. Through simple prevention methods, you can avoid all those unnecessary symptoms and focus on having a great time with your cat. Here’s how you can prevent ticks in cats:
Use Preventive Products
Preventive flea and tick treatments can help protect your cat from these parasites. These preventive treatments can be topical and oral, giving you plenty of options. Spot-on treatments can be easily applied, usually between the shoulder blades, so your cat can’t lick them.
Oral medications are great because they don’t leave a trace on any surface, as opposed to spot-on treatments. However, for these kinds of tick-preventive products, we recommend visiting the clinic first so we can find the best oral medicine for your cat.
Other products, such as flea and tick shampoos, sprays, and powders, are available. However, also make sure that any product you use is specifically formulated for cats, as some ingredients safe for dogs can be toxic to felines. If you need assistance, you can visit the clinic so we can answer all your questions.
Once you visit the clinic, we can provide many choices for preventive treatment for your cat’s tick right from our vet pharmacy.
Regular Grooming
Regular grooming helps keep your cat’s skin and coat free from ticks. You can easily do it at home with the right shampoo and tools. If you choose to have a much deeper clean, cat grooming services can help you clean and protect your cat, avoiding ticks and other external parasites.
Clean Your Home
Always clean your home and keep it free from ticks and other parasites. A good way to do this is to trim your lawn regularly, keeping the grass short. There are lots of products to use that can help you treat your yard. Just keep your cat away from these products.
Limit Outdoor Exposure
Ticks love to stay in grassy and humid areas. To avoid cat ticks, make sure to keep your cats indoors at all times. If you want to spend time outdoors, avoid leaving your cat outside, especially during tick season.
Conclusion
Cat ticks can cause some serious discomfort and pain to your best friend. However, by understanding the right steps to take, you can easily help your cat live tick-free. Regular treatments, grooming, and home cleaning are the best ways to prevent ticks in cats.