Ticks on cats and kittens

Sometimes owners are faced with such an unpleasant problem as ticks on cats. What to do with them and how to get them out? These parasites live on the surface of the skin and in its outer layers.

These insects live in tall grass and move onto cats, most often during a walk. To remove them, you will need special tools, and it is also worth learning how to use them correctly. If a cat is bitten, it is necessary to take all necessary measures as much as possible.

Types of cat ticks

Cats typically suffer from three types of these parasites:

• ixodid and argasid;
• scabies;
• ear

The first type is characterized by small sizes, about 4 mm. The Argas type is large in size, usually from 3 to 30 mm. Both of these species have four legs. At the first stage of development, that is, in the form of a larva, they have 6 legs.

These parasites differ in the structure of their body. Ixodids have a flat body, tapering on one side. On the back there is a shield with a dark color. Argasaceae have a wide body, enlarging after eating. This is due to folds that can stretch significantly without damaging the outer shell of the tick.

After complete saturation, the tick falls off, leaving a red spot on the cat’s body with a burgundy dot in the center.

Ixodid ticks

This type of tick is a carrier of some dangerous diseases for animals, such as hemobartonellosis and tularemia, piroplasmosis.

Cats tolerate the latter disease much easier than dogs, but in the chronic stage it leads to complications in the future. Hemobartonellosis is an infectious disease that is asymptomatic in most cases. Less commonly it may appear as:

• lethargy of the animal;
• fatigue;
• poor appetite;
• disturbed breathing rhythm;
• temperature;
• heart rhythm disturbances;
• pallor of the mucous membranes of the eyes and gums.

Tularemia is a bacterial disease. Some time after the bite (1-10 days), the animal develops small sores in the mouth, tongue, head or neck. The animal's lymph nodes become enlarged, and in some cases the cat may begin to cough, as the disease affects the respiratory system. Sometimes this disease can even lead to the death of a pet. Tularemia can be transmitted from animals to humans.

Ear mite

This is one of the most common types of blood-sucking parasites, which affects both indoor and outdoor individuals. This is a small arthropod that breeds in warm, humid environments. After infection, the arthropod penetrates the ear canal, which leads to abundant production of sulfur and scabies. This usually occurs in both ears at the same time, causing pain and suffering to the animal. Ear mites can be recognized by a number of characteristic symptoms:

• the pet becomes restless;
• often shakes his head, meows pitifully;
• rubs ears against various surfaces, especially corners, scratches ears with paws;
• a purulent mass with a characteristic odor appears in the auditory canal;
• Dark brown crusts appear in the animal's ear.

If treatment is not started, the bloodsucker will penetrate the pet’s inner and middle ear and the meninges. This has more dangerous consequences, such as:

• depressed state of the cat;
• high temperature;
• the cat's head is strongly bent to the side;
• seizures;
• death of the animal.

To prevent this scenario from happening, at the first symptoms you need to seek the help of a veterinarian who will rid your cat of ear mites.

Scabies mite

Veterinarians divide scabies into three types, depending on the type of parasite:

• type of sarcoptic mange is carried by Sarcoptes canis;
• demodicosis – Demodex (cati or gatoi);
• notoedrosis – Notoedres.

Scabies can be of two types:

1. Local or localized.
2. General or generalized.

Scabies mites cause two types of disease in cats. In the first option, the tick settles on one part of the body, except for the animal’s paws. With the general form of scabies, the entire body of the animal is affected, including the limbs. The second form is more dangerous and more difficult to deal with.

If the pet has good health and immunity, the parasite is in “sleep mode”. The disease passes without any symptoms. If the cat's immunity weakens, the parasite will begin its activity.

What does a subcutaneous mite look like in cats?

Demodexes are very small and can only be seen under a microscope. They are worm-shaped. An adult male is 182 microns long, 20 microns wide, a female is 220 microns long, about 30 microns wide. Arachnids are gray in color.

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The cephalothorax and abdomen are fused. The prosoma has 4 pairs of short legs, each of which consists of three segments ending in claws. The proboscis is well developed.

How to find a tick on a cat's body

Many owners, having suspected something wrong in their pet’s behavior, do not know how to detect a tick on the animal’s body. Distinctive features are: black, gray body, round or drop-shaped;

• the number of legs depends on the developmental phase (a young individual has 3 pairs, an adult – four);
• has a proboscis on its head through which the parasite feeds;

When sucking, the parasite goes deep into the skin with its head, and the body remains outside. It is difficult to detect ticks, especially in the animal’s thick fur. Judging by its size, you can understand how long it has been feeding. Before suction, it looks like a small seed, but after feeding, its size increases significantly, and its color changes to red, pink or burgundy.

In this state, it is much easier to find the parasite; for this you will need a good bright light and a fine-toothed comb. It is advisable to calm the animal and position it comfortably. Then take a comb and comb the entire surface of the animal and feel against the growth of the fur. To make the process easier, you need to trim the hair around the tick.

Signs and symptoms of bites

During the incubation period, the cat looks absolutely healthy. After this, the first signs of a bite begin to appear:

• change in urine color (red, dark, black, green);
• lethargic state;
• constant thirst;
• inactivity;
• loss of appetite;
• diarrhea and vomiting;
• anemia;
• high body temperature.

The temperature may be observed in the first days, after which it drops to a normal level. If the disease progresses, the cat's condition constantly worsens and new symptoms appear. If you are unable to cope with this problem on your own, you will have to contact a veterinary clinic for help from specialists.

Favorite places

Ticks are most easily found on parts of the body without fur. Their favorite places are:

• armpit area;
• groin area;
• the inside of an animal's ears.

In these areas, parasites are more common than usual.

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What to do if your cat is bitten by a tick

If a tick is found on a cat, it is important to take very quick action and remove it as soon as possible. This is done with rotational movements; you can use special devices, for example, a “tick-twister” or tweezers.

This procedure is best carried out with rubber gloves. To prevent the head from remaining in the animal’s skin and causing inflammation, you need to grab the parasite as close to its proboscis as possible. After removal, it must be burned and the wound must be thoroughly disinfected.

It is important to observe the cat, its behavior, changes in the animal’s well-being. If there are any changes, immediately seek specialized help. Infection occurs within 24 hours from the moment of the bite. There are other ways to get rid of ticks, which will be discussed below.

Insectoacaricidal drops

If the parasite has just started sucking blood, you can get rid of it using tick drops for cats, which have an insectoacaricidal effect. After treatment, the tick disappears on its own. It is important to treat the wound with a disinfectant, such as alcohol, peroxide or iodine.

The most common among them is leopard against ticks for cats. Binacar and Dana Ultra also have good effectiveness. They must be used in strict accordance with the instructions. These drops are a tick repellent for cats.

Table of drugs for the treatment of tick bites.

Special tools

The most effective way to get rid of a tick is to use special tools such as a tick remover. You need to spread the fur in the place where the parasite has attached itself, and then create a branch under it. When the parasite is fixed, the end must be slightly lifted and rotated until it is removed.

The whole procedure will take just a few minutes. The instructions for this remover include detailed instructions on how to remove a tick from a cat. There are also other special devices for this:

1. Tick ​​Twister Unclean. It resembles a nail puller; its lower part is placed under the parasite and rotated, gradually pulling it out.
2. Trix Tix Lasso loop. It looks like a regular pen with a button at the top. The loop is thrown over and compresses it tightly, and then removed with a rotational movement.
3. Pro Tick Plate. Its shape is similar to a bottle opener. The narrow part is placed under the tick and pressed against the cat's skin.

All these tools are sold at a veterinary pharmacy or pet store. They can pick up a tick and quickly remove it from the cat’s skin.

Mechanical twisting method

The mechanical method allows you to get rid of this problem on your own, but it is important to know how to remove a tick from a cat at home. A tick that has spent several hours on a cat is more difficult to remove. This is why a mechanical method is needed. Actions must be careful, otherwise you can crush the parasite. It is also important not to tear off its head, which is located in the pet’s skin.

Using tweezers

It is recommended to pre-disinfect tweezers, for example, in alcohol or chlorhexidine. It needs to be clamped at its very base and rotated until the proboscis appears. You should pull it out very carefully so as not to damage it.

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Removal by thread

You can remove a tick with the most ordinary thread. The abdomen is wrapped with a thread and then carefully removed, but it cannot be called safe. It must be remembered that after extraction, you need to deliver the parasite to the laboratory for analysis. It doesn't matter which way you turn. Removal occurs due to notches on the proboscis, which change their position when rotated.

Syringe without needle

You need to cut off the part of the syringe to which the needle is attached. The piston must be down. The syringe is placed in such a way that it fits tightly to the animal’s body, and then is simply retracted by vacuum.

Examination of a cat by a veterinarian.

Injection with a hot needle

This method kills the tick. When it dies, the oral cavity relaxes, which makes it easier to separate it from the cat. The downside is that a lot of parasite saliva is released into the animal’s blood, which increases the risk of infection with dangerous diseases.

Ticks and their danger to cats

Large-sized ixodid ticks live in parks and city squares.
The female parasite reaches four millimeters in length, the male - slightly less than three. On the proboscis near the oral cavity they have back-facing teeth with which they pierce the skin of the victim. A tick bite is accompanied by the release of saliva, which anesthetizes the wound site. Most often, bloodsuckers choose the most vulnerable places to attack - the stomach, withers, hind legs, groin area, ears. The animal cannot comb out the pest on its own.

If a cat is bitten by a tick, there is a risk of the animal becoming infected with serious diseases, including:

• hemobartonellosis;
• tularemia;
• theileriosis.

Symptoms of pathologies develop gradually and often lead to death.

You can tell that a tick has gotten on your pet and is attached to it by certain signs.

The animal becomes lethargic, inactive, and refuses to eat. Even if the biting insect has left the victim, at the first signs of intoxication in the pet’s body, it is necessary to contact a veterinarian.

A tick bite threatens a cat with various serious diseases.

An experienced owner should always examine the pet after a walk, paying attention to its behavior. If a parasite is found on an animal’s body, it is imperative to quickly remove the bloodsucker. There are a number of rules that are used when they don’t know what to do if a cat has been bitten by a tick:

• The place where the parasite is found should not be lubricated with sunflower oil or Vaseline. Neither kerosene nor machine oil is used. Oily substances will block the tick’s access to oxygen; it will quickly inject dangerous saliva into the animal’s body.
• You can remove a tick from a cat with tweezers, wrapping it around the body of the insect as close to the head as possible. Grab the body of the insect with your fingers wearing rubber gloves.
• The movements used to pull out the parasite are characterized by rocking its body with gradual twisting. It is important not to leave the tick head inside the cat's body.
• If it was not possible to pull out the pest completely, and its head has become detached from the body, then carefully pull it out using a disinfected needle, like a splinter.
• As soon as the tick is pulled out, lubricate the bite site with alcohol and iodine.
• The pest must be destroyed by burning. If they are worried about being infected with a dangerous disease, they submit the tick to the laboratory. There they will determine whether the parasite is a carrier of viral pathology or not.
• It remains to observe the cat for several days to make sure there are no alarming symptoms. The appearance of lethargy and inflammation on the cat’s skin is a signal to visit the veterinary clinic.

In the event that tick saliva enters the animal’s bloodstream, viral and parasitic infections may occur.

If a tick bites a pregnant cat and she gets sick, then the born kittens can become infected from the mother.

Remove ticks with tweezers correctly

If you ignore the moment when a cat was bitten by a tick and what to do in this situation, you can lose your pet. After all, the consequences can be sad, and they will appear after two to three weeks.

If your cat’s health worsens after a tick bite, you should immediately contact a veterinarian.

The protozoa, having got from the saliva of the tick into the blood of the cat, are located in colonies in the liver, lungs, and spleen of the animal. Symptoms of theileriosis include:

• unexplained lethargy;
• heaviness of breathing;
• loss of appetite;
• increased body temperature;
• yellowness of the sclera.

Diagnosis of the disease is associated with research of biological material in the laboratory. It is imperative to separate the disease from manifestations with similar symptoms. Timely treatment will lead to the cat’s recovery. But more often the animals die.

Piroplasmosis is caused by protozoa, Babesia, which infect blood cells. Once in the bloodstream, they quickly spread, actively feeding and multiplying in red blood cells. After their actions, the cells are destroyed. If a bitten cat becomes lethargic, refuses to eat, has a yellowish tint to its mucous membranes, a high temperature, and brown urine, then it has become infected with piroplasmosis. Although the infectious disease is rare, it is important to know its symptoms.

Only timely treatment can save the animal’s life.

The causative agent of borreliosis is a spirochete, which, once in the animal’s body, may not manifest itself for several months. If the disease is detected in the early stages, it can be cured. In the worst case, the cat will die, because after damage to the joints, foci of infection develop throughout the body.

At first, the pet begins to move with difficulty, limping. Palpation of the animal's joints will reveal that they are swollen, with a lot of pus inside. Soon, against the background of arthritis, disorders of the nervous system and pathologies of the excretory organs develop. A progressive disease does not give the cat a chance of recovery.

Despite their small size, ticks are carriers of such a dangerous disease as encephalitis

Some types of ticks can introduce the encephalitis virus into a cat's body. Animals with reduced immunity suffer from it. If a cat is bitten by a tick, then after three to four hours the animal’s body temperature rises, it will begin to feel feverish, and it will not be able to stand on its paws. Diarrhea, vomiting, and excessive salivation are noted in a sick pet. If the central nervous system is affected, on the ninth day of the disease the cat becomes paralyzed with loss of consciousness.

Timely treatment with corticosteroids and intravenous injections will save the animal. And here it is important to avoid the development of complications. Otherwise, tick-borne encephalitis will drag on for a long time, exhausting the body of your four-legged friend.

Preventive measures often help prevent bloodsuckers from attacking your pet. They offer many different products, including:

• collars impregnated with an anti-tick drug;
• sprays such as Bars, Frontline;
• drops on the withers.

Treatment with special means is carried out once every two to five months. The amount of the substance is taken depending on who the drops and sprays are intended for. Since parasites have the ability to adapt to antiparasitic drugs, the drugs must be changed periodically.

A special collar against ticks will help protect your cat.
The smells of citrus fruits also repel bloodsuckers from animals. Before a walk, you can apply two drops of lemon and orange essential oil to your pet’s fur. It’s even better to rub the cat with fragrant pelargonium leaves.

Do not forget that the danger of being bitten awaits animals not only in nature, but also at home. It is worth examining your pets more often, then you can notice ticks on their fur in time.

Ticks are a large and diverse group of arthropods. Among the 40 thousand different species there are those that parasitize humans, animals and even plants. The main danger of ticks is that they carry a number of dangerous diseases. In the spring and summer, pet owners may find a drunk ixodid tick in their cat's fur.

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The consequences of a tick bite for cats are actually unpredictable. Usually, before a new peak in arthropod activity, the epidemiological service posts a list of diseases that people and animals are at risk of contracting from parasites. In our latitudes the list is quite typical. A biting arthropod with saliva carries pathogens of such dangerous diseases as hemobartonellosis, piroplasmosis, theileriosis, borreliosis.

In this video you will learn how to remove a tick that has bitten a cat.

In most cases, a tick bite is painless, so the animal does not feel discomfort even when the parasite bites into the skin. In order to understand whether there has been a bite, it is necessary to check the cat for the presence of an attached tick; perhaps it is still in the fur. A bitten tick can remain on a pet's body for up to 10 days.

So, if a cat has been bitten by a tick, it is necessary to remove it with tweezers, while your hands must be wearing rubber gloves, otherwise there is a risk of contracting a dangerous disease. You need to grab the tick with tweezers as close to the proboscis as possible (do not squeeze too hard) and twist it together with the proboscis using rotating movements; in no case should you pull the tick, as you can tear off the body, leaving the head in the wound.

The next thing that needs to be done is to monitor the cat’s health for at least 24 hours; if the animal develops symptoms such as fever, is lethargic and inactive, the color of the urine has changed, vomiting has occurred, you must contact a veterinarian as soon as possible, in this case In this case, any loss of time can have fatal consequences for the pet.

If infection from the parasite does occur, the pet may behave aggressively towards the owner, and even bite him.

Common Mistakes

Often, cat owners make some mistakes, such as trying to get rid of a tick with their fingers or pouring oil on it. Removing by hand is not the best idea and even dangerous, including for humans. Many are sure that the tick needs to be doused with oil, so it will simply suffocate from lack of air under the film.

This is true. However, before it dies, it will regurgitate the entire contents of its stomach back into the cat's blood, which can lead to infection. Do not use other liquids such as kerosene or gasoline.

How not to remove a tick

If disposed of incorrectly, the risk of cat poisoning increases significantly. There are a number of actions that are strictly prohibited:

• use oil or other liquids (except for special insectoacaricidal ones);
• crush the tick without removing it from the wound;
• try to force it off the cat's skin.

This cannot be done, since the head of the parasite will remain in the pet’s skin, which can only be removed with a needle or by contacting a veterinarian. Removing ticks from cats is a very careful and careful process; it is important to keep them intact in order to send them for further analysis.

What to do if the tick comes off

If its head comes off during removal, do not panic, it does not pose a threat to the animal, it can be removed like an ordinary splinter. To do this, you can use a syringe needle, tweezers or a special tool. You can also treat them with iodine, after a while the head will fall off on its own.

Good to know: hypersalivation in cats.

Possible consequences of a bite

There is a myth that an Ixodid tick bite is safe for a cat, but this is only a misconception. Ticks can carry dangerous diseases:

• Hemobartonellosis. In another way, it is called infectious anemia, caused by Bartonella (a type of microorganism).
• Borreliosis or Lyme disease. The waste products of the Borrelia pathogen cause a severe allergic reaction in the pet, muscle and heart pain, kidney and brain damage.
• Theileriosis. The cat's lungs, kidneys, heart, and liver suffer. This disease is difficult to treat.

During the time taken measures are ways to prevent difficult health situations in the future.

Piroplasmosis

This disease is an intracellular parasite that is transmitted by ticks. Oxygen starvation occurs and the mucous membranes are damaged. The body loses the ability to process hemoglobin. This is how direct bilirubin appears - a toxin that gradually poisons the entire body. The animal can die within 4 days after the bite.

Encephalitis

This is an inflammation of the animal's brain, as a result of which the central nervous system dies. Humans are also susceptible to this disease. For an animal, encephalitis is deadly. Ticks are carriers of encephalitis, including one that is dangerous to humans.

When you urgently need to see a veterinarian

You should contact your veterinarian as soon as you notice changes in your cat’s behavior or a deterioration in its health. Do not forget that after the tick has been removed, it must be sent for appropriate tests.

Are ticks dangerous for cats?

Ixodid ticks are quite large in size and are considered the most dangerous for cats, as they are potential carriers of serious diseases.

The tick clings to the body of the animal during a walk, waiting on the grass or bushes. Afterwards, he chooses an inconspicuous place and digs into the body, beginning to suck blood. In the process of saturation, the tick secretes its saliva into the victim’s body, which can contain viruses dangerous to health.

A tick bite is dangerous for a cat because it can infect it with the following diseases:

• Hemobartonellosis. This virus is caused by very small intracellular parasites that penetrate red blood cells and begin to deplete them, gradually killing the blood cells. Symptoms of this disease are anemia, fever, intoxication of the body, as well as heart failure. If left untreated, the cat may die.
• Tularemia. The causative agents of the disease are most often localized in lymphoid tissues and begin to destroy them. As a result, the damage spreads to the entire body, acute intoxication and sepsis appear, and if timely treatment is not started, the result of the disease is the death of the animal.
• Theileriosis. The causative agent is single-celled parasites that are carried by the bloodstream throughout the body, which causes a very sharp deterioration in health. The first symptoms are sudden weakness of the animal, loss of appetite, apathy, anemia, breathing becomes heavy. After this, the symptoms become more serious: the body temperature rises, disturbances in the functioning of the heart and lungs begin, and fever appears. The likelihood of death is very high.

Prevention

The main prevention is acaricidal agents and essential oils. When choosing preventative agents, it is important to take into account the weight and age of the individual.

Sprays

These products are sprayed onto the animal's fur. It contains chemical components that repel ticks. When handling, it is important to close the cat's eyes, ears and mouth. The main drugs are:

• buyer;
• hartz;
• agrovet protection.

They can be purchased at a veterinary pharmacy or clinic.

Collars

They are soaked in acaricides or essential oils to prevent bites. These collars are worn for a certain period of time, after which their effectiveness decreases to zero.

Drops on the withers

This method can be called the most effective. Drops of the product are applied to the cat’s withers. Active substances accumulate in the pores and glands and are distributed with secretions throughout the body. The most popular of them are Bars, Bayer or Hartz.

Drops on the withers against ticks