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Flea Treatments For Your Cat
If you have a pet, at some point in time, you will need to learn about fleas and how to control them. According to Wikipedia, fleas are small (1/16 to 1/8-inch (1.5 to 3.3 mm) long), agile, usually dark colored, wingless insects with tube-like mouth-parts adapted to feeding on the blood of their hosts. In proportion to their bodies, they have long legs, and are especially good jumpers.
Fleas can jump up to seven inches and horizontally up to thirteen inches. A flea's body is slender, hard and difficult to break or destroy. Fleas can withstand the scratching of a dog or cat and even being crushed by a human. Fleas lay approximately 20 small white oval shaped eggs at a time and the larva stays with the adult flea and feeds on organic matter. The eggs take between two days and two weeks to hatch. Female fleas can lay over 500 eggs during their lifetimes. The adult flea's diet is fresh blood and it can survive several weeks or even months between feeding.
There are many different classifications of fleas. They feed off a variety of warm blooded beings including humans, dogs, cats and other animals. Their bites cause a itching reaction that produces scratching and biting at the bite site and surrounding area. Some people and animals are actually allergic to the flea bite and can experience rashes around the area of the bite. In animals, frequent scratching and biting can lead to hair or fur loss. In smaller animals, anemia may result. Not only are the bites annoying, fleas can also be carriers of many different diseases. Fleas have been responsible for transmitting the bubonic plague as well as viral and bacterial diseases.
There are several different flea treatment options. Humans may find that an anti-itch cream will assist in calming the bite area. For pets, a key is to use an Insect Growth Regulator (IGR) in the area to keep eggs from developing. Flea infestations in the house and yard must be addressed. It is important to not only remove the live adult flea, but also the larva. Dehumidifiers and constant vacuuming may disrupt the flea life cycle. Eggs require 70-75 percent humidity to hatch. Keeping the humidity and heat levels lower than 70 degrees will interrupt the hatching of eggs. However, if your pets have fleas, there are several different options to kill the fleas on your pets.
There are several commercial applications that kill fleas and ticks almost instantly. The doses can be adjusted for puppies and kittens. Many of these applications need to be applied on a monthly basis. There are also specially developed shampoos or "dips" that can be applied to your pet. Some of them are herbal or "natural" and may reduce side-effects of treatment. It is always best to discuss the various treatment options with your veterinarian to find a treatment that will be safe and effective for your pet.
There are many different classifications of fleas. They feed off a variety of warm blooded beings including humans, dogs, cats and other animals. Their bites cause a itching reaction that produces scratching and biting at the bite site and surrounding area. Some people and animals are actually allergic to the flea bite and can experience rashes around the area of the bite. In animals, frequent scratching and biting can lead to hair or fur loss. In smaller animals, anemia may result. Not only are the bites annoying, fleas can also be carriers of many different diseases. Fleas have been responsible for transmitting the bubonic plague as well as viral and bacterial diseases.
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