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Your cat has fleas? If you have detected the presence of these small animals in your pet's body, it is important to start the deworming process as soon as possible, to try to prevent the infection from progressing and the pest to also spread in your home. There are some products you can get from the veterinarian that will help you eliminate cat fleas but there are also a number of ideal home remedies for your cat to be free of parasites again. In this article by PeritoAnimal we show you different ways to kill fleas.
Detecting fleas on a cat
There are a few symptoms that can help you detect if your cat has fleas. The most obvious sign is if you see that it doesn't stop to scratch especially in areas such as the base of the tail or the head, which is where these animals are most commonly housed. However, it is possible that the pest has spread and that the animal has fleas all over its body. We can also see that the cat has less desire to play, spends more time lying down and you can see that it has lack of energy. If the animal asks more often to brush it may be because it is infected and needs to relieve the itching.
The best way to check if a cat has fleas is pass a flea brush, those with fine bristles. Look carefully if the comb has caught any nits, larva or a flea (they are very small so you have to look well). You can also choose to clean the cat's fur and check your skin, looking for the presence not only of fleas, but also of their tracks, such as droppings, nits, etc.
In this article we give you 10 steps to take care of a cat.
deworm a cat
If you have done the relevant checks and confirmed that your cat has fleas, the next step is consult the veterinarian so that I can recommend one of the flea methods that exist. The most recommended are the following:
- Pipettes: are one of the most used antiparasitic drugs today, as they are very easy to use and very effective. It is a product that is applied on the animal's dorsal line (a zone that can be accessed during your daily washing) and that activates immediately, managing to kill the fleas that have lodged in your pet's body.
- Antiparasitic collars: they are made of plastic and contain insecticides that repel fleas as well as killing them if they have been lodged in the animal's body. Its duration can reach up to 3 months, approximately, and at this point you should change it for a new collar as its effectiveness disappears. It is the alternative to pipettes although the first ones last much longer and do not bother the cat.
- Anti-flea shampoo: These types of flea shampoo are essentially to help eliminate cat fleas. It is not recommended that they be used as a preventive method since to protect the animal you would have to give it a bath every two days, something that is not in keeping with the nature of cats.
Once you've dewormed the cat, you'll have to thoroughly clean your house. Keep in mind that these animals roost in any space and may have laid eggs on the sofa, pillow or any other space your cat has climbed. Therefore, the most advisable is that disinfect your house to prevent them from getting back into your cat's body.
Home Remedies for Fleas
In addition to these medical treatments just mentioned, you should know that there are also some natural methods with which you will get eliminate cat fleas. At PeritoAnimal we show you the best:
- Essencial oils: you can mix a few drops of citronella or lavender oil together with the anti-flea shampoo to improve the deworming process. Citronella is one of the most commonly used natural insect repellents for both animals and people, and the scent of lavender also works as a natural insecticide. However, this remedy is not recommended for cats less than 1 year old as it can cause itchy skin.
- Lemon: the citrus aroma also repels insects, so a good way to get rid of fleas is to mix the squeezed juice of a lemon with a little water (it should be the same amounts of juice as water). Once you have it ready, add it to a spray bottle and spray some of this mixture over your cat.
- Chamomile: Making a chamomile infusion is also a good home remedy for fleas. You just have to boil a little water with chamomile and when about 10 minutes pass, strain the infusion to extract the remains of the herb. Then you can soak a cloth with this infusion and apply it over your cat's body.
Prevent fleas on cats
For protect your cat from fleas it is important that you apply the pipette, as mentioned above, or that you place a antiparasitic collar, this way you will be able to keep away the insects. But, in addition, it is also recommended that you brush your cat every week to control that it remains dewormed and have an exhaustive control of its health condition.
A more natural way to achieve this is having a citronella plant at home or lavender, as you wish. We have already mentioned that the aroma of both plants repels insects, so it will be a good way to prevent fleas from invading your home. We also recommend that you keep your house in good hygienic conditions so that your cat lives in optimal conditions.
This article is for information purposes only, at PeritoAnimal.com.br we are not able to prescribe veterinary treatments or perform any type of diagnosis. We suggest that you take your pet to the veterinarian in case it has any type of condition or discomfort.