They jump on your cat skin to quickly consume blood. Once the flea reaches the skin, it stays against the skin, moving between the shafts the way a cat might move through a forest: easily and well-hidden. If your cat has dark fur, it will be very difficult for you to see a flea on it. Just when you think your indoor cat is safe from the wild, a flea jumps in through the screen and proves otherwise.
Fleas can be anywhere inside your screened-in porch, just waiting for a warm host to land on. Every time you open the door to the outside world, a flea can wander into your cozy space. Fleas jump through open doors when they sense body heat, vibration, and breathing, which is every time a door is opened.
Once a flea is inside, it will find a host to feed on. If your indoor cat is not protected from fleas, there is a very good chance that a flea will feed on your cat. Other animals, whether they live in your home, or visit occasionally, can bring fleas into your home. The minute another animal with fleas enters your space, fleas begin to infest your living areas.
Twenty-four hours after an adult flea consumes a blood meal, she will begin to lay up to 50 eggs. The tiny creature jumps quickly off the cat and disappears. Your cat seems completely unphased. You are in a panic. You have one cat. Not even on the balcony on your seventh-floor apartment. There is no way that was a flea. Think again. This story plays out much more often than you would think.
Fleas are classed as an external parasite or ectoparasite , meaning they complete their life cycle on the outside of a host. In this situation, the host is your cat or dog, rabbit, guinea pig, etc. That still does not explain how on earth one of these tiny, blood-sucking ectoparasites made its way onto your precious cat. It can happen from simply being outdoors, being around other animals, or around any other person who has animals at home even if they do not have an active flea infestation.
This hitchhiker flea hopped onto you, came into your home, and made herself comfortable. Had you not had any pets, the flea would be unable to complete her lifecycle and would die. However, your hitchhiker flea hit the jackpot — your cat. One female flea that has a host can infest your cat in as little as one week. Does your cat like to sit by the window? Ours practically live on the window sill. How about by a screen door?
Fleas are one of the strongest jumpers on the planet and can invade your home simply by crawling through the cracks in your screen. So YES, you can get fleas from your cat or dog. This is a no brainer too. Because fleas are so fast and mobile, a waiting room full of animals can be a very convenient way for them to find new hosts!
Just looking at all the ways your indoor cat can get fleas above can almost make you just throw your hands up in the air. But using a really good flea preventative medication and also doing a few things around our home works really well at keeping them from partying on us. Share this article. What did you find helpful? What was not helpful? Say more Sign me up for the PetMD Newsletter. Submit Feedback. Still have questions? Continue to Chewy.
0コメント