Like fleas, ticks are parasites to be avoided on your cat. Their presence can cause problems in your home and transmit various dangerous diseases to your pet. It's important to take steps to prevent them and eliminate them if necessary. We're here to answer all your questions on how to avoid them, how to combat them and how to react in the event of an infestation.
Feline piroplasmosis is a relatively unknown disease, although it can occur after your cat has been bitten by a tick. Cats can also be affected by feline ehrlichiosis, feline anaplasmosis and feline mycoplasmosis after a tick bite. Fortunately, these diseases are rare, but cats with weakened immune systems are more likely to develop them. What's more, with global warming, ticks are becoming increasingly common, increasing the risk of contact with your cat.
How do ticks attach themselves to your cat?
Ticks are common between March and August or September, exposing your cat (and even yourself) for half the year. They can be caught when your cat is walking in the garden, rolling in the grass or under a tree (ticks often cling to the leaves). Once on your cat's coat, ticks attach themselves to the skin and start feeding.
What role do ticks play?
The tick feeds on the blood of its hosts, causing a drop in the hemoglobin concentration of red blood cells and making your cat a little weaker. In addition, by biting and feeding, ticks can transmit certain diseases of varying degrees of severity (although this is not always the case).
How do I remove a tick?
As with humans, you'll need to use an anti-tick hook, available in pharmacies, to remove a tick. This tool not only removes the tick itself, but above all removes the part anchored in the skin. If you try to remove it by hand or with tweezers, you risk leaving the tick's rostrum in the skin. It's important not to pull hard, but rather to unscrew gently, as if you were removing a screw. Once the tick has been removed, the area must be disinfected.
On the other hand, it is not advisable to apply alcohol to the area before removing the tick. Using tweezers to remove the tick is also not recommended, as it can lead to inflammation or even an abscess. So it's best to focus on prevention before it comes to that.
How to prevent ticks?
As with fleas, it's important to treat your cat preventively against ticks to avoid or considerably reduce the risk of infestation. To do this, you can use a tick collar that you hang around your cat's neck. Although less effective against fleas, this collar can repel them too. However, it should be noted that certain parts of the body, such as the tail or inner thighs, will not be protected by this collar.
A recommended option for preventing ticks on your cat is to use an anti-tick spot-on pipette applied to the back of your cat's neck. These pipettes have a beneficial effect that often lasts several weeks. However, it is essential to consult your veterinarian to determine the best preventive treatment option for your cat.
Conclusion
Removing a tick from a cat is no easy task. You need the right tool and the right technique. If you don't remove the tick correctly, you risk leaving its head in the skin, which can lead to an abscess. Patience and meticulousness are therefore essential during removal. However, the best strategy is to prevent ticks from appearing in the first place, usually between March and August.
Ticks are disease-carrying parasites, and it's important to combat them effectively. To do this, we recommend taking preventive action, such as wearing a tick-proof collar or applying a tick spray to your cat.
