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Flea infestations are very common in Perth and can cause a range of health problems in both cats and humans. Most cats with fleas don’t typically scratch like dogs and instead they will just spend more time grooming themselves. This over-grooming behaviour can easily can go unnoticed by unsuspecting owners.

The life cycle of the flea

Fleas are small brown-black wingless biting insects that live in the hair coat of dogs, cats and other small pets. Fleas are bloodsuckers with well-developed mouth parts that can pierce the relatively thick skin of animals. When the fleas feed, they secrete saliva to prevent blood clotting. It’s their saliva that can causes skin irritations and allergic reactions.

An adult female flea begins producing eggs within 24-48 hours of having a blood meal and lays up to 50 eggs a day; that’s up to 2000 eggs in her lifetime! The flea eggs may survive for up to 3 years. The eggs are laid on your cat but fall off rapidly into the environment wherever your cat walks or sleeps. Once flea larvae hatch they move to a warm dark area to mature often down in the carpet, in your cat’s bedding, or in cracks and crevices of floorboards. They feed on adult flea faeces which is digested blood. In ideal conditions of heat and humidity, the flea’s full life cycle can be completed in about 2-3 weeks. If the environmental conditions are not right, the flea pupae can survive for up to a year before emerging.

Diagnosis

Because fleas are difficult to spot, a flea infestation is usually diagnosed by the presence of black flakes or specks called “flea dirt” which is actually the flea’s excrement. Even if you can’t see adult fleas if your cat has flea dirt, your cat has fleas. Many cats are such fastidious groomers that it can be difficult to find an adult flea on their coat. To see if your cat has any flea dirt, place them on a white sheet of paper and comb their coat vigorously with a flea comb.

Fleas are usually found on the back, rump, stomach, at the base of your cat’s tail, or around the head. Remember many cats will not scratch if they have fleas, they will just spend more time grooming themselves. Some cats will scratch and bite themselves, especially if the flea bites cause irritation or an allergic reaction.

Problems caused by Fleas

Skin irritation/self-trauma

Large numbers of fleas moving over the skin and coat can cause significant irritation to your cat. Flea bites can cause intense itching that lasts long after the fleas are killed. Cats may over groom, bite or scratch themselves, often to the point of causing hair loss, raw bleeding skin and infection which makes the irritation worse.

Flea allergy dermatitis/flea bite hypersensitivity

The saliva of fleas has the ability to cause an intense allergic reaction in some cats. Once your cat’s immune system is sensitised to flea saliva, just one flea bite is enough to set off a severe skin reaction. In cats, flea allergies can present in many forms including overgrooming, hair loss, eosinophilic granuloma diseases such as rodent ulcers and miliary dermatitis.

Tapeworms

Fleas can carry the larval stage of tapeworms. Cats can become infected with tapeworms if they swallow infected fleas while grooming. It is also possible for humans, especially children to become infected with tapeworms if they accidentally ingest these fleas.

Flea anaemia

Flea anaemia can sometimes occur with severe flea infestations. Kittens are particularly at risk of flea anaemia which results when the fleas suck enough blood to cause a life-threatening condition. A cat suffering from flea anaemia will have pale gums. In advanced cases, the animal may become listless and cold. Check your cats’ gums regularly so you can recognize a change that may indicate a health problem. 

Transmission of infectious disease

Fleas can cause transmission of specific blood-borne infectious diseases to other cats such as Mycoplasma haemofelis. Fleas can also be associated with transmission of some infectious diseases to humans such as “cat scratch disease”.

Prevention and treatment

Treating for fleas must be a two pronged approach that includes both treating the cat and their entire environment within your home and outdoors and this has to be done at the same time.

Products to treat the fleas on your cat

There are a large number of products available to both treat and prevent flea infestations in cats. These products can all vary significantly in cost, efficacy and safety margins.

• Monthly “spot-on” treatments = Pipette of liquid that is applied topically onto the skin on the back of the head between your cat’s ears.
• Most of these spot on products have an unpleasant taste which can cause salivation if your cat accidentally ingests or licks it.
• Frontline and Advantage kill both adult fleas and larvae on your cat and also in the immediate environment for one month. They are easy to use and safe for your cat. Frontline is also available as a spray which also treats tick infestations. Treating lactating cats with Advantage will protect the kittens that are suckling. You can treat the kittens individually with Advantage from six weeks of age after weaning.
• Revolution and Advocate treat and prevent fleas and also prevent against heartworm infection, treat for ear mites and treat some types of skin mange. Advocate will also treat for intestinal roundworms, hookworms, whipworms and lungworm but not tapeworm.
• Supermarket brand spot-ons are not as effective as the above mentioned brands. Beware of supermarket brands of topical flea products for use in dogs, these products contain poisons such as pyrethrins which are highly toxic to cats. Cats can be severely affected by just coming into contact with a treated dog, and toxicity can be fatal.

• Oral tablets
• Comfortis is a pork flavoured chewable tablet that rapidly kills fleas within 20 minutes and is indicated for the treatment, prevention and control of flea infestations on cats and is also helpful for flea allergy dermatitis. Each tablet covers for up to one month. It is recommended that the tablet is administered with food for maximum effectiveness. Not recommended for use in kittens less than 14 weeks of age.
• Capstar Tablets are tablets that kill the adult fleas within 30 mins of oral dosing thus giving the pet immediate relief, however will only last 24 hours. A long acting flea control can then be used to continue flea prevention. Capstar can be used in animals greater than 4 weeks of age.

• Flea sprays/shampoos: there is a wide range of these products available. They are generally poorly effective as they do not treat eggs or larvae and are not long acting with the exception of Frontline spray. There have been reported toxicity to some flea sprays in cats.

• Flea Collars and powders: Most flea collars and powders are ineffective forms of flea control and may reduce the adult flea numbers but will not eliminate the infestation entirely.

Treating the Environment

It is important to ensure to frequently vacuum all floors, rugs, floorboards and furniture in your house thoroughly and dispose of the vacuum bag immediately. Dispose of your cat’s bedding if possible or wash in very hot wash with bleach. Regular cleaning and washing is extremely important to reduce environmental reinfestation and to reduce the overall flea burden.

Environmental insecticides can be used to treat your house and environment and are available in a number of forms such as flea bombs, foggers and sprays. However flea eggs are resistant to environmental insecticide sprays, and flea larvae and pupae may be in areas the chemicals cannot reach. To maximise effect it is important to treat all soft furnishings, nooks and crannies. Vacuuming prior to use will stimulate the adult fleas to emerge from cocoons. Treating an entire house and possible outdoors can be expensive and time consuming. There are also risks for potential toxicity, ensure to follow manufacturers guidelines carefully.

Caution

• NEVER use dog flea products on cats. Some dog products can be highly toxic to cats even if the exposure occurs indirectly by contacting a treated dog. 
• Do not mix insecticides without veterinary advice.
• Adhere strictly to product instructions. Do not overdose or under dose.
• Do not use adult cat products on kittens under 3 months of age.
• Do not wash your cat with flea shampoo too frequently, or combine too many different flea products as you risk poisoning your cat.
• Signs of toxicity to watch for can include trembling, dribbling from the mouth, vomiting and diarrhoea.