How Fleas Might Elicit More Health Problems in Kitties
If you have seen your kitty scratching a good deal lately or think you may be experiencing a flea problem be sure you are mindful of the secondary problems fleas can cause. Unfortunately fleas sometimes come with additional cat health problems.
Cats can be allergic to fleas and they may have an allergic reaction or suffer from allergic dermatitis. Fleas may also be a carrier feline worms — specifically feline tapeworm — so a flea infestation can also cause a tapeworm infestation.
Once you discover your cat has fleas the first objective is getting rid of them. Once you’ve treated for fleas you can treat any other cat health problems the fleas might have produced.
Treating fleas effectively includes treating your cat, treating your home and treating outdoor area where your kitty spends time. Because it involves so many areas you’ll want to study all the available treatments. If you have kids, if your pets have problems with traditional flea treatments or if you dislike like using pesticides it might be a good idea to consider a natural flea control for your cat.
One of the most common and versatile natural flea treatments is diaomaceous earth, a natural powder that dehydrates and kills fleas. Diatomaceous earth can even be used directly on your pets, plus you can sprinkle it into the carpet, around baseboards in your pet’s bedding etc.
If you’re looking for a more traditional method one of the simplest to use is the once a month topical, which is placed on your cat’s back between the shoulder blades where she can’t lick it. In addition you will also need to treat your house with a flea treatment like a flea bomb or flea spray.
The other way to start eliminating fleas right away is to vacuum every day and discard the vacuum bag. Vacuum both the carpet and furniture and anywhere your cat may spend a lot of time in the home.
Always be sure to read and follow directions carefully when using flea treatments because they often contain ingredients that may be bad for pets and people when not practiced appropriately.