The most common fleas in cats and dogs are cat fleas. Rabbits, hedgehogs and other fleas are occasionally found in cats, but these are less common. Although many cats live with fleas and show mild signs of infection, control must be taken for several reasons:
Fleas carry the larvae of tapeworms, which cats become infected by eating (ingesting) fleas during the grooming process
Fleas have the potential to spread other vectors between cats
Adult fleas feed on cat blood; In kittens, this can lead to weakness, anemia and death
Fleas are an important factor in the transmission of "cat scratch disease" between cats and people. This is a bacterium that infects Bartonella and spreads when fleas feed on blood.
Some dogs and cats are allergic to flea bites, which causes them to scratch excessively or develop skin diseases
Cat fleas can cause itching to bite on sensitive humans, usually at the ankles.
Fleas are completely perverted in the order Fleas. Commonly known as leather, fleas are small, wingless, jumping parasitic insects, adults usually live in mammals, a few in birds. The antennae are thick and short. Sharp mouthparts for sucking. The abdomen is broad and has 9 segments. The hind legs are well developed and stout. The pupae are wrapped in cocoons. Adults are tiny or small, wingless, hard and flattened, exoparatic on mammalian and bird bodies, with stinging mouth organs, both male and female blood sucking; larvae are cylindrical, free to live, with chewable mouth organs, feeding on adult blood stools or organic matter.
Ecological habits: The life history of fleas is completely metamorphosed, divided into eggs, larvae, pupae cocoons and adult insects in four stages, only adults live parasitically. Fleas and hosts: Fleas are in vitro parasites of animals or people, the largest and most popular hosts are rodents, and dogs, cats or people are also the main hosts of a certain type of fleas. Both male and female adults must suck blood, and female fleas cannot lay eggs without sucking blood. Under natural conditions, the flea sucks blood at least 2-3 times a day. The specificity of various fleas for host selectivity and blood sucking is not so strict, and some fleas have a wide range of hosts (such as the emperor flea), so the host can be changed frequently. Spreads through rodent cranks, gregariousness, predation, and seasonal migration. Fleas also have the habit of actively leaving the original host to find a new host, coupled with their good jumping (up to 19.7 cm, up to 33 cm), when the plague epidemic causes a large number of plague rat deaths, it actively seeks new hosts and endangers humans. Fleas can also often spread everywhere with the activity of rats, or they can be transported from one place to another through the transport of cargo luggage.
Fleas' habitat habits: The habitat of fleas depends on the habits of the host and the influence of external factors. For example, the larvae of the flea parasitizing the rat body are mostly born in the rat's nest, while the larvae of the human flea are mostly born in the bed, bedding, wall feet and animal nests. The habitat habits of adult insects, different flea species are not the same, commonly have hair flea type and nest flea type, hair flea type more inhabit the host hair bush, blood sucking is more frequent and hunger tolerance is poor, the temperature requirements are higher, such as kaihuang guest fleas, dog fleas, cat fleas belong to this type; the flea type is more parasitic in the host nest, the number of blood sucking is less and the hunger tolerance is stronger, the temperature requirements are low, there are often a large number of fleas in the nest, most of the wild rat parasitic fleas belong to this type.
ovum
Eggs are white round or oval, can be found in sheep barns or pasture soil, and sometimes on sheep. However, due to the smooth and glue-free outside of the eggs of fleas, they cannot all be glued to cashmere or wool, and they are still scattered everywhere when they move, so there will be fleas eggs in the pens, the soil around the pens, the grazing hills, and the sheep dung. Adults lay eggs in batches, blood sucking can lead to the maturation of the next batch of eggs, and a female flea can lay about 200-400 eggs in her lifetime.
larvae
The flea larvae are shaped much like the smallest silkworms, but the color is white or milky yellow, the body is somewhat transparent, there are no legs, the whole body has a mane, the movement is very lively, and it can live freely. The body is divided into 13 segments except for the head, representing 3 thoracic segments and 10 abdominal segments. The mouthparts are chewable, fed with organic residue, but adult excrement is the most appropriate of the species that have been studied. They are afraid of light, so the warm, moist and organic slag in the sheep house is the best place for fleas to breed and develop. After 3 peelings, the larvae grow into pupal stage.
chrysalis
Before pupating, the growing larvae make their own translucent cocoons to envelop the body. The outside of the cocoon is often stuck to some sand particles or organic residue, etc., or by a mesh of fine brackets on the rough surface, in the cocoon it sheds the last skin of the larva to become a pupa. This is the rudimentary shape of the head, chest and abdomen, and the mouth organs, antennae and legs can already be seen, but it does not eat and move. After a certain period of time, the adult worms break out of the cocoon.
imago
Adults can jump and move, both male and female can find a host to suck blood, can cross tails and lay eggs, and come in a variety of colors, from milky yellow to dark brown. In a suitable environment, it is possible to live for more than 1 year or even 2 years. The completion of the entire life history is as short as 2-3 weeks, up to more than 1 year, and food and climate are the main influencing factors. Overall, the history of fleas is relatively slow, but because they have a long lifespan, they can still maintain a lot of numbers.
The influence of the external environment on fleas
Temperature, humidity and light have a great influence on the monsoon reproduction of fleas, even if the host adapts to the new environment, but if the temperature and humidity in the air soil are not suitable, it will also affect the reproduction of fleas, especially more sensitive to larvae. Generally speaking, adult insects prefer dark and wet, which can prolong life in this environment; high temperature drying shortens life. There are experimental reports: the most suitable temperature for adult blood-sucking flea is 18-20 ° C, humidity is 90-100%, under this condition can live for more than one year. Fleas do not like light and hide in the dark.
Therefore, fleas breed and roost in dark, damp and poorly ventilated places, such as fleas, weasels, etc. that parasitize rodents, weasels, etc. are in rat holes or under rice and wheat sorghum stalks, while human fleas, foal fleas and cat fleas, which are the main hosts, are mostly found in beds, earth pits, bedding, grass mats and livestock pens, and in addition, they swim away from the ground, wall feet and corners of the house with the activity of the host.
When grooming their hair, cats often eat any fleas they find, which makes adult fleas difficult to find in their hair. An itchy cat, or an insect bite on a human ankle, may be the only sign of infection.
The best way to prove that the cat has fleas is to carefully comb the cat's hair with a "flea comb". If you are on a clean white surface, such as a large white paper, any fleas or "fleas dirt" (fleas feces composed of digestive blood) will be deposited on the surface. If there are any pieces (such as small black glasses), put it on damp cotton wool – if it's the dirt of fleas, they will slowly dissolve, leaving a reddish-brown trail of blood. This demonstrates the presence of fleas even if adults cannot find them.
The life cycle of fleas
Adult fleas spend most of their time with your dog or cat. They can live up to two years, and females lay their eggs within two days of finding a host. The eggs fall off the female cat or dog in the environment while carrying feces with "fleas" (fleas feces). When fleas larvae hatch from their eggs, this flea dirt enables them to provide a good food source.
The larvae hatch in as little as two days and are usually found anywhere the cat and dog has been (usually in bed, etc.). The larvae have photophobia (dislike of light) and therefore prefer to go deep into carpets or soft furniture, so they are usually invisible.
The larvae grow and develop into pupae (which may take as little as a week), each wrapped in a slimy cocoon. Adult fleas develop inside a cocoon, waiting for a signal (vibration, moisture, noise, carbon dioxide concentration), an animal or a person.
New adult fleas can appear and attach to their hosts in a matter of seconds, but fleas can wait in cocoons for up to two years.
Under the right conditions, the entire life cycle of fleas can be completed in as little as 15 days, which helps explain why these parasites are able to spread so quickly. For effective control, adult insects on cats must be killed and prevented from re-breeding from the environment.
Frequent use of vacuum cleaners helps to reduce, rather than eliminate, fleas indoors. Vacuum bags should be handled immediately and carefully. Any serious infections, such as bedding, should be disposed of.
There are many ways in which treatment can be used to prevent re-infection:
Dispose of all household pets with insecticides and kill the adult fleas on them. Only use products specifically licensed to treat cats, as some dog products may be highly toxic to cats (see below).
Carry out comprehensive prevention and control of houses and eradicate fleas at all stages of their development. The handling of the entire house is essential, including upholstered furniture, carpet piles, gaps between floors and other hard-to-reach areas. First vacuum clean with a vacuum cleaner and then kill the larvae with appropriate flea insecticide.
Cocoons (or pupae) are highly resistant to treatment, so repeated treatments may be required for animals and families to completely remove all fleas from the home.
Products containing insect development inhibitors can be used in pets to help prevent immature fleas from maturing or multiplying. In order for these methods to be effective, all animals in the home must be treated. Some eco-friendly products also target the growth of fleas in this way.
To be effective, all treatment guidelines from your veterinarian should be followed carefully. Ask your veterinary clinic for some helpful advice. In some cases, it may take weeks or even months to fully control the problem of fleas, but be sure to carefully follow the manufacturer's guidelines to avoid toxic effects.
There are plenty of flea therapies available in veterinarians, pet stores and supermarkets for cats. This may not be obvious, but these products differ significantly in terms of their composition, mode of action, effectiveness, and safety.
Many older products contain products that may be less effective or less safe (for cats or the environment). It's important to be sure to read and follow the instructions carefully, and to communicate with and seek their opinions first whenever possible – they can get the best and safest products for cats. Many new products can be prepared as "on-site" and only need to be used every few weeks. It is also important that in order for the product to be both safe and effective, the instructions for use must be strictly adhered to.
Never use dog products on cats – some are highly toxic to cats (especially those containing permethrin).
Some of the ways to treat fleas also have pills, which may make it easier for some owners to give, and some effective flea collars also have.
Be sure to check that the product is safe for kittens, pregnant or nursing cats.
Household anti-flea products
spray
Many household environmental sprays contain insecticides, with or without insect growth regulators. Never use these products close to the tank, as some products are highly toxic to fish. If you have a fish tank, when using these sprays, be sure to cover them with a wet towel.
Depending on the product used, a spray on the environment may last from 6 months to 1 year. Note that some sprays contain permethrin, so be very careful not to let the spray come into contact with cats. If a cat comes into contact with other products that contain these chemicals, consider the additional effects that may be on the cat being treated.
atomizer
A wide variety of aerosols can be used to treat the environment, but these are usually not very effective because infections in specific areas may not be achievable. Spray products to make the region targeted is desirable.
"Alternative" products
Many so-called "natural" compounds are thought to have flea-killing or rejection properties. These include concentrated eucalyptus oil, eucalyptus oil, pennilla oil, tea tree oil, citrus oil and d-limonene. While some of these ingredients are used in licensed products, many "alternative" therapies do not pass the rigorous safety and efficacy assessments required for veterinary licensed products.
Some of these compounds are potentially toxic to cats and other animals, and none are as effective as your veterinarian's licensed products. Don't rely on these products, and if you're not sure, be sure to consult your veterinarian.
Some household pesticides such as wood treatment, ants, and other pesticides may contain active ingredients similar to fleas treatments. In order to prevent additional effects, care must be taken to limit the exposure of these effects.
Once adult and immature fleas have been completely removed from the home environment, they can be re-evaluated before further control is carried out. In households where no pets are out, further treatment may not be required. However, if the pet ventures out, further treatment is necessary to prevent re-infection, and a product may need to be used regularly. Intermittent treatment is not recommended because it provides ideal conditions for the development of allergic skin diseases of fleas in animals and does not control fleas well.