Fleas are annoying parasites from which it is essential to protect our pets: they can cause even intense itching, dermatitis and, if not treated, they risk settling in the house making it difficult to eliminate.
Let’s find out if a cat living indoors can catch fleas and how to prevent its infestation even indoors.
Can a cat living indoors get fleas?
Yup! It seems incredible, but our cat can catch fleas even if he always lives at home without going outside.
The risk of contracting parasites will still be lower than a feline that has daily access to a garden or the countryside, but this does not mean that it is impossible.
The life cycle of the flea allows these ectoparasites to lurk in the hair, in the fabrics and sometimes it finds clever ways to get in touch with our pets even in protected and clean places, such as most homes.
How can an indoor cat catch fleas?
There are several ways in which flea infestations can be carried within the home environment.
A scrupulous cleaning it is certainly a great way to combat them, but sometimes it may not be enough to prevent them from entering the house and contact with our 4-legged friend.
Let’s find out all the ways an indoor cat can catch fleas:
1. A balcony or window
Even if Micio does not go out, it is possible that he loves to lie down leaning against a window sill or outside on our balcony. Fleas can jump up to 30 cm and perceive the body heat of his next guest from a distance.
Little can a mosquito net if there is a flea lurking there: these parasites, about 1-2 mm large (but even less), will be able to skilfully pass through it completely unnoticed, and then settle in the fur of our unaware feline.
2. Another pet
Dogs and cats can be infested with the same flea species. There Ctenocephalides felis felis is the most important ectoparasite that affects our pets, in which it finds their ideal hosts.
So if you have hosted a dog at home, or if there are other animals in the house that have access to the outside, it is possible that they have come through them … but not only!
3. Through man
Fleas normally they don’t like human hostsbut after a walk in the woods or in the middle of nature, it is possible that they stick to our skin to make a blood meal and, in that case, we would feel itchy.
It is also possible, however, that fleas take the opportunity to take “just a lift”, attaching themselves to our clothes, thus arriving straight at our cat.
4. Promiscuous places
Sooner or later even the cat that never puts a paw outside the house will have to go out:
For the most part these are places that observe scrupulous hygiene rules, yet it can happen.
These places, although clean, are still promiscuous, frequented by a large number of animals, so they are also potential sources of contagion.
5. Second hand accessories
A cat living in the house can catch fleas through a second-hand accessory it has come into contact with, such as a borrowed pet carrier, a basket, an infested blanket.
Hair, wool, and most soft fabrics can trap hair parasite eggswhich once hatched, will find in our cat the ideal host for the completion of its life cycle.
How to protect the cat from fleas?
Even if your kitty lives indoors, it is still important to protect it with the pesticide all year round.
Generally, pesticides for cats protect against different species of parasites at the same time, but the duration of protection they offer is not the same for everyone: so be careful.
There are also several natural remedies to prevent cat fleas: if Micio lives indoors, we are still talking about a low risk of infestation and therefore we could also afford a more pesticide soft.
How to prevent flea infestation?
In addition to protecting it with the best flea for cats, here is what else we can do to prevent and / or monitor the presence of unpleasant parasites, such as fleas, ticks and mites:
- Use a comb with which to brush the cat regularly to highlight any bites, scabs or the presence of the parasite;
- Clean the home environment thoroughly, including cracks in the floors
- Make sure that Micio only comes into contact with protected animals
- Keep a calendar to renew protection in time
In short, the most important rule to keep parasites away from our pets is scrupulous and careful prevention. This without depriving the cat of the pleasure of enjoying – if and when possible – the external environment, as well as its beloved home.
If, on the other hand, the infestation is already in progress, here are some useful tips to eliminate fleas from the cat in a few simple steps!