Can indoor cats have fleas?

Many people think that their indoor cat cannot get fleas, so they do not use any type of flea protection. Unfortunately, fleas are very good at attacking cats, even when they never leave the house. Here are five places in your home where fleas can quickly jump on your indoor cat .

She lies next to an open window

Let’s make one thing clear: mosquito nets are not effective against fleas. Fleas are so small that they can easily jump through the mesh and land on your cat, especially if the window is in the basement or ground floor, if it is surrounded by tall grass or bushes, or if there is any chance that other animals, such as mice, rats, or rabbits, may pass through and leave flea eggs behind. It happens more often than you might think.

Fleas cannot fly, but they can jump up to 18 cm. height and 33 cm. length. Adult cat fleas locate their host via visual and thermal signals. They jump on your cat and quickly make their way to the skin to feed on blood. The flea’s body is small and flattened, which helps it slip easily through the layers of fur to reach the skin and begin feeding on blood quickly. Once the flea reaches the skin, it can sit on the skin, moving through the hair in the same way a cat would move in a forest: light and well hidden. If your cat has dark fur, it will be very difficult for you to see a flea.

They play, relax or sleep on a terrace closed with mosquito nets

Just when you think your cat is safe, a flea jumps through the net and proves otherwise. Fleas can be anywhere inside your patio, just waiting for a guest to take up residence. Fleas are small, blood-sucking parasites that prefer four-legged animals, but will eventually feed on a bipedal living being like you! When fleas feed on humans, they seek out the soft skin of joints or ankles because it is easier for them to penetrate the skin and feed.

He passes an open door

Every time you open an exterior door, a flea can enter your cozy space. It is true. Fleas jump into open doors when they sense body heat, vibrations and breathing, which is every time a door is opened. Once inside, the flea will find a host to feed on. If your indoor cat is not protected from fleas, the risk of fleas feeding on it is very high.

Interact with other animals

Other animals, whether they live in your home or visit you occasionally, can bring fleas into your home. The moment another pet with fleas enters your home, fleas begin to infest areas of your home.

The life cycle of fleas is continuous

Twenty-four hours after an adult flea feeds on blood, it will begin to lay up to 50 eggs. This is a cycle that every adult female flea goes through, so it is never just one flea feeding and laying eggs on an animal, but many fleas feeding and laying eggs. The eggs are sticky at first, but then they dry out and fall off the fur, practically everywhere.

Imagine a dog with fleas entering your house and playing with your cat: wherever it runs, the eggs will fall. Once the tiny eggs reach the floor, they fall onto the carpet and various places, where they remain for up to ten days. Then equally small larvae are born from these, which sink further into carpets, furniture and bedding, as they try to consume flea excrement, which is flea feces. They soon turn into a cocoon and enter the pupal stage. Once it transforms into an adult flea, it begins the process of jumping onto a host and feeding for the first time so it can lay eggs. Of course, this is the cycle of a single flea. Eventually, this becomes the cycle of hundreds of fleas. For this reason, fleas become a problem once they enter your home.

She lies next to a pile of dirty laundry

Those muddy pants you threw away, or the socks from last night’s soccer game that ended up on the bedroom floor, might have a few fleas attached to them, just waiting to pounce on your cat as soon as he decides to take a nap. Fleas look like little bits of dirt, which means the pile of dirty laundry is a perfect hiding place.

HOW TO PROTECT YOUR CAT FROM FLEAS?

While it may seem like fleas could sneak up and catch your cat off guard, the situation is far from hopeless. You can talk to your vet about the best options for keeping your cat safe and protected 24/7. The single best thing is to start treatment before the first flea enters your home, because that is the only way to prevent the life cycle from starting.