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How did my cat get fleas?
How to treat fleas?
Treating your cat without a vet
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Is it your fault if your cat gets fleas?
- By Emma
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- January 14, 2025
- 4 MIN READ
For any cat riddled with fleas, it's unpleasant for the poor kitty and unpleasant for any owner to watch. With all the itching and scratching, you wouldn’t be the first owner to blame yourself for your cat getting fleas. But are you responsible? Let’s find out…
Fleas are very small insects and difficult to detect with the naked eye. They hop onto their hosts and feed off the blood of your unsuspecting cat. Fleas are resilient creatures and when you are struck with an infestation, their hard-to-break life cycle makes them a never ending nightmare.
Breaking the flea life cycle is the key to getting rid of them for good. Starting off as an egg, then hatching into larvae, to go onto developing in pupae and finally becoming an adult flea. It can take as long as 2 months for a flea to fully develop, but once they have just after 24 hours of mating, lady fleas can lay their eggs (up to 50 a day!) and the life cycle starts again.
Where do fleas live?
Fleas love to hang out in warm and humid environments - outdoors this tends to be in dense shrubs and indoors, they favour cracks and crevices of the home.
How did my cat get fleas?
Firstly, if your cat has fleas, it is not your fault. Say that again, it is not your fault. Fleas are a nuisance and can cause chaos for anyone. Here’s how your cat likely got fleas…
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Environment - Fleas can come into contact with your cat from the environment. This could be from the garden or local woodland - nowhere is safe from the blighters.
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Wildlife - Wildlife such as mice, hedgehogs, squirrels and rabbits can be flea-carrying culprits, so if your cat loves the chase, there’s a high chance they’ll get fleas.
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From people or pets - Anyone who comes into your home can unknowingly carry fleas in with them and for our cats, when they hang around with neighbouring cats, this is the prime time for a flea infestation to spread.
How to treat fleas?
Did you know that just 5 fleas on an untreated cat can lead to more than 1 million eggs infesting your home in only 4 weeks*? Gulp. Let’s get rid of them!
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Use flea treatment on your cat
Apply a vet-approved, spot-on treatment like Itch Flea Treatment for cats to kill adult fleas on your pet within 24 hours and halt the development of all other flea life stages.
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Flea comb your kitty
Dead fleas don’t always drop off, so grooming your cat regularly with a comb means you can remove flea dirt and keep on top of spotting any new fleas.
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Treat your home
95% of fleas during an infestation period live in your home, meaning it is crucial to use flea treatment in your home as well as on your cat. We’d recommend flea control products that get to work fast, like the Itch House Spray for Homes which kills all adult fleas for up to 2 months, in just one blast.
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Deep clean
Fleas can be anywhere, it is so important to thoroughly clean your home to kill fleas and their eggs. During an infestation, you should hoover your home regularly. This will vibrate any flea eggs living in your home, causing them to hatch and you can kill them with ease! Even after you’ve treated your cat and home, keep hoovering for up to 2 weeks post-infestation.
Fleas love to live in warm places, like on your clothes or your bedding so make sure to wash these fabrics and any soft furnishings at 60 degrees - no less!
Treating your cat without a vet
A lot of the shame you may be feeling could be down to the big vet bills cat owners have to deal with when taking your cat to the vets for fleas. But effective flea treatment for cats does not have to be supplied by your vet, you can buy it from shops or get it delivered straight to your home, from businesses like Itch Pet. And even better, flea products, such as Itch Flea Treatment for cats and dogs are vet-approved so no need to worry!
If your cat has an adverse reaction to a flea bite or flea treatment, we’d recommend seeing your vet. Allergies surrounding flea infestations are common and the best line of medication can be supplied by your vet.
How to prevent fleas?
So you never have to feel guilty again, let’s stop fleas from being a problem for you, your cat and your home.
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Rely on flea preventatives - Using monthly, vet-approved flea treatment like Itch Flea Treatment is crucial for long-term protection of your cat, your home and your family.
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Protect your home - Regular hoovering, cleaning, and use of flea protection sprays can help keep fleas and their eggs out of your home.
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Consistency - Flea protection is an ongoing effort. Regular treatments and preventive measures are the key to keeping fleas out of your home!
As much as you might feel terrible that your cat has a flea infestation, you’re not a bad owner because of it - in fact it makes you a good one, because you care and want to kill those pesky fleas for good! We understand how difficult tackling a flea infestation can be, so our friendly and expertly trained Vet Team is here to help - drop us a DM, email or pick up the phone if you have any questions.
Where we got the facts from?
*Based on an untreated pet having 5 fleas not being groomed off, each laying 50 eggs per day, developing into new fleas in 14 days and new fleas jumping on and laying more eggs.
Get rid of fleas, ticks AND lice... and stop them coming back!
Fleas, ticks and lice can be a nightmare, but with the right approach, you can take control and rid your pets and home of these bothersome pests. Remember that parasites can be persistent, so patience and regular treatment will be your best friends! By addressing both your pet and their environment, you can ensure a flea-free and comfortable living space for both your furry companion and your family.
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