Dog, Cat, and Human Fleas are among the common types of fleas in the United States. In the Greater San Antonio, TX area, cat Fleas are the most reported. Cat fleas are especially problematic as they can live on different types of hosts and are not limited to feast on cats; people, dogs, and other animals are equally at risk. Cat fleas are very adaptable and are linked to causing more harm than other types of fleas. Today, we at A Five Star Termite & Pest Control would like to take the opportunity to elaborate some on cat fleas.
Are Cat Fleas Visible to the Human Eye?
Cat Fleas, of formally known as Ctenocephalides felis, are the most common and abundant throughout the world. These annoying pests are most likely to be waiting to ambush your pet by waiting for your pet to walk by. Cat fleas are brown and their eggs are white. As incredibly tiny as they are, they can be difficult to spot.
Can Fleas on Cats Affect Cats, Dogs & Humans?
Cat fleas are known to trigger allergies and are linked to carrying diseases that are harmful to cats, dogs, and even people. Diseases that are a danger to both cats and humans cat flea rickettsiosis, which has symptoms like murine typhus such as rash, chills, fever, vomiting, and headaches. Rickettsia typhi is specifically causes these clinical signs and is frequently asymptomatic in cats. If ingested, cats and dogs can develop tapeworm, which can then be past to people or other pets in the home.
Cat Flea Lifecycle
In favorable conditions, the cat flea can evolve through its entire lifecycle in 2 week and under worse conditions it can take up to a year. Cat fleas prefer the warm and humid environments, which is why they can be a challenge to remove if your home provides the warmth they are drawn to. The cat flea has 4 cycles that include eggs, larvae, pupae, and adult. Once they become adults, they will live on your dog or cat for their entire life. They adults will mate and the females will produce eggs that eventually fall off the host. The eggs will hatch where ever they landed and hatch larvae. The female cat flea will lay between 20 and 50 eggs in a day, which will hatch in 2-5 days. When cat fleas infest your home, they will quickly multiply, making extermination a challenge. Once hatched, the larvae will survive on organic debris until it builds a cocoon to transform into a pupae. During this transformation phase, the environment will need to be restricted, protected, and where there is 75% humidity. They will lay dormant until the optimal conditions occur where they then become adults; they can lay in a dormant state for weeks or even months. After they leave the cocoon as adults, they will start the cycle again after choosing a host.
How Do I Tell if My Cat has Fleas?
Cat fleas are commonly found congregating along pet beds, furniture, floor mats and other areas your pets frequently spend time. Looking for them can be difficult due to their size. The most noticeable sign of fleas is seeing the constant scratching or biting your pets do at their skin. The bites will often exhibit itching, hair loss, reddening of the skin, and secondary infections; and they can last up to 5 days after one bite.
Flea Inspections,Control, Removal, Management & More in Canyon Lake, Spring Branch, Bulverde, Timberwood Park, Leon Valley, Alamo Heights, New Braunfels, Selma, Live Oak, Converse, Universal City, Cibolo, Seguin, New Berlin, St Hedwig, Adkins, La Vernia, Elmendorf, Losoya, Von Ormy, Macdona & San Antonio, Texas
If you suspect fleas on your pet or human family members, ensure they get the medical treatment and contact A Five Star Termite & Pest Control to have us treat your home and yard to kill fleas and viable eggs.
