Removing ticks
Does your cat have a tick or multiple ticks? Here’s how to remove them.
Every cat gets ticks from time to time. They are annoying critters, but they are not always dangerous. At least, if you remove them quickly and the right way. But how do you do that safely? We tell you that here.
In this blog, you will find information on ticks in cats, such as:
- What kind of critters are ticks?
- What does a tick look like?
- Can a cat get sick from a tick?
- Should you remove a tick immediately?
- How can you remove a tick (or several ticks)?
- Can you prevent ticks with drugs or other means?
What kind of critters are ticks?
Ticks are found all over Europe – especially in forests, dunes, parks and gardens. They live there among grass and leaves. So it is not strange if your cat sometimes carries a tick on its skin. Because that’s where you find them. Ticks are parasites that live off the blood of humans and animals. They nestle in the skin, sucking blood.
What does a tick look like?
A tick looks a bit like a small brownish-black spider. When they haven’t eaten yet, they are quite small. But once they have lived on your cat’s skin for a while and have eaten their fill, they are a lot bigger and rounder.
Can a cat get sick from a tick?
Yes, cats can definitely get sick from ticks. A tick infection can even be dangerous. Therefore, always pay attention to the following symptoms.
- inflammations of the skin
- fever
- pain
- Sluggishness
- swollen lymph nodes
- cripple
- loss of appetite
Ticks can even be life-threatening for kittens and older or weak animals. A tick can cause anaemia and put your cat in a life-threatening condition. Does your cat or kitten have any of the symptoms above? If so, visit your vet immediately!
Should you remove a tick immediately?
Yes. A tick can cause all kinds of annoying symptoms in cats and especially in kittens or older animals. In addition, ticks can also be carriers of the Lyme bacteria. This can cause Lyme disease in humans and is therefore dangerous for you. Have you found a tick? Then go to the vet or remove it yourself. And this is how you do it.
How can you remove a tick (or several ticks)?
Removing a tick might be a bit of a tedious job, but it is quite easy to do yourself. Here’s how to remove a tick in 5 steps.
Important tip: never use alcohol while the tick is still in the skin. Ticks can inject their contents into your cat and it can get sick.
- Use forceps (with fine tip) or preferably tick-removing tweezers
- Put the fur aside so you can get the tick properly later on
- Grab the tick as close to the skin as possible with tweezers or tick forceps
- Carefully pull the tick out of the skin, without twisting it
- Pick up the tick with a toilet paper, squeeze it to death and flush it down the toilet
Your cat’s skin may still be a bit thick or red, which is not a bad thing. Does it stay red or does the skin get inflamed? Then you may need to go to the vet, because you may have a piece of the tick left behind or the tick may have caused an infection.
Can you prevent ticks with drugs or other means?
Prevention is always better than cure. The same goes for ticks. Fortunately, more and more remedies are available that can prevent your cat from getting ticks. You can choose a tick collar or a pipette. Some brands have pipettes that only work against ticks, but there are also brands – such as Frontline and Stronghold – that have a product that protects your cat against fleas, worms and ticks. How convenient!
Disclaimer: Petrebels is not a vet or behaviourist: all content, information and tips on this blog are intended to inspire you and are informative in nature. Does your cat have complaints or problems and are you in doubt about your cat’s health? If so, always visit your vet or a behaviourist.
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