Ticks are nasty creatures. They can cause Kitty to develop a number of diseases and health problems, including something similar to Lyme disease, anemia, skin infections and fever. Not scary enough? The ticks can also bite you and cause you to develop Lyme disease and other nasty stuff.
Step 1
Check Kitty's fur for any ticks you can find. As tempting as it might be, don't just pull on them once you find them. Instead, rub the tick and the area around it with alcohol. Then, use tweezers to grab the tick as close to the skin as possible without pinching Fluffy in the process. This will ensure you get the whole tick out when you pull. Otherwise, you might risk decapitating the tick, which causes more poison to go into the skin.
Step 2
Buy a tick-control medication from your vet. Tick-prevention products such as Frontline, Revolution and Advantage also kill ticks once they're already on Fluffy. The longer you wait, the more bugs you'll have to deal with, so get the medication from your vet as soon as possible. No need to fight Kitty to try and get him to swallow a pill. These are all applied to the skin -- usually to the back, between the shoulder blades.
Step 3
Wash everything Kitty has come in contact with since you first discovered ticks. That means blankets, pet bedding and sheets -- unless Kitty never sleeps in your bed. Vacuum your sofa and under your mattress. Ticks will jump off your cat and go hide in dark places and lay eggs. You just need to make sure there's no safe place for them to hide.
Always check with your veterinarian before changing your pet’s diet, medication, or physical activity routines. This information is not a substitute for a vet’s opinion.
References
Tips
- Keep Kitty indoors at all times. Cats exposed to the outdoors may encounter not only ticks but also other nasty creatures and predators.
Warnings
- Avoid flea and tick collars. They have been known to cause poisoning and severe allergic reactions in cats.
Writer Bio
Tammy Dray has been writing since 1996. She specializes in health, wellness and travel topics and has credits in various publications including Woman's Day, Marie Claire, Adirondack Life and Self. She is also a seasoned independent traveler and a certified personal trainer and nutrition consultant. Dray is pursuing a criminal justice degree at Penn Foster College.