Cat Health And Fleas – How Do Fleas Affect Your Cat’s Health?

Ask any cat owners and they would definitely agree that keeping a cat can be a pleasurable experience but mention the word fleas and you would expect to see them frowning. Fleas are little parasite that is commonly found in household pets like dogs and cats and having to deal with these pesky little fleas that come along with keeping a cat is something that all cat owners would dread. The reason is because, once these little pests come in contact with a cat, it may take cat owners considerable effort and time to get rid of them. Not only are they a nuisance, fleas are also the cause of many diseases seen in cats.

Cat health can be affected by fleas in many ways. One of the most commonly seen problems in cats infested with fleas is flea allergic dermatitis or FAD in short. This condition is characterized by the presence of symptoms like pruritus (intense itch), scratching and excessive licking resulting in hair loss. This allergic reaction is caused by an allergen found in the fleas’ saliva, which are secreted when they feed on the cat. In some hypersensitive cats, they can be very badly affected. They may experience very intense itch. The constant scratching and licking may lead to raw inflamed skin causing much misery to the affected cat. Their appetite may in turn be affected and weight loss is also commonly observed in a flea-infested cat.

Another disease that fleas can transmit is tapeworms. Fleas can cause tapeworm infections after a cat ingests a flea that carries a tapeworm larva. After ingestion, the tapeworm larva continues to develop in the cat's gastrointestinal tract. When developed, the head of the tapeworm will attach to the intestinal wall and small egg filled segments will periodically break off and are passed out of the rectum. These are the “rice-like” segments that you get to see around the anal region of your cat. Though not a major health issue, tapeworms can cause malnutrition and weight loss in cats with heavy infestation.

Anemia is also another concern when cats are infested with fleas. Fleas feed on the blood from their host. Although each flea only sucks a minute amount of blood the combined loss of blood in immature animals can be great. If left untreated, cat especially young kittens, can die from severe anemia caused by fleas.

Fleas are also a carrier of a blood parasite call Haemobartonella felis that lives on the surface of red blood cells. They can cause the rupture of red blood cells resulting in anemia. Infected cats usually appear pale and emaciated (abnormally lean or thin with wasting of flesh). Again if left untreated, cats can die from severe anemia caused by these parasites.

The ultimate solution to these health problems brought upon cats by fleas is to have a proper flea control for cats. Treating the symptoms of the above diseases observed in cats will not solve the problem. As long as fleas are allowed to continue living on your cat, the problem will never be resolved. Only by getting rid of fleas on cats and its surrounding environment can you be sure to prevent these cat fleas health hazards.

Check out the section on “Flea Treatment For Pets” and “House Flea Control” to begin your battle against fleas