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Summer in the Southeastern United States is Tick Season. Well, actually it’s just Bug Season, but one of the bugs you have to worry about is ticks. You don’t just have to worry about ticks crawling on you, but on your pets, too. Now that it’s hot and humid and creepy crawlies are everywhere, it’s high time we talked about tick prevention for cats and what to do if you find one of the little monsters attached to your furry friend.
The Life History of Ticks
Ticks are little, creepy arachnids, relatives of spiders and scorpions. They need to feed on blood to proceed through each stage of their life cycle [2]. A female tick lays 3000-6000 eggs on the ground [6]. The eggs hatch into tiny larvae that feed and molt into nymphs [2, 6]. The nymphs do the same to develop into adults [2, 6]. Adult ticks feed and mate on a host animal [6].
Ticks cannot fly or jump–they must crawl or drop onto a passing animal [4, 6]. They sit on tall blades of grass or other vegetation and wait for a passing host to brush by [1, 2, 4, 6, 8]. They prefer to bite the head, neck, ears, and feet [1, 4, 8]. Once a tick bites, they bury their mouthparts in the skin [1, 8].
There are at least 15 species of ticks in North America and more than 800 in the world [2, 6]. The species likely to feed on cats in the United States are the deer or black-legged tick and American dog tick [6]. Ticks are most abundant during the late spring and summer.
Why Do Cats Need Tick Prevention?
Ticks carry a lot of diseases. Cats don’t get tick-borne illnesses very often, but they sometimes become very sick when they do [2, 4, 6, 8]. Below are tick-borne diseases of concern for cats.
- Lyme Disease (USA, Canada, Europe, North Asia, East Asia)
- Cytauxzoonosis (USA, Brazil, Europe)
- Tick Paralysis (Australia)
- Hemobartonellosis/Feline Hemotrophic Mycoplasmosis (Worldwide)
- Tularemia (USA, Canada, Europe, North Asia)
- Babeseosis (USA, Europe, South Africa, East Asia, Southeast Asia)
- Ehrlichiosis (USA, Europe, South America, Africa, East Asia)
The more ticks that bite a cat, and the longer they remain attached for, the more likely it is that the ticks will infect the cat with a disease-causing pathogen [4, 7]. Tick bites may also become infected like any wound, and if a cat has a lot of ticks attached they could become anemic [1, 3].
What Kinds of Tick Prevention are Available for Cats?
These days, there are a lot of different types of tick prevention for cats. Some flea prevention products work for ticks, too. Others are tick-specific. Some are only effective against certain species of ticks [8]. Before using any tick prevention method, consult your veterinarian. They should know which ticks are present in your area and which preventatives will work best for your cat. For reference, these are the options available.
An important thing to remember: NEVER use an antiparasitic product meant for dogs on your cat. Make absolutely certain that the product you are using is labeled for use with cats, and that you use a dose that corresponds to your cat’s age and weight. Some of the flea and tick products made for dogs are very toxic to cats [4, 6, 7].
Spot-On Medications
Spot-on treatments are a type of topical medication that you squeeze out of a little tube onto the back of your cat’s neck [6]. They are a very popular form of tick prevention for cats–and dogs, too [2, 4-8]. Spot-on medications are highly effective and must be applied monthly [5].
Oral Medications
These monthly antiparasitic tablets are much more available for dogs than they are for cats, but you can sometimes find them [5, 7]. I suspect this is because many cats are so unwilling to take pills. Oral tick preventatives do have advantages if your cat will consume them. There is no need to worry about your cat rubbing the medication off onto you or your furniture [5]. Plus, with a medication that is meant to be eaten, there’s no concern about your cat grooming a chemical that isn’t safe for consumption off their fur. They aren’t supposed to be able to do that if you squirt a spot-on treatment in that magic place they can’t reach, but Joon finds a way.
Shampoos and Dips
Famously, cats do not like baths. But, there are reasons these products could make sense for you. For example, your cat has a serious infestation, or your cat needs to take regular baths anyway. There are shampoos available that kill ticks on contact [5]. These shampoos are pretty inexpensive, but for ongoing protection your cat will need a medicated bath about every two weeks during peak tick season [5]. Just be careful not to get any in kitty’s eyes!
Dips are a bit different. The tick dip comes as a concentrated chemical that has to be diluted in water [5]. You then sponge it onto the cat’s fur or pour it over their back without rinsing [5]. These chemicals are strong, so they are not appropriate for all cats and cannot be used for kittens less than four months old [5].
Powders and Sprays
These topical products can sometimes be used in the cat’s environment and on their bedding as well as on your cat [3, 5]. Be sure to check the directions. Powders are rubbed into a cat’s fur and skin [5]. They can be irritating, so avoid kitty’s face and eyes [5]. Antiparasitic powders are not effective for very long and need to be applied once a week during peak tick season [5]. Sprays are also a topical treatment that must be kept away from a cat’s eyes [3, 5]. They kill ticks quickly but are short-acting [5, 6]. Some sprays, while considered pet-safe, are only meant for use around the house and not directly on animals. Again, always read the instructions.
Tick Collars
Medicated collars can help prevent ticks from attaching to your cat [2-7]. However, they work the best around the head and neck and are less effective elsewhere on the body [5]. That is one of the places where ticks tend to congregate, but they can and will attach anywhere. If ticks are only a minor problem in your area, however, this might be a reasonable solution.
Tick collars must have skin contact to be effective [5]. Make sure it fits so that two fingers just slide underneath [5]. Like any medication, cats can have allergic reactions to these collars, so watch for signs of discomfort like excessive scratching and remove the collar regularly to check for irritation [3, 5].
Environmental Control
There are things you can do to keep ticks off your cat in the first place, as well. Ticks like tall grass, brush, and wooded areas. Ideally, you would keep your cat away from these environments where ticks lay in wait [5]. Of course, if your cat has any access to the outdoors, that is probably easier said than done. You can, however, make your own property inhospitable to ticks. If you have a lawn, keep it mowed [1, 5, 8]. Get rid of tall weeds, brush piles, and unwieldy undergrowth [1, 5]. Whenever your cat comes in, go ahead and check them over with a flea comb [7].
How to Find and Remove Ticks from Your Cat
Unfortunately, parasites are wily, and sometimes they sneak past all our defenses. So what do you do if you find a tick that has already attached to your cat? First of all, don’t panic. Most tick bites do not result in an infection [2]. And you can get the gross little monster off.
Always wear disposable gloves when removing a tick, or at least put a paper towel between it and your skin [1, 2, 6]. Remember, humans can catch diseases from ticks, too, so it’s best to be safe. Also prepare a screw-top jar filled with rubbing alcohol before you remove the tick [1, 2, 6]. You are going to drop the tick in there. This is because you may want to preserve the tick to take to the veterinarian in case your cat becomes sick later, and a female tick is likely to have eggs inside that you want to make sure die with her [1, 2, 6].
With tweezers, grab the tick as close as possible to where it is attached to the skin. DO NOT jerk or twist it. This can cause the body to break off and leave the head behind, which is a serious infection risk. Rather, pull upward with steady pressure until the tick comes out. Drop it in the jar, screw the lid closed tightly, and label the jar with the date. Maybe write “TICK” on there too, just in case. You don’t want to mix that up with anything else. Disinfect the bite wound. Sterilize the tweezers with more rubbing alcohol. Wash your hands thoroughly after you throw your gloves away. Gloves are not perfect protection. [1-3, 6, 8]
If you do find a tick on your cat, Cornell Feline Health Center wants to know! They are conducting a Feline Lyme Disease Surveillance Program to test ticks that have been found on cats for the bacteria that cause Lyme disease. Visit the webpage to find out more.
Works Cited
- American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. (n.d.). Fleas and ticks. https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/general-pet-care/fleas-and-ticks
- Cornell Feline Health Center. (n.d.). Ticks and your cat. Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. https://www.vet.cornell.edu/departments-centers-and-institutes/cornell-feline-health-center/health-information/feline-health-topics/ticks-and-your-cat
- Fogle, B. (1999). The complete illustrated guide to cat care and behavior. Thunder Bay Press: San Diego.
- Karwath, A. (2022, February 23). Cats and ticks. Blue Cross UK. https://www.bluecross.org.uk/advice/cat/cats-and-ticks
- Kvamme, J. (2011, June 14). 10 ways to stop ticks from biting your cat. PetMD. https://www.petmd.com/cat/parasites/evr_ct_10_ways_to_stop_ticks_from_biting_your_cat
- Llera, R. and Ward, E. (n.d.). Ticks in cats. VCA Animal Hospitals. https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/ticks-in-cats
- Schwab, S. (2022, June 17). The best tick prevention for cats, according to a veterinarian. The Dodo. https://www.thedodo.com/dodowell/tick-prevention-for-cats
- Tick prevention for cats. (2018, August 8). Beattie Pet Hospital. https://beattiepethospitalhamilton.com/2018/08/08/tick-prevention-for-cats/
Published July 10, 2022
Updated July 11, 2022
