5 Ways Indoor Cats Get Fleas (And How to Prevent Getting Them)
Even if your inside cat has never stepped a single toe bean outside, they are still very capable of falling victim to an itchy set of fleas! While it’s not normal or common for indoor cats to get fleas, they certainly shouldn’t be dismissed.
Cats who have lived their life strictly indoors are still susceptible to picking up pesky parasites such as fleas. Fleas are the most common external parasites that cats suffer from. Unfortunately, fleas can be dangerous to your pet’s health and well-being.
How Do Indoor Cats Get Fleas When They Don’t Go Outside?
House cats can and do get fleas. While you may feel that your cat’s lavish indoor lifestyle keeps them protected, fleas have many opportunities to latch onto your furry friends. So how does an indoor cat get fleas?
Furry Friends
Cats can get fleas from dogs, cats, and other furry pets in your care. The most common way that an indoor cats gets fleas is from another pet in the home, usually an unprotected dog that brings them in before its flea treatment kicks in.
How Do Indoor Cats Get Fleas With No Other Pets?
Other Humans
Guests can bring fleas in on their shoes and clothing, especially if they come from an environment with fleas. Eggs, larvae, and adult fleas can all take a ride on a person’s clothing or items, making their way into your home. Ask houseguests to remove their shoes at the door to help prevent pests from finding your pets.
Rodents And Other Animals
If you are a cat owner experiencing a mouse or rat problem, you may also be dealing with an active flea infestation. Sometimes rabbits or other wildlife visiting your yard may also contribute to an infestation of fleas on your lawn.
Secondhand Supplies
A flea can happily live in a humid environment for weeks. They could be tucked away in thrift store clothing, a borrowed brush, or a second-hand blanket. Before bringing secondhand items into your house, thoroughly inspect and sanitize them. Take extra care if you buy used furniture.
A Neighbor
If you live in an apartment complex, a townhome, or other shared spaces, your neighbors’ fleas may make their way into your living space and onto your pets. A single flea can lay eggs and multiply rapidly creating an infestation.
Travel
Even the happiest house cat must leave her cat tree once in a while. From traveling with humans, going to the groomer or boarding facility, or even just the annual wellness trip to the veterinary clinic, your cat can pick up hitchhiker fleas in any environment where other pets have been recently and bring home an infestation. If your cat leaves the home, she is at risk.
Moving To A New Home
Moving into a new house or apartment is such an exciting time. With endless to-do lists of moving many people may forget to check for fleas and other parasites. If you move into an environment where the previous homeowner had fleas present, they will find your pets if not exterminated.
An Open Window
If your cat is one to stay indoors, she is at lower risk, but can sometimes attract fleas by sitting on an open windowsill in warmer months. Sitting in a window may expose your cat to more than just a warm sunbeam.
An adult flea can leap 160 times its body length with the best jumpers reaching as far as 19 inches. Combined with their tiny size, fleas can easily make it through your screened window and onto your house cat.
So Why Are Fleas So Dangerous?
Fleas can cause anemia as they quickly spread out of control. When untreated, a flea infestation can even be fatal for some cats and kittens.
If that’s not enough, fleas can also transmit parasites to people and cause other issues or diseases such as:
Tapeworms: These are intestinal parasites that spread to cats and even people.
Flea allergy rash: This is a common allergic reaction to the bite on the skin in cats and dogs.
Cat scratch disease: A skin infection in humans caused by bacteria that enter the body through flea feces.
Blood parasites: These can infect your cat and remain asymptomatic for years or cause serious health complications when triggered by other diseases or stressful events.
Can Fleas Infest Humans?
According to the CDC, Fleas prefer animal hosts but will resort to biting people when animals are unavailable. Cat fleas prefer your cat or dog over you and usually won’t choose human hosts, but they will bite at the feet, ankles, and legs.
How To Tell If Your Indoor Cat Has Fleas
Indoor cats can get fleas year-round, but they are more prevalent in the warmer months of spring and summer. Since flea bites are itchy, you can tell your indoor cat has them if you see your cat scratching more often than normal. She may be losing fur, or you may have spotted flea dirt, especially on your cat’s head around the ears.
What To Do If You Find Fleas on Your Indoor Cat
If there are fleas on your cat, swift action is best. The flea life cycle is complex, making them difficult to eradicate. A female flea can drop flea eggs within 24 hours of its first meal, meaning flea infestations can get out of control quickly. To get rid of fleas you will need a multi-step approach:
Ask your veterinarian for their recommendations of treatment options
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Use a flea comb to remove as many adults and eggs as possible.
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Use a cat-safe flea shampoo.
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If you are a multi-pet household, treat other pets accordingly.
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Start monthly flea medicine for all pets in your home.
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Clean all bedding, pillows, pet beds, and fabrics to kill fleas, eggs, and larvae.
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Spray upholstered fabric like sofas and chairs with a pet-safe flea spray
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Deep clean any humid environments. Fleas can even live in cat litter due to the enclosed humid environment.
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Vacuum all carpets daily for several weeks to clear flea eggs and larvae.
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Clean up any areas where infested neighborhood animals may hang out, especially near doors and windows.
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Mow your lawn regularly to prevent overgrowth, which attracts animals and pests.
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Citronella, peppermint, and eucalyptus may naturally repel fleas.
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For severe infestations, turn to professional extermination.
What is the Best Flea Control Product for Cats?
Often, pet parents of indoor cats skip prevention options because they think it’s unnecessary. Now that you know the ways fleas can make their way onto your furry friend, let’s talk about prevention.
The best flea products for indoor cats are likely offered by your veterinarian. Revolution Plus is a go-to prescription for many veterinarians because it treats a variety of pests, including ticks.
What does Revolution Plus protect cats and kittens from?
Revolution Plus protects against fleas, ticks, heartworms, roundworms, hookworms, and even ear mites when used as directed.
How to Prevent Fleas on Indoor Cats
The good news is that preventing fleas is easy. Indoor cats can get a vet-approved monthly topical treatment that is simple, quick, and well-tolerated. Most veterinarians recommend year-round prevention for all cats and dogs, whether they go indoors or not.
Check your cat often for signs of flea dirt when grooming them, especially around the ears and underbelly. Flea dirt is an excrement that resembles black pepper flakes.
Confirm that the pets that visit your home are current on flea prevention. Make sure to clean thoroughly after visitors leave.
Fleas can get out of control quickly and are an inconvenience for cats and pet parents. But by taking preventative measures, you’ll be much less likely to deal with the hassle of fleas and save your pet friend from discomfort!
