How to understand that a cat has a tick, and how to remove the parasite

With the right tools, you can remove a tick that has bitten a cat at home. This step-by-step instruction will tell you how to pull out a tick and get rid of it without leaving your home.

Where does a domestic cat get a tick

Since cats are famous for their impeccable cleanliness, owners often wonder how mites even get on their fur. Unfortunately, even the cleanest animals are susceptible to tick bites. Most often, parasites are transmitted to a cat from other pets, but not always. 

Unlike fleas, ticks do not jump, but crawl slowly. In nature, their shelters are usually tall grass, low-hanging branches and shrubs. Some parasite species are adapted to living in homes or other sheltered environments, especially during the colder months. Such ticks bite cats less often than dogs, but it is important to remember that a pet can catch a bloodsucker even if she never goes outside. Once next to a cat, the parasite simply grabs onto a hair of wool and crawls onto the animal in the hope of a bite to eat.

How to check your cat for ticks

You need to regularly inspect it and iron it more often. For example, from head to tail every time she comes in from the street. This will help to understand if she has picked up a tick. The following symptoms and factors may indicate the presence of the parasite:

• Ticks are visible to the naked eye: they usually look like small oval bugs.

• They are brown or grey.

• They may be surrounded by tiny black dots called tick droppings.

• It is possible to catch a tick even before the bite, but most often these parasites are found when they have already firmly stuck into the skin of the animal. Depending on when the tick last sucked blood, it may be slightly flattened and thin, or round and bloodshot.

• Ticks can be found anywhere on a cat’s body, but they usually prefer the head, neck, and ears (especially the ear creases).

Removing a tick from a cat: what tools to get

Your veterinarian will be happy to help you with tick removal, but in general, cat owners are quite capable of doing this task themselves at home with a little preparation and the right tools. Before proceeding with the procedure for removing a tick from a cat, it is necessary to prepare the following:

• Tweezers or other tick removal tool.

• Disposable gloves.

• A container (small jar, zip-lock bag, etc.) in which the tick can be placed after removal.

• Cat-safe disinfectant.

• Ideally, you should have another pair of hands to help.

• Calmness and composure.

Remember that panic will not help you or your cat. By staying calm, you will be able to get rid of the tick in no time.

How to remove a tick from a cat

This guide will help you get rid of the dangerous parasite:

1. Get a friend or family member to help hold the cat. You need to wait until she calms down and relaxes.

2. Wearing gloves, you need to part the wool so that the skin is visible, and place the tweezers as close to it as possible.

3. Grab the tick with tweezers and pull up, evenly distributing the force, without twisting. According to the Merck Veterinary Manual, twisting increases the risk of the tick’s head coming off and remaining under the cat’s skin.

4. After removing the tick, you need to place it in a container or flush it down the toilet.

5. Treat the area of ​​the tick bite with a disinfectant and wash your hands. Iodine, medical alcohol or soap and water are suitable as a disinfectant.

Prevention Tips: How to Protect Your Cat from Ticks

Few will argue that it is better to avoid a tick bite initially than to remove it later. A few simple tips to help protect your pet:

• Ticks love to hide in tall grass and bushes, so treating your yard vegetation is a great way to reduce the number of mites.

• The greatest activity of ticks falls on the period from spring to autumn. If the cat is on the street, you need to carefully examine it after each walk, especially in the warm season.

• If your cat comes into contact with other animals or goes outside, you can purchase a tick preventative from your veterinarian. Most of these products also protect against fleas and other external parasites. It is important to remember that even if a cat never leaves the house, it is still at risk of being bitten by a tick. During the annual check-up at the veterinary clinic, a veterinarian should be consulted about the risk to the pet of being bitten by ticks and other insects. The specialist will help you choose the optimal prophylactic.

If at any time during the tick removal process, the cat begins to show signs of stress and breathe through the mouth, stop the procedure and make an appointment with a veterinarian. Stress in a cat can lead to other health problems, so it’s better to be safe than sorry anyway.

With this manual at hand, the owner will be better prepared and able to help his furry friend if they have to face a similar situation.