If you’ve ever run your hand through your cat’s silky fur and felt a small, odd bump that makes your stomach drop, you know exactly what I’m talking about. Ticks. They’re one of those things that cat owners dread finding, yet they’re surprisingly common, especially during warmer months. Here’s the thing though: these tiny parasites aren’t just gross to look at. They can transmit diseases and cause genuine health problems for your feline friend. Learning how to spot, remove, and prevent ticks from latching onto your cat is one of those essential skills every cat owner should have in their toolkit. Let’s dive into everything you need to know about dealing with these unwanted hitchhikers.
Understanding What Ticks Are and Why They Target Your Cat
Ticks are spider-like, egg-shaped parasites with six to eight legs depending on their life stage, and they range in size from about 1mm to 1cm long. Unlike fleas that jump around, ticks don’t fly or jump but rather climb or drop onto your cat’s coat when they brush past areas where ticks are sitting. Picture your cat strolling through tall grass or weaving under low-hanging branches in your backyard. That’s precisely when these little bloodsuckers strike.
Ticks are slow crawlers that wait patiently on vegetation for hosts to pass by. Once they’ve hitched a ride on your cat, they’ll crawl around searching for the perfect spot to bite and feed. Once attached, they feed on blood before eventually dropping off when they’ve had enough. The creepy part is that this feeding process can take several days.
Where Ticks Hide on Your Cat’s Body
Let’s be real, ticks are sneaky. They don’t just attach randomly; they have favorite spots where your cat can’t easily groom them away. Ticks tend to favor the head, neck, and ears, especially within the ear folds. Think about those warm, hidden places where your cat might not reach during their usual cleaning routine.
Ticks gravitate towards warm, dark places such as between the toes, around the ears, under the armpits, around the tail, and under your pet’s collar. When you’re checking your cat for ticks, run your fingers slowly through their fur, feeling for any small bumps. After your cat has been outside, make this a regular habit. After feeding, ticks become big enough to spot and feel like small bumps on your pet’s skin.
The Safe Way to Remove a Tick with Tweezers
When you spot a tick on your cat, your first instinct might be to yank it off immediately. Hold on. Doing this the wrong way can actually make things worse by leaving the tick’s head embedded in your cat’s skin. Before removal, fill a container with rubbing alcohol and gently restrain your cat while distracting them with a treat.
Grasp the tick with tweezers as close to your cat’s skin as possible, trying not to squeeze the tick’s body, as squeezing can push disease-causing microorganisms into your cat, then pull gently and firmly to remove it. The key word here is gently. Pull upward and apply steady pressure without twisting, as twisting increases the risk of the head separating and remaining lodged in the cat’s skin. I know it sounds intimidating, but taking your time really does make a difference.
Using Special Tick Removal Tools
If tweezers make you nervous, there’s another option. Twisting ticks off your cat is considered the best removal method, and pet shops sell handy tick-removal devices to make this easier. These specialized tools are designed specifically for the job and can actually be easier to use than regular tweezers.
Hook the tool under the tick close to your cat’s skin like you would hook a nail with a hammer, then rotate the tool until the tick separates from your cat’s skin. Carefully pull and twist the tool without squeezing to dislodge the tick, taking your time with this step. The twisting motion helps release the tick’s mouthparts more cleanly than straight pulling.
What to Do If the Tick’s Head Gets Stuck
Sometimes, despite your best efforts, things don’t go perfectly. If the tick’s head gets stuck in your cat’s skin, it should be treated similarly to a difficult-to-remove splinter. Don’t panic or start digging around trying to remove it, as this can cause more irritation and potential infection.
If mouthparts remain embedded and you can’t get a good grasp, it’s best to leave the area alone and let the body work the head out on its own, just as a splinter does in human skin. Wash the area with warm soapy water and keep an eye on it to ensure it’s healing properly, as continual prodding could push mouthparts further into the skin, causing irritation and potential infection. If you notice increasing redness, swelling, or discharge, that’s when you need to call your vet.
Cleaning and Disposing of the Tick Properly
Once you’ve successfully removed the tick, your job isn’t quite done yet. Drop the tick into isopropyl alcohol, then use a feline-friendly antiseptic on your cat’s skin where the tick bit. This step is crucial for killing the tick and preventing infection at the bite site.
Ticks can still bite your cat or you if they’re still alive, so once you’ve placed the tick in isopropyl alcohol to kill it, it’s a good idea to flush it down the toilet or dispose of the closed container in the trash. Never crush a tick with your bare fingers. Honestly, the thought alone is pretty revolting, but beyond that, ticks can carry diseases that might affect you too.
Recognizing Signs Your Cat Might Have Ticks
You might not always catch a tick in the act of crawling on your cat. Sometimes the first sign is your cat’s behavior. Your cat may scratch more than usual and seem fixated on one spot that appears red and swollen. Excessive scratching at one particular area is often a telltale sign.
Monitor the tick bite site for infection, taking your cat to the vet if there’s significant swelling or discharge, though it’s normal for there to temporarily be a small amount of redness and a scab where the tick was attached. If your cat seems lethargic, loses their appetite, or develops a fever in the days following tick removal, those could be warning signs of a tick-borne illness.
Understanding the Diseases Ticks Can Transmit
Let’s talk about why removing ticks quickly matters so much. Tick-borne diseases can spread to your cat as soon as 24 hours after the tick attaches. The clock really is ticking once a tick latches on. Ticks can cause skin irritation and secondary infections, anemia from blood loss, and even a life-threatening condition called tick paralysis.
Ticks transmit many diseases to cats such as cytauxzoonosis, tularemia, Lyme disease, and anaplasmosis. While cats are actually quite resistant to Lyme disease compared to dogs, other tick-borne illnesses can be extremely serious. Cytauxzoonosis, also known as bobcat fever, is considered the most serious tick disease for cats and can lead to severe illness involving multiple organ systems, progressing into coma and even death. That’s not meant to scare you, but rather to emphasize why prevention and quick removal are so important.
Preventing Ticks with Veterinary-Approved Treatments
Prevention really is the best medicine when it comes to ticks. Ticks and tick-borne diseases pose a significant health threat to cats, even indoor cats, but fortunately there are many ways you can protect your feline friend. Modern tick preventatives come in various forms to suit different lifestyles and preferences.
Year-round tick control comes in applications like dips, sprays, topicals, tablets, and collars, with most products designed to kill the tick or cause it to drop off before disease transmission, which is important for preventing disease in your cat and other household members including yourself. Talk to your vet about which option makes the most sense for your cat’s age, weight, and lifestyle. There are many preventative flea and tick medications for cats, but it’s important to use only products made specifically for cats, as some products marketed for dogs may contain ingredients that are not safe for cats.
Natural and Home Remedies for Tick Prevention
Some cat owners prefer taking a more natural approach to tick prevention. While natural methods may not be as immediately effective as chemical treatments, they can be part of a broader strategy. Vinegar is one of the best natural tick repellents, as it contains acetic acid, which parasites like ticks and fleas hate, causing ticks to abandon the animal they no longer consider an optimal host.
Almond oil is one of the most effective oils thanks to its natural tick repelling properties, and it also helps heal the tick bite wound, moisturizing the skin and promoting regeneration. Certain plants like lavender, mint, rosemary, and basil naturally repel fleas and ticks and can help reduce their presence while adding beauty and fragrance to your outdoor space. However, keep in mind that essential oils should be used with extreme caution around cats, as many can be toxic.
What do you think about these methods? Have you found a tick on your cat before, and how did you handle it? Share your experiences in the comments.
Hi, I’m Andrew, and I come from India. Experienced content specialist with a passion for writing. My forte includes health and wellness, Travel, Animals, and Nature. A nature nomad, I am obsessed with mountains and love high-altitude trekking. I have been on several Himalayan treks in India including the Everest Base Camp in Nepal, a profound experience.
