Flea Bite in Cats / Flea Allergic Dermatitis
Flea bite hypersensitivity or Cat Flea Allergy is a very common condition seen in cats and is the most common disease diagnosed in pets. Flea allergies develop when the cats are young(lesser than 5 years of age). Flea Saliva is actually the real cause of the flea allergy seen in cats.
Adult fleas cannot survive unless they are on an animal. They need a host to survive! Adult fleas fall off the cat after laying eggs on the host and the eggs mutate through their life cycle(adult flea, egg, larva, and pupa). Flea's remaining lifecycle occurs on the host cat to cause cat flea allergy
Symptoms and Types of Cat Flea Allergy:
-
Flea allergy in cats causes:
-
Severe itching (commonly referred as pruritis)
-
Cats sometimes suffer from a condition called Neurodermatitis(a behavioral problem that comes about as the result of anxiety related flea bite hypersensitivity).
-
Hair loss and scabs
Diagnosis for Flea Allergy in Cats
-
Use a flea comb to check your cat.
-
Always consult your vet! Never take your pet's health for granted. The vet will then check the skin for mites or bacterial skin diseases(if the fleas cannot be seen).
Treatment of Flea Bite in Cats:
There are soo many options to kill the adult fleas in cats:
-
Topical treatments are done to reach small unreachable areas i.e the top back of the neck. For many cases, oral products are also useful.
-
Flea shampoos can be used for young cats or for an acute flea infestation.
-
Cats allergic to fleas may require steroids or antihistamines. This helps them fight their sensitivity to the bites.