There is a lot of misinformation about fleas and flea treatment for cats. Let’s debunk 10 of the most common myths and set the record straight.
1. If my cat had fleas, I’d see them.
Not necessarily. Fleas are small parasites that move quickly through your cat’s fur, making them difficult to spot, especially in cats with thick or long fur. Cats also groom themselves frequently. You may never actually see an adult flea on your cat because they have already groomed and removed the flea. Instead, what you are likely to notice is your cat scratching a lot more than usual. You may also see black/brown specks of flea dirt especially around the base of the tail, back, head and ears, and evidence of skin irritation.
2. Indoor cats don’t get fleas.
Indoor cats can get fleas just as outdoor cats can. Fleas jump from one host to another and will hitchhike into your home on the backs of other pets, such as dogs, or even on human clothing and shoes. Whilst an indoor cat has a lower level of exposure to parasites and other nasties than cats that spend a lot of time outdoors, they are not without risk, especially if you have other pets or live in a flea-prone area.
3. I only need to treat my cat with fleas not the other pets in the household.
Unfortunately not true. Some pets are more sensitive to fleas than others so the outward signs are more obvious e.g. they’ll scratch constantly or have visibly irritated or flaky skin. If you only treat the cat that is constantly scratching, there’s a high probability they’ll be reinfested by the other pets in the household who are likely to have fleas, but are not showing the signs.
4. Natural remedies are safe and effective flea control methods.
Environmentally friendly products are increasingly popular and many cat owners prefer to take a natural approach to flea control and prevention. It’s important to note that the effectiveness of natural remedies can vary, and not all products may be safe for pets. Garlic for example is often recommended as a natural alternative to killing fleas, but it’s one of the human foods that are extremely toxic to cats and can lead to severe poisoning and death. Please do your research and consult with a veterinarian before using natural flea control methods to ensure they are safe and effective for your pets.
5. Flea prevention is only needed in warm weather.
Many cat owners stop flea treatment during the winter months under the mistaken impression that fleas are only a problem during summer. In Australia, the temperate climate and warm spring/autumn weather extends flea season to 9-10 months of the year, so flea prevention year-round is necessary. Fleas also find shelter and breed indoors where temperatures are warm and well-regulated all year round, even when it’s cold outside.
6. Fleas only cause itching and discomfort.
Fleas can cause more than just itchy skin. They are not just a nuisance, flea infestations can lead to severe health issues including flea allergy dermatitis, tapeworms, anaemia, and the potential transmission of Bartonella bacteria, which can cause cat scratch fever in both cats and humans.
7. One flea treatment is enough.
Fleas have a complex life cycle. Treating them once may kill any adult fleas, but it will not prevent reinfestation. To tackle a flea infestation, you’ll need to follow up with multiple treatments over a period of time to target the different life stages of the fleas, such as eggs, larvae, pupae, and adult fleas. Regular and consistent preventive measures are usually needed to successfully eradicate fleas from your pets and your home.
8. Cats groom themselves so they don’t need flea prevention.
Cats have rough tongues and groom themselves to remove loose fur and debris from their coats. During this process, they may inadvertently eliminate fleas from their fur. However, grooming alone is not an effective flea treatment for your cat. Ingesting fleas whilst grooming can also lead to other health issues such as tapeworms. So, flea prevention is essential to protect your cat from fleas.
9. Adult fleas die quickly once they are removed from the cat.
Fleas are resilient little parasites – they can survive for several days to weeks without a host. Fleas will also lay eggs that hatch into new fleas, which can reinfest your cat or other pets in the household. That’s why it’s important to treat both your cat and your living environment when you have a flea infestation.
10. Keeping my house clean prevents fleas.
If only it was that simple. Fleas can thrive in both clean and dirty home environments. Whilst an unclean home may provide conditions where flea larvae thrive, fleas can also be introduced into clean homes through various means such as other pets, wildlife (including fostered pets or rodents) or even on human shoes or clothing. Regardless of the cleanliness of your home, flea prevention is crucial for managing fleas.
Dispelling these myths and revealing the truth behind them, will hopefully help you to make an informed decision about the best approach to keeping your cats and home free of fleas.
Thanks for sharing! I always use a apple cider vinegar as a natural flea repellent and it works ok. But in case of strong flea infestation natural treatment is not very effective, only a vet can help. We’ve found a couple of kittens last summer and they were totally covered with fleas. My friend took them and now they are fine but when I saw tem at first it was terrible sight…
The second myth listed is the one that I ran into the most while at the veterinary hospital. Great list!
I think the myth I hear the most is the one about pets living inside. I was giving my mom’s dog a bath an saw a flea and reminded her once again how important prevention is!
Our cat is a former stray. When we brought a puppy home, we noticed she had fleas. Before long, our cat who was fairly reclusive at the time, had a terrible infestation of fleas. I had to take him to the emergency vet and treat our house. It was awful for him (and us.)
The first time we had fleas I was shocked – I kept suspecting my dog had them but I wasn’t actually seeing them so I kept checking each evening and I squealed the moment I saw one of those nasty little buggers. They are not easy to see; and if you have a pet with thick or dark fur it’s even more difficult. And they move/jump so fast.
Interesting post, thanks for sharing. Thankfully, Brick and Smokey have never had fleas. We use Diatomaceous earth during the summer months to keep the fleas away.
Parker had ticks on her when she left the farm to become an inside cat. On the way out of town, we stopped at the vet to get her some flea and tick medication; I think Dr Brown had Frontline. The ticks were almost running off her. Now that she lives in an apartment in town, she does not get flea/tick medicine unless we make a trip back to the farm.
This is great information! We are lucky enough to live in a place where fleas are very uncommon. 🙂
However, back when Lita lived in Indiana before the Mom adopted her and brought her here, flea prevention was needed regularly. We know that Frontline is a good flea prevention and treatment product – the Mom’s sister uses it on their Shih Tzu. 🙂
After dealing with the horrible three infestation a couple of years ago, mom now treats us year- round with a topical monthly flea treatment that contains an insect growth regulator like Frontline Plus.
I agree with all of these myths except #4. I can’t fathom putting something on my dog that I can’t touch myself, so we use natural remedies that are safe. You need to do your research, but in my experience natural remedies can be successful too.
OMC – yes!!! When I worked as a vet tech, #1 was one of the most common things I heard from clients. It’s a bit embarrassing, but one of our clients deemed me as the “flea girl”. People would bring their itchy pets in and claim they did not have fleas. I was able to find a flea on almost all of them, even when vets could not lol… it’s a weird skill to have I guess. Of course, many clients would say the fleas must have jumped on at the clinic.
Fleas are such a pain! Manna had them when we first brought her home. Luckily, she was a very small 3.5 week old kitten and there weren’t a whole lot of places for those fleas to hide. We were able to get rid of them fairly quickly with some gentle baths. Back when I had dogs, fleas were a much bigger problem. It took a lot of time and money to get rid of them. Prevention is definitely the key.
When we lived in an apartment a new lady with a dog moved in next door. Within 2 days, my 2 indoor cats had fleas! When we lived in the apartment we always used flea-prevention after that! Now that we own our own home we haven’t used any and have been ok (so far anyway!)
Since moving to Arizona about ten years ago, I’ve, thankfully, never seen a flea in our home or the homes of any of my clients. I guess the climate doesn’t suit them.
We found out that Molly Mew was giving us dogs fleas because we play outside so much. Now ma treats her with a monthly treatment and we all live comfortably.
We always had great luck with a sprinkle of nutritional yeast across the animals food. Not sure why it works but for us it works well and it’s really inexpensive
Great post. We have been lucky so far with our pets but am definitely looking at alternatives for the summer here (I am from Sydney but am living in Canada). Thanks
Excellent myth busting about fleas! Especially the one about indoor pets being safe from fleas. Even indoor pets can pick up fleas. Nasty little buggers!
Thank COD we have not had any problems with fleas here. They are tough to get rid of!
So far, we’ve been lucky and have never had fleas.
Mom puts stuff on me once a month so I am safe from fleas and other stuff.
I love your very informative blog and I, personally, love Frontline. Mama sidles over to me when I’m resting and scratches between my ears and then quickly puts the little liquid thingy in the same place and I don’t know what’s hit me. Very cool product. Also Beaphar Calming drops….all natural. I wrote about them in a blog. Made from valerian… they work!
Mum learned about fleas the hard way when Angel Isis and Angel Hercule, Persians only-indoor cats, got fleas. Since then she applies us our flea treatment regularly… and it’s Frontline 🙂 !
WE are having a war with the fleas right now and I am so sorry I didn’t do more during the winter. They are so hard to get rid of. Great post.