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A lot of people think that indoor cats can’t get fleas, but this is not the case! There are several ways that your indoor car can catch fleas, even if they have never stepped foot outside of the home.
We have put together this helpful guide to explain what you need to look out for and how to prevent your indoor cat from getting fleas. Keep reading to find out more.
Can Indoor Cats Get Fleas?
Yes – indoor cats can get fleas! And it is often worse for indoor cats, as their owners are not prepared for the infestation or how to get rid of it. Fleas can spread very quickly, as the females will begin to lay eggs after only hours of feeding on the host animal.
Whilst indoor cats are less susceptible to fleas than outdoor cats, you still need to be aware of the risks and how to prevent it from happening.
How Do Indoor Cats Get Fleas?
There are several other ways that an indoor cat could pick up fleas. Here are some of the most common causes that you need to be aware of.
Humans
Did you know that one of the main ways that indoor cats get fleas is from their owners? Fleas tend to prefer animals to humans, but they will use humans as a temporary solution until they find an animal.
If you visit a house that has fleas present, you sit down in a park, you spend the day at the beach, or you use public transport, there is a chance that you could pick up a flea and bring it home.
Other Pets
In households with multiple pets, the other animal is often to blame for the indoor cat getting fleas. If you have a dog or even another cat that goes outside, they could easily bring fleas into the home.
This also applies to pets that visit the home- if you have a friend with a dog and they come and visit you, that dog could be bringing fleas into your home.
Vet Trips
Even if you keep your cat indoors, you will eventually need to take them out to visit the vet. Your cat will need regular check ups, vaccinations, and could also need emergency medical treatment for unforeseen issues.
These trips outside could cause your cat to pick up fleas, whether from the environment or from another animal that they interact with during their visit. They could also pick up fleas from the vet – the vet is handling multiple animals every day and could have a flea on their clothing.
Rodents Or Wild Animals
Unfortunately, you can occasionally end up with an infestation of rodents or wild animals in your home. In rural areas this is likely to be possums or raccoons, and in urban areas it could be rats.
These animals will likely be carrying fleas, and could spread them into your home. Whether the fleas jump from animal to animal, or the eggs fall off the rodent and then hatch in your home, it could cause a big problem.
This is particularly worrying if you have a cat that likes to catch mice or other rodents that they find around your home – in the attic for example.
Items Around The Home
There could be things around your home that are causing the issue – a coat that was worn around another animal or on public transport, a blanket purchased from a charity shop – make sure any risky items are washed on a hot cycle and be careful what you are bringing into your home.
Moving House
If you move house with your indoor cat, the new property could have a flea problem from previous inhabitants. It could be some flea larvae that were left behind, or unhatched eggs.
Eggs can lie dormant for months before hatching when they sense a host animal nearby. Before you move your furry friend into your new home, it is a good idea to carry out a deep de-flea process of the property to make sure that it is safe.
How To Prevent Your Indoor Cat From Getting Fleas?
All of these scenarios might sound concerning, but don’t worry! There are things that you can do to prevent your indoor cat from getting fleas:
- Ensure that all animals in the house are regularly treated with a spot on flea treatment. This applies to indoor and outdoor animals and is especially important before vet visits. You should also ensure that visiting animals are also treated regularly.
- After being in a high risk area, remove all clothing and wash it immediately on a hot cycle
- You will need to keep your house clean to reduce the risk of a flea infestation. Vacuuming soft furnishings – carpets, upholstery etc – will get rid of eggs and larvae. You can also use a flea spray to help with this.
- It will also be useful to regularly wash all pet bedding on a hot cycle. Wash all travel blankets etc after each outing, especially after going to the vets.
- Your animals will groom themselves, but you should also perform periodic grooming to check for signs of fleas- bites, flea dirt or fleas themselves. The key areas are at the base of the tail and on the head, but you should check their whole body. Flea dirt is flea fecal matter that looks like little specks of black.
- To prevent an infestation of rodents or wild animals, seal up any entrances that they could use to enter the home. Make sure you dispose of food waste correctly and you keep your kitchen clean. Call pest control if you notice possible signs of an infestation so the problem can be dealt with immediately.
Summary
This guide gives you all of the information that you need to know about how indoor cats get fleas and how to prevent it from happening. You should be able to keep your home a flea-free zone!
