What tick repellents are available for cats? Are tick bites dangerous for cats? How do I remove the tick? Here you get answers to the most common questions about ticks on cats.
Always make sure that you choose a tick preparation that is approved for cats.
Spot-on remedies against ticks
The spot-on solution is applied directly to the cat’s skin. Choose a spot-on solution that is approved for cats, as some are toxic to cats. If you have a dog at home, keep in mind that the cat should not be able to ingest the dog’s tick repellent. There are spot-on solutions that are over-the-counter and can be bought at pharmacies, others are by prescription. The effect lasts 3-12 weeks depending on the preparation.
Tick necklace
Tick collars are put around the cat’s neck and have full effect within a couple of days. The necklace works repellent against ticks and also kills ticks that have already bitten your cat. Make sure you choose a tick necklace that is approved for cats. Tick collars for cats are over-the-counter and can be purchased at pharmacies. Effect for about eight months.
Tick collars are not an option to recommend if there are several animals in the household that may play and bite in the collar, as well as if there are small children who can grab the collar, put it in their mouth or lick it. Cats that use the collar should also not sleep in the same bed as their owner, especially not in the same bed as children.
Tick repellent for kittens
There are some preparations that are considered safe to use on kittens from a certain age (rarely before 8 weeks). For many of these preparations, it also applies that the kitten must have reached a certain body weight. It is therefore very important to consult a veterinarian (or pharmacist) and read on the package from which age and weight the preparation can be used.
Do not use Exspot on your cat
Exspot is a tick repellent registered for dogs. A cat, on the other hand, does not tolerate the drug and can become very seriously ill. Therefore, never use Exspot on your cat. That cats are so sensitive to Exspot is due to the fact that the cat has other enzymes in its liver than what humans and dogs have. A cat’s liver simply is unable to break down certain substances. Exspot includes the substance permethrin, which cats cannot tolerate. Permethrin can give a cat cramps, make it shaky, shaky and generally very bad. The cat can actually get so sick that it dies.
Side effects / disadvantages of tick products for cats
To find the best tick remedy for your cat, we recommend that you discuss with a veterinarian about factors such as:
- Diseases / sensitivity
- Environmental aspects
- Fur
- Children in the household
- Other pets (eg puppies, kittens, etc.)
- Presence of ticks and the infectious diseases they spread in the area where the cat will be staying to assess which preparation is best for your cat.
How to remove a tick from your cat
The tick is most easily removed with a tick picker. The pharmacy has a large assortment of hooks, lassos and tweezers. Tweezers are easy to use, but keep in mind that tweezers can crush the tick. Lasson automatically pinches the loop around the tick’s head, but for smaller ticks that are difficult to remove, a hook usually works best.
Select the appropriate size of the tick picker to include the entire tick. Then insert the picker under the tick, as close to the skin as possible, to remove it. If the entire tick is not removed, the head can remain, which can give a local reaction that disappears within a few days when the rest of the tick has come loose.
Tick diseases in cats
It is uncommon for cats to get sick as a result of tick bites. Although cats can become infected and develop antibodies to the borrelia bacterium, clinical disease as a result of the infection has not been verified in cats.
If a cat becomes infected through ticks, it is probably from the Anaplasma bacterium. It can happen that cats can get sick due to the Anaplasma bacterium but it is probably more common with an infection without symptoms.
Read more about anaplasma in cats.
Search your cat’s fur daily
Make it a habit to search the cat’s fur daily and use tick repellent.
Can you find a tick?
Then you should remove it immediately.