Are there cat lice

Lice in cats - a fairly common phenomenon. Even attentive owners can not always notice small parasites. And many simply do not know whether cats have lice. Most often, these pet creatures start up at a time when parasites are already parasitic in its fur. fleasthat serve as a disguise lice. Therefore, the constant itching, scratching and irritation on the cat's skin, many believe the cause of fleas.The presence of lice in a cat can lead not only to the development of dermatitis and baldness, but also to helminthiasis and general depletion of the body. Therefore, every caring owner must recognize the "enemy" of his pet and take timely measures.

What does a cat louse look like?

Upon careful examination of the animal's fur, it is possible to detect strange insects, in appearance very resembling either fleas or head lice. The question is how to understand that a cat has fleas or lice, many are puzzled. You can distinguish these insects by their appearance: the fleas are almost black in color, the lice are light yellow in color. In addition, fleas are much more mobile and able to jump.

Blasters

Feline lice, or as they are called lashes, are parasites that feed on the peeling particles of the skin and hair of an animal. The whimber is not capable, like a head louse, to drink the blood of a cat. This is only possible in rare cases when the parasite accidentally hits a wound or scratch. But the gnawing of pieces of skin in a cat causes her severe itching.

A cat louse is a small insect whose flat body is not more than 2 mm long.On the head, which has a characteristic triangular shape, there are powerful jaws. Thanks to them, the parasites gnaw off pieces of the epithelium and eat it. Photos of cat lice are presented below.

Lice in cats have an incomplete cycle of transformation, the pupa stage is absent. The life cycle of parasites is slightly less than a month. One female in her life is able to lay from 50 to 70 eggs, which are covered with sticky substance while passing through its internal cavity. When they leave the body of the female, they are well attached to the cat's fur.

It is the nits in cats that are one of the main symptoms of the presence of parasites. After a few days, the larvae will appear from them, which only smaller sizes will distinguish from adult individuals. They will become sexually mature in the event of three molts. The photo shows what the nit looks like.

On a note!

Lice breed very quickly. Especially many insects appear in the autumn-winter period, when the animal has a thicker undercoat. In the spring and summer, during the seasonal molting of animals, the insect population decreases. This also contributes to the coarsening of the pet's skin.

Signs of infection

Blasters

A pet can become infected with parasites:

• during contact with an infected animal;
• when using someone else's untreated tools for the care of wool;
• lashes can be transferred to the kitten from the mother.

Understand that there are lice in cats can be on the following grounds:

• itching - the animal often itches, becomes restless and nervous;
• the occurrence of wounds and scratches caused by strong scratching;
• active hair loss, even baldness is possible;
• coarsening of the skin and dermatosis;
• the presence of nits and excrement, in appearance resembling black pepper.

Below is a photo of cats lice.

Cat biting eyes

If not taken timely measures to destroy cat biting, the animal will get sick: cestodose (tapeworms), cucumber tapeworm or leptospirosis can develop. Large populations of lice cause allergies and anemia.

Can cat lice live on humans?

The question of whether lice are transmitted from cat to man, or vice versa, whether lice can pass from man to cat, arises among many owners of furry creatures.Each type of louse lives on a certain object: head lice live in a person's hair, pubic lice prefer to settle in the groin, and cat lice prefer to live only on cats. Therefore, it is simply impossible to catch lice from a cat. This also applies to the cat itself - it also cannot get infected with head lice from a person, as cattle lice do not pose a danger to it.

Any cat can infect with pests, with the exception of hairless breeds. But the risk of infection with pediculosis in pets with thick and long hair is especially high.

Means of struggle

Measures to combat cat lice are similar to those taken to destroy fleas. Antiparasitic drugs for fleas may be in the form of shampoos, sprays or a drop. Collars are used for this purpose.

Important!

In order to avoid harm to the health of the pet when choosing an agent, it is necessary to pay attention to its composition.

Shampoo

Insecticidal shampoos for cats - This is the most suitable option for getting rid of pests for pregnant and lactating animals, as well as for small pets. The soap base is detrimental to insects, as it impedes their movement.As a result, parasites are easily removed from the coat. But against the nits, which are quite firmly held on the hair, insecticidal shampoo must be used several times. This will help prevent the spread of newly emerged larvae.

Shampoos of the following brands are in great demand with the owners of four-legged friends: Rolf Club, Phytoelite or Lugovoy. Processing is carried out according to the instructions, and 1.5-2 weeks later it is repeated.

Feedback

For removing lice and flea kitten I apply shampoo Lugovoy. Several of these treatments and parasites over. I recommend a good tool!

Julia, Moscow

The sprays

In the event of excessive contamination with cat fur parasites, sprays are used, which also contain insecticidal components. Means sprayed cat's hair and do not wash off for the time specified in the description.

Spray Frontline

Treatment with such agents requires compliance with the manufacturer's recommendations, as they can cause side effects in the form of severe salivation, vomiting, and even pet inhibition. The most popular sprays today are Front Line, Blochnet or Hartz.

Drops

Lice in animals are also destroyed with the help of drops. This is perhaps the most universal means of combating blood-sucking parasites, as well as lashes. The insecticidal substance is applied to places where the cat cannot lick it (on the withers or along the spine).

When applied to a pet's fur, the active component accumulates in its upper fat layer of the skin. During a bite, the poison enters the digestive tract of the parasite, causing its death. Besides drops for cats have a prolonged action that will not give the parasites the opportunity to settle in the cat's fur for several months. A good result against the lashing give drops to the withers Hartz, Leopard, Front Line or Bayer.

Drops Bars

Feedback

When my cat started to loose hair, I took her to the vet. It was he who discovered my favorite lice. Recommended drops Leopard. At home they dropped them on the cat's withers and along the spine. The presence of lice checked every week. Only one treatment was enough to completely get rid of parasites.

Elena, Karaganda

Collars

Collar for cats - Another method of combating parasites.They protect against fleas, ticks, and lashes, preventing them from moving from one animal to another. However, not all cats give their consent to wear these accessories. The use of a collar should not cause discomfort and irritation of the skin. Therefore, it is very important to choose the right size. Many cat owners prefer the Bars, Hartz, Kiltix collars.

Determining whether lice live on cats is not difficult. It is important to notice in time and choose an effective means of struggle. But it is preferable in this case to consult a veterinarian. This is especially true for cats of decorative breeds.