Indoor Cats at Biggest Risk for Flea-related Problems

So You Think Your Indoor-only Cat Can't Get Fleas?

What?  You say your cat is indoors ALL the time?  So you think this means your cat can't have fleas.  Do I have some news for you!  Some of the most severe cases of flea allergy dermatitis and flea anemia I have ever seen have been on indoor only cats.  That's right, you heard me...indoor only!

It goes something like this...

A flea comes in on your pant leg, sock, or shoe after your have been gardening, mowing, etc.  It immediately jumps off of you and on to your pet.  Once it has had its meal, the flea jumps off to lay eggs.  Female fleas can lay about 15 to 20 eggs per day up to 600 in the flea lifetime.  That is just ONE flea!

Of course, these eggs soon hatch creating hundreds of hungry little larvae which eventually turn into adult fleas themselves and the whole cycle starts over again.

The biggest problem for indoor only cats is that they can't get away from the fleas.  They are trapped like rats (ahem) and, groom though they might, can't get rid of the little buggers.  Once bitten, some cats display Flea Allergy (or Flea Allergy Dermatitis) symptoms such as excessive scratching, licking, and biting.  This excessive grooming causes hair loss, sores, and inflamed skin that not only makes the cat completely miserable it can lead to infection as well.

Not all cats are allergic to fleas, therefore, they would not show these symptoms.  These cases are almost worse because there is no unusual behavior to visual stimuli to clue the owners in to the problem.  This is where flea anemia can set in.