Flea is the common name for insects of the order Siphonaptera which are wingless insects with mouthparts adapted for piercing skin and sucking blood. Fleas are external parasites, living by hematophagy off the blood of mammals (including bats and humans) and birds.
For every single flea living on your cat, there could be 99 more developing in your carpeted, centrally-heated home, however clean it is! Outdoor cats may also come in with other unwelcome passengers such as ticks.
Fleas are extremely common, and are also the most common reason for a cat to develop a skin problem. The most common flea to be found on cats is the cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis), but rabbit and hedgehog fleas can also cause an infestation.
Flea bites are itchy for all cats and can lead some to develop allergies (flea-allergic dermatitis), whilst the parasites also act as intermediate hosts for certain tapeworms. Also, a heavy infestation can cause anaemia in kittens, which is potentially life-threatening. Remember, fleas bite humans too!
Fleas are the most common external parasites of both cats and dogs. Adult fleas can live for 7-14 days and will divide their time between living on your cat to feed and returning to the carpet to lay eggs.
