Ticks on Cats, Head, Ears, Belly, Pictures, Symptoms, Causes, Removal, Treatment, Prevention & Home Remedies

What are the Signs and Symptoms of ticks on cats? Discover how you can identify ticks on your cat, including those on the head, ears and belly. Explore illustrative pictures of these ticks on cats. Also, learn the causes of ticks on dogs and how to get rid of and prevent those using treatments and effective home remedies.

Ticks on Cats Symptoms

If your cat has recently visited a wooded area, or if the cat is living in an area which is infested with ticks, It might be necessary to check if it is infested. Symptoms of ticks on cats are usually gradual in nature. They include:

Vomiting in cats
Regurgitation
High blood pressure
Fast heart rate and the rhythm (tachyarrhythmias)
Weakness in hind limbs
Partial loss of muscle movements
Complete loss of muscle movement, especially in advanced disease state
Poor reflexes to loss of reflex
Low muscle tone
Difficulty while eating
Disorder in voice (dysphonia)
Asphyxia because of respiratory muscle paralysis in affected animals
Excessive drooling
Megaesophagus
Excessive dilatation of pupil in eye

Pictures on Ticks on Cats

What do ticks on dogs look like? We have inserted illustrative pictures of ticks on dogs in various sections of this page. These images will certainly enable you to understand and identify them with ease.

How to Get Ticks off Cats

Ticks are usually very small parasites which are not only a nuisance but also are able to transfer diseases to cat that can make him be very sick.

If you happen to see a tick on your cat, it is very crucial to understand how to safely get rid of the tick from your cat’s skin. Proper method of removing ticks prevent you and your cat from contracting diseases.

Ticks on cats removal might be a very tricky process, more especially if your cat is a bit squirmy, so take time and make sure that you do it right the very first time.

Gathering the Proper Tools

Have a tick-removal instrument. You can use either a fine-tipped tweezers or even any recommended tick-removal tool. If you are not sure of the type of instrument that you can use, contact your veterinarian for advice. You can also obtain a tick-removal instrument from your pet store.
Obtain latex gloves, if you do not already have them. Touching ticks on cats with your bare hands may expose you to the tick-borne disease, so you will be required to protect your hands using gloves when you get rid of the tick. If you have already obtained a latex allergy, then you can use the nitrile gloves. Latex gloves can be obtained at your local pharmacy.
Pour rubbing alcohol into a Ziploc bag. After you get rid of ticks on cats, place it in a container that has rubbing alcohol which will eventually kill it. The rubbing alcohol might as well be used to clean the area of the skin where you got rid of the tick. Cotton balls can be very useful while applying the rubbing alcohol to skin after removal.
Purchase cat-safe triple antibiotic ointment and hydrocortisone ointment. The area of the skin where you have removed the tick can probably be irritated for weeks. The antibiotic ointment can greatly assist to prevent any kind of infection and the hydrocortisone ointment is able to soothe the irritation.

The human antibiotic and the hydrocortisone ointments might be very strong for cats, so ask your veterinarian about appropriate ointments that can be used.
If you do not have them, purchase Q-tips to use in applying the ointment to your cat’s skin without using fingers.
Once you have gathered all tools, place them in a well-lit area where you can remove the tick. Having everything organized beforehand can assist the tick-removal process to go on smoothly.

Safely Removing the Tick

Observe if the cat is showing signs of tick poisoning. If the tick is on cat’s skin for a long period of time, it might make him sick. Symptoms are able to be more serious the longer period that the tick is attached to the skin. If your cat is showing indications of tick poisoning, then take him to your veterinarian for treatment.
Put on a pair of gloves. Do not touch ticks on cats directly with your hands. Gloves are able to protect you from tick-borne disease and can assist to keep your hands clean during the process.
Find the tick on cat’s skin. Make sure that you are in a well-lit area, as ticks are not easy to find on the cat’s skin. Part the fur with your hands so as to get a better look at your cat’s skin. Remember that ticks like to attach in hidden areas of skin, so be attentive to your cat’s toes, armpits and the groin area. Ticks can typically appear dark on skin. Once they attach to skin, they won’t move around, so they won’t run away from you when your hands get close to it. Ticks can also become larger as they feed, thus making them easier to see.
Grab the tick. Part the skin well especially where the tick is located and then grab the tick with your tick-removal instrument. It is crucial to grab the tick in right place. Grab the tick where the head and the neck attach to each other.

It is easier to have another person hold the cat for you and while you get rid of the tick. If another person is not available to assist you, then consider taking your cat to your veterinarian so that they may get rid of the tick.
Although tempting, do not try to squeeze the tick. If you squeeze tightly, you may make the tick to release more toxin into your cat’s system.

Remove the tick from skin. Do the process by slowly and firmly pulling the tick straight up and out of the skin. Do not twist the tweezers as you get rid of ticks on cats, as this might make the body of the tick detach from the head, thus leaving the head embedded in the skin. If you accidentally twist the tweezers and the tick’s head remains embedded in the skin, consider taking your cat to your veterinarian if you cannot get rid of the head on your own. Do not leave the head embedded in the skin.

After Removing the Tick

Place the tick in the jar of rubbing alcohol. The rubbing alcohol can kill the tick. Do not try to flush the tick down the toilet, as this might not kill the ticks on cats.
Clean the skin where you removed the tick. Gently use the rubbing alcohol to the area, which is then followed by the cat-safe triple antibiotic ointment to skin. This can assist to prevent infection at the area of skin where you removed the tick. Because rubbing alcohol might be very much irritating to skin, dampen a cotton ball using alcohol and then gently dab the skin using the cotton ball.
Remove your gloves and wash hands. After you get rid of one of your gloves, grab the other one at the wrist so as to avoid touching the area on the glove which touched the cat’s skin.
Monitor the area of affected skin. Even if the skin is not infected, it will likely be irritated for up to many weeks after the tick removal process. If the skin appears red and irritated, use a Q-tip to apply a small amount of hydrocortisone ointment to affected area. If the skin continues to appear very red and irritated after many days, take your cat to vet. This could be an indication of more serious infection.

Ticks on Cats in winter

Ticks on cats are capable of surviving in winter temperatures when they find a host to feed on or even a warm location to hide in. Generally, adult ticks can as well be a threat when the temperatures hover below 45 degrees Fahrenheit.

For this particular reason, if your pet spends a lot of time outdoors in winter, tick prevention is a good idea. And since most of the medications are usually designed to thwart both fleas and the ticks, it’s a good idea to use preventive medications through the year.

How to Get Rid of Ticks on Cats

Learn how to identify fleas and the ticks, then get rid of them from your pet and home.

Identifying and Killing Ticks on Your Cat

Learn what ticks look like.

Although there are different tick species which have different characteristics, most of the ticks have an oval-shaped body with a very small head. They’re reddish brown, dark brown or gray in color.

Ticks on cats are usually no bigger than 1/4 inch long and some of the species might as well appear much smaller. Note that fully fed females might swell up to 1/2 inch in size when they’re full of host’s blood.

Unlike the fleas, ticks aren’t insects as such. They’re known as arachnids, just like spiders, so the adults have about 8 legs. The younger or even the smallest ticks have 6 legs.

Look for signs of ticks on your cat.

Ticks are not able to jump or fly, so they usually crawl onto the host’s body.

When the tick bites the cat, it can stay attached until it’s done the feeding. You can’t see the tick’s head while feeding, which can make it hard to tell if you’re really looking at a tick or something else. To tell the difference, just look for tick’s legs.

Ticks tend to accumulate in warm, protected areas, such as between the paw pads, in ears, and the armpits. But, they are able to be found anywhere on your cat’s body. If you are not sure if the insect is actually a tick, then you can place it in a sealed plastic bag and then bring it to cat’s veterinarian. Check your cat more closely if she’s been outside where she might have been exposed to the ticks.

Properly get rid of the ticks.

If you see ticks on cats, then make sure that what you have seen are actually ticks. Search for its legs to be sure that it’s a tick and not growth on your cat’s skin. If it is a tick, then put on gloves and then grasp the tick using a fine-tipped tweezers.

Pull back slowly, taking care not to twist hand. You need to get rid of the tick’s head together with the body. If not, the head might lead to an infection. Put the tick in a small container filled with rubbing alcohol to remove and preserve it, in case you want to show it to vet.

You should check your cat every other day for ticks if there’s a tick infestation or your cat’s been exploring some areas where the ticks are living.

Talk with the veterinarian about tick medications

The vet can make sure that you obtain a safe and effective product. You should obtain tick treatments directly from your vet, as some of the medications sold at the pet stores might be very dangerous for the cats.

Topical “spot-on” treatments are usually available to treat the fleas and ticks, while there are no given oral products for treatment of ticks on cats.

Let the vet know if there are small children or even the pregnant women at home. This is a factor in determining the safest medication for both your family and your pet.

Choose a spot-on medication.

You might have many options that are available when it comes to choosing a topical tick treatment. Most of the monthly treatments are to be used year round as a preventative treatment.

Thus make sure that the product which you choose is properly labeled for cats. Cats may get very sick if they are treated with a tick medication which is meant for the dogs. Some of the common tick medications are:

Fipronil and (S)-methoprene (called Frontline Plus for Cats): Apply the medication once a month to get rid of the larvae and adult fleas. It as well gets rid of ticks on cats and chewing lice.
Selamectin: Apply this at least once a month to get rid of adult fleas and eggs. It can as well kill ticks, heartworms and sarcoptic mites, but it is not licensed as a product to get rid of ticks. It is not effective against Ixodes, which is a species which carries Lyme disease.

Correctly apply the spot-on medication.

Generally, you’ll be required to hold the applicator upright so as to keep it from spilling and then open it according to labeled instructions. Spread the fur on cat’s neck to expose the skin.

This way, your cat won’t be able to lick the medication off while it is grooming. Turn the applicator squeeze all of the medication into one spot directly on the skin. Make sure that you get it on the skin and not the fur. Check the applicator so as to make sure that it’s empty.

Always read the label for instructions, since they are different for each of the medication.

Ask the vet about other tick control options.

Your vet might recommend other options that are available to keep ticks on cats off.

One popular option is the Seresto collar. This collar might be used on the kittens who are older than 12 weeks and adult cats. It repels and kills ticks for up to 9 months.

Other brands of tick collar are available. You should ensure that you consult with your veterinarian so as to see the one that is recommended for your cat.

Home Remedies for Ticks on Cats

1. Flea and ticks Comb

This is similar to flea comb for dogs, and while some of the cats may find the scent of the citrus unappealing, the way this is prepared is able to lessen the intensity of smell to sensitive noses because you don’t use the straight lemon juice.

Fleas and ticks don’t like the smell of lemon, and it appears to assist deter them.

Combining lemon with a flea comb can be either a very regular comb, although the super fine toothed ones that are sold in stores are usually optimum – that is does twice as good. You get the ticks out using the comb, while leaving a lingering scent of lemon which can keep them from returning.

You will require:

A fine-toothed comb or flea comb

3 lemons
3 cups of water
A spray bottle
A pot

Directions
Pour about 3 cups of water into a clean pot and then add in about 4 lemons that have already been chopped up. Bring the mixture to a boil, and then remove from heat before letting the lemons steep in water for 5 hours.

After it is done steeping, you should then strain the lemons and particles from a liquid, pour into a spray bottle. Lightly mist your cat and go through the fur using the comb. Alternatively, you can pour the liquid into a bowl and soak your flea comb directly in solution and then go over the cat.

Do the process at least thrice a day. You can mist the bedding if they don’t appear to mind the smell. Remember that if the cat appears to think the lemon has an unpleasant smell, try something else that is different. You wouldn’t want to live while you are covered in a smell that you didn’t like either.

2. Apple Cider Vinegar Bath or Spray

If you want to chomp onto something which smells overwhelmingly foul? The same thing is true of fleas and apple cider vinegar.

Using this during a bath or even as a spray do not change the internal pH levels of cats. This is a perfect way that can be used to naturally get rid of ticks on cats, especially on kittens.

You will require

A spray bottle
Many cups of Apple Cider Vinegar
Some mild shampoo

Directions
Fill a spray bottle with some amount of apple cider vinegar, apply it directly to the coat, and then leave on. Alternatively, you may bathe the cat, either with just the vinegar and shampoo mixed together.

If you are making use of just ACV spray, then a generous amount onto fur and let it sit on your cat for a period of 15 minutes before rinsing it off and following the bath with a tick comb. Work the shampoo blend into the fur of the cats and let it sit for 10 minutes, rinsing out thoroughly and then follow treatment with a tick comb.

If the cat cannot tolerate a bath, then use the spray bottle option, or even gently pour some cups of water of it instead of in standing water (submersion might make the experience to be scarier to your cat.)

Ticks on Cats Treatment

Check your cat for ticks. If any is found, then the first step is by use of an insecticide to get rid of the fleas and ticks. There are several products that can speedily get rid of fleas and ticks on cats. They are insecticidal shampoos, topical sprays and systemic insecticides that are given orally.

All are very much effective but they get rid of the pests on your pet at a period that they are treated or for short periods after treatment.

Make sure that you ask your veterinarian for a recommendation of a treatment that gets rid of existing fleas and ticks on cats. Be very sure to follow labeled instructions and do not use a product on cats which is not labeled for them.

How to Prevent Ticks on Cats

So, what else can you do so as to keep your cat tick-free this season? Here are a few recommendations to consider;

1. Spot-on Treatments

While the medications are perfect, you still require being careful about which one of them that can be used. Make sure that you read all the given labels carefully.

If you have any doubts about a certain treatment for ticks on cats especially with a spot-on, be certain to get advice from a veterinarian before application.

2. Oral Medications

You will require talking to a veterinarian about whether your cat can safely use a product which is designed for a small dog.

Some of the importance of using a-once-a-month pill is that you won’t concerned about the small children and coming into contact with the cat after application, or with the cat that is leaving traces of the pesticide on furniture, as you can with spot-on treatments.

3. Shampoos

Bathing cats with a shampoo that have medicated ingredients can get rid of ticks on cats on contact. This might be an inexpensive method of protecting your cat during the peak tick season.

You will also require repeating the process often, about every three weeks, as effective ingredients won’t last much as long as a spot-on or even the oral medication. Depending on how your cat responds to the baths, this might or might not be a very practical solution.