It can be difficult to see fleas, but the best place to look is on the belly. Part the fur gently and you may see mahogany-coloured insects scurrying away from the light. Most cats are fastidious groomers so there is a high chance your cat could still have a flea problem but has ingested the fleas. When in doubt, it is far better to prevent fleas rather than wait for them to arrive.

If you can't see any actual fleas on the coat look for flea faeces. This will appear like specks of black pepper on the scalp. If you dampen this speck with a moist tissue it will stain brown red confirming your cat definitely had fleas. The brown red material is actually your cat's blood, which the flea has ingested while feeding off your cat.


Different types of flea control:

- flea powders: available from pet shops. These are very mild and need to be applied every 1-2 weeks. They are messy to use and not advisable if you are asthmatic

- flea combing: if you groom your cat with a fine comb you can remove the fleas. However this will not stop the fleas in your pet's environment, so it will quickly pick up more

- flea collars: these are unsightly, often leave an imprint on the fur and have only a mild effect

- flea shampoos: it is not easy to bath a cat and will only work if your cat is crawling with fleas. However it won't stop the next generation of fleas hopping back on once the fur is dry

- flea sprays: sometimes the noise of the aerosol spray can scare your cat. The strength of spray varies according to the chemical ingredient and more potent, long-lasting sprays are only available from veterinary surgeons

- spot on products: a drop is put on the back of the cat's neck where it gets absorbed into the skin. There are many types on the market but the longer-lasting ones are only available from veterinary surgeons

- flea injection: this is an injection given by your vet which lasts 6 months in cats. It acts against the flea larvae and stops them developing into adult fleas. It is very effective but will take a few months to have full effect against all stages of the flea life cycle

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