Cats / Getting Started
Any cat with access to the outdoors runs the risk of picking up ticks. Ticks are classed as ectoparasites, meaning they live on the outside of their host rather than inside it, feeding on blood throug
Any cat with access to the outdoors runs the risk of picking up ticks. Ticks are classed as ectoparasites, meaning they live on the outside of their host rather than inside it, feeding on blood through mouthparts that burrow into the skin while the rest of the tick stays attached externally. A tick bite can cause skin irritation on its own, but ticks are also capable of transmitting several diseases, and a heavy infestation can lead to anaemia.
Spray or spot-on treatments, available from your vet, can help protect cats from ticks, but even with protection in place it is worth checking your cat regularly for any that have attached.
If you do find a tick, removing it correctly matters a great deal. Because a tick's mouthparts are anchored in place with microscopic barbs, removing it incorrectly can leave those mouthparts embedded in the skin, or squeeze fluid from the tick's body back into the cat, either of which can trigger infection or a skin reaction.
Since ticks can carry infectious disease, it is sensible to wear gloves, latex or rubber, while removing one. Fine-tipped tweezers can do the job, though purpose-made tick removal tools, sold in pet shops and vet practices, generally make the process easier and safer.
A 2006 study published in the Veterinary Record compared three commercially available tick removal devices as used by owners on their cats and dogs. One design came out clearly ahead: owners found it easier to grip the tick, needed less force to remove it, could do so more quickly, were less likely to accidentally sever the tick's mouthparts, and saw less of a reaction from their pet during removal. This device used a slit-and-rotation mechanism, in which a slit is positioned around the tick's head while a curved section cups its body, reducing pressure on the mouthparts so the tick can be safely "unscrewed" by twisting. The device is rotated in either direction, clockwise or anticlockwise makes no difference, to release the tick. The O'Tom Tick Twister is one example of this type of tool.
If you are ever unsure about removing a tick yourself, contact your vet for advice. Otherwise, the following approach should help:
Stay calm, gentle and reassuring throughout. It helps to have someone else on hand to hold the cat while you work, and to have everything you need ready in advance so the process is as quick as possible, minimising any distress to the cat.
Choose somewhere suitable to carry out the removal. With two people, a stable surface at a comfortable working height, such as a table, works well. Working alone, kneeling on the floor behind the cat can be easier.
Cats prefer to feel all four paws in contact with a surface, so try to preserve that where possible. If someone is assisting, they should gently restrain the cat around the front legs and shoulders, forearms wrapped gently around the body with the cat's rear end against their own stomach, tick location permitting, or hold the cat side-on with one hand around its shoulders and the other across its body, using their own body as a barrier to stop the cat backing away. Working alone, holding the cat between your knees while kneeling achieves the same effect.
Follow the instructions supplied with your chosen tick removal tool. With a slit-and-rotation device, place the slit around the tick's head and twist steadily in either direction until the tick releases.
Clean the bite site afterwards with salt water, and dispose of the tick safely, crushing it in tissue paper to avoid contact with its fluids before flushing it away.
Keep an eye on the bite site afterwards for signs of infection or irritation, and watch your cat's general behaviour for any signs of illness, seeking veterinary advice if you are at all concerned.
If a specialist tool is not available, tweezers will do, held parallel to the cat's skin, gripping the tick as close to the skin, and as close to the tick's head, as possible, to avoid tearing the body away and leaving the mouthparts embedded, which risks infection. Take care never to squeeze the tick's body itself, since this can force fluid back into the cat and cause infection. Pull upwards with steady, even pressure, and never twist a tick when using tweezers, since twisting risks snapping off the mouthparts.
Article content © S Vejay Anand. All rights reserved.
Cats / Health
Almost every calico cat you meet, with that distinctive patchwork of orange, black and white, will be female. This is not folklore, it comes down to genetics, and it is one of the more elegant example
2 min read
Cats / Health
A swollen eye looks alarming, and it should get your attention quickly. The eyelid, the eyeball itself, or the tissue around the eye can all swell for very different reasons, so working out which one
2 min read
Cats / Getting Started
Most cats never need their claws trimmed at all, and clipping can even work against them, since cats rely on their claws for both defence and climbing. As cats age and become less mobile, though, claw
1 min read
