Ticks and Cats in India: What to Look For and How to Keep Them Away

In this guide

Cats groom themselves obsessively, which is exactly why a tick bite so often goes unnoticed until it has done some damage.

Ticks are less talked about than fleas when it comes to cats, partly because cats are fastidious groomers and often remove ticks before an owner ever spots one. That does not mean cats are immune to tick problems, especially cats that spend any time outdoors, live in homes with gardens, or share space with dogs. In India, the tick most commonly encountered around homes is the brown dog tick, which despite its name will happily feed on cats too.

Why Ticks Are a Concern

A tick bite itself usually causes only mild local irritation. The bigger risk is what the tick can carry. Cats are considerably more resistant to many tick-borne infections than dogs are, but they are not completely immune. The most relevant illness for Indian cat owners is haemobartonellosis, also called feline infectious anaemia, caused by a blood parasite that ticks and fleas can both transmit. It attacks red blood cells and can cause serious anaemia if left untreated.

Where Ticks Hide on a Cat

Ticks favour warm, thin-skinned areas where they are less likely to be groomed away. Check your cat's ears, both inside and around the base, the neck and collar area, between the toes, the groin and the base of the tail. An embedded tick often feels like a small, firm bump that was not there before, and may grow larger over several days as it feeds.

Signs Your Cat May Have a Tick-Borne Illness

• Pale gums
• Lethargy or reduced appetite
• Fever
• Rapid or laboured breathing

These signs are not exclusive to tick-borne disease, but any of them warrant a vet visit, particularly if you know your cat has recently had a tick attached.

Ticks are also not fussy about which mammal they feed on, and the same ticks living in your garden or on your cat can bite people too. Checking pets thoroughly after time outdoors protects your household as much as it protects your cat.

Removing a Tick Safely

If you find a tick, do not twist it, burn it or coat it in oil or petroleum jelly, since these methods can cause the tick to release more saliva into the bite, increasing infection risk. Use fine-tipped tweezers or a tick removal tool, grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible, and pull straight out with steady, even pressure. Clean the area afterwards with a mild antiseptic and keep an eye on it for the following week or two.

Simple Ways to Keep Ticks Off Your Cat

• Use a vet-recommended tick preventive labelled safe for cats, applied on schedule rather than only when you spot a problem.
• Check your cat after any time spent in gardens, parks or areas with tall grass, especially during and after the monsoon when tick populations rise.
• Keep lawns and garden edges trimmed, since ticks tend to wait on grass and low shrubs to latch onto a passing host.
• If you also have a dog, treat all pets in the household, since a tick can move between animals sharing the same bedding or furniture.
• Wash and vacuum pet bedding regularly, particularly during warmer, humid months when ticks are most active.

Article content © S Vejay Anand. All rights reserved.