ticks! help!

[dolphinsandwhales]

Hi,


My cat has got ticks. They are tiny, the size of a flea. He has around ten, I thought he Had some fighting scabs or something where he must have cut himself minorly whilst scratching so didn't realise for a few weeks ;-(

I applied frontline drops on Saturday but the ticks are still there - if they're dead would they fall out? He's quite outdoorsy so I'm scared he's going to get reinfested, plus could the ticks give dd and I Lyme disease?! We live in London.

Any tips for treatment and advice gratefully received!

[Lonecatwithkitten]

Once the ticks fall off the cat thy can not attach to humans. However, if your cat is travelling through long grass in our garden or nearby and got ticks it is very possible for children to pick up ticks in the same grass.

[dolphinsandwhales]

Thanks, I think he got them from the woodland over the road as we don't have any grass in our garden, so hopefully dd won't get them. I've been vacuuming like mad in case they are on the carpet.

[MedusaIsHavingaBadHairday]

I pick them out by hand.. Portia has never had one but Morph somehow got them regularly despite treatment and as he was a massive long hair they could get raisin sized! You have to get the head out too, but I pinched at the head and yanked and could see the nasty little things alive and looking for new blood (squish.. die...)

I once woke up with one attached to my stomach as he was in bed with me.. it must have been loose in his fur! It did leave a mark which took a while to heal but I don't think it gave me Lymes. They are unlikely to be in the carpet as they need bodies!

I believe in all creatures having a right to life, but not ticks... I kill ticks!

[dolphinsandwhales]

Wow medusa that's crazy that it was in your tummy! I've booked kitty for tick removal at the vets, they will show me how to do it :-)

[Fluffycloudland77]

That's how kick-ass Portia is though, even ticks are frightened of her.

Mine never got one when we lived in the countryside, we moved to suburbia and he got a tick.

[MedusaIsHavingaBadHairday]

LOL Fluffy she is indeed kick ass! Last night I was attempting to eat a bowl of tuna pasta..mayo, sweetcorn and peppers and she sniffed.. marched up my leg and stuck her face in before I had a chance to react!!! I didn;t fancy it after she had finished... She is the Lara Croft of torties!!