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Parenting

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Original poster

oh great, now the cats got a tick

28 replies

robinredbreast · 29/12/2007 00:03

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Scramble · 29/12/2007 00:03

Do you know how to get them off?

Original poster

robinredbreast · 29/12/2007 00:32

no idea scramble
do i have to take him to the vets ?

OP posts:

fortyplus · 29/12/2007 00:34

Tea tree oil on the tick then pull off gently with tweezers.

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Twinklemegan · 29/12/2007 00:34

If you've got some tweezers then get hold of the tick by the head, right close to the skin, and twist and pull. Make sure you get the whole thing - don't leave the head in place. If you've no tweezers it can be done with finger nails (IME, having once found a tick on me in the shower ).

Scramble · 29/12/2007 00:36

HOLD IT, it will keep until the morning, go to pet shop and get a tick remover, much les chance of it breaking up and leaving bits in to get infected.

fortyplus · 29/12/2007 00:37

You mustn't leave any of the mouth parts. Apparently that's why you need the Tea Tree oil - the little buggers hate it.

Original poster

robinredbreast · 29/12/2007 00:42

its massive does that mean its been there ages ? cats never had one before

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Original poster

robinredbreast · 29/12/2007 00:43

the poor old boy has been a bit neglected since dd came along, his such a sweet cat too

OP posts:

Scramble · 29/12/2007 00:47

Massive means its been in a while, any sign of infextion around, go to vet. If not just get a tick remover, if you don't get it all out go to vet, if you squeeze the body. go to vet.

Twinklemegan · 29/12/2007 00:47

If it's massive you will probably need the help of a tick remover, like Scramble said. I might even be tempted to take him to the vets (but then I'm a worry wart). [The one on me was tiny btw - I didn't realise it was a tick until it popped, rather than lifted, off my leg. Yuck!]

Original poster

robinredbreast · 29/12/2007 00:49

omg what that can go onto humans too ? what and suck onto thr skin?

OP posts:

Scramble · 29/12/2007 00:51

Humans can get them but don't worry cats will stay put, my kids have picked them up when playing in long grass and ferns, tick check every night in the shower during the summer.

Twinklemegan · 29/12/2007 00:51

Oh yes, you can get them in areas of woodland, long grass and such like. In rare cases they can carry disease so you do have to be vigilant with them, but usually once they're off that's it. Nasty little blighters!

fortyplus · 29/12/2007 00:55

If it's massive already then tbh you may as well leave it to drop off on its own if it's not annoying him. They do this when they are filled with blood - they look a bit like a baked bean.

Original poster

robinredbreast · 29/12/2007 00:55

do ticks carry nasty diseases? i think thats what it is look like a big grey/silver boil on his neck

poor old cat, i feel so sorry for him now, he used get treated like the king of the house, and hes been sooo patient with dd not so much growled [yes he cam growl] or hissed at her
she seems to love him, when she sees him she starts beaming

we still give him loads of treats and v nice food, and hes here with me now cuddled up on the sofa [although not on me, just next to me]

think im gonna take him to the vets to be on the safe side

OP posts:

fortyplus · 29/12/2007 00:56

Oh - and it won't go from the cat to a human - it's part of the lifecycle that it waits in grass to latch on to a passing warm-blooded creature.

fortyplus · 29/12/2007 00:58

Ticks can carry Lymes Disease. I don't know if cats can get it though. If the tick is infected then it should be removed within 24 hours - that's why you need to check your kids regularly if there are ticks in the area. They are small brown shiny things like a hard shiny raised mole when they first latch on - very hard to see. DS1 once had one on the back of his neck.

Twinklemegan · 29/12/2007 00:59

Aww, it's the same with our cats. Pretty well ignored now DS is here, but that's largely their own doing since they just make themselves scarce. DS adores them, although I'm not sure the feelings mutual.

Thankfully I've never seen a fully fed tick so I'm not sure if it looks how you describe. They can carry disease - not sure in animals, but in humans the biggy to watch out for is Lyme's disease. But as the tick won't jump onto you I wouldn't worry about that now.

Original poster

robinredbreast · 29/12/2007 01:00

hes sleeping peacefully now, hes not been scratching is that odd?

but if i leave it to drop off, wont that one leave eggs behind?or something?

hes a real beauty, hes a sliver spotted british shorthair and he has a very lovely nature and he even follows me and dd on our walks, all the neighbours laugh and remark how funny it is seeing him walking with us

feel so guilty

OP posts:

phraedd · 29/12/2007 10:40

this is what you need

you can get it from your vets. Just put under the body of the tick, twist and away it all comes. very easy to use. Just kill the tick after so that is doesn't re attatch to anything else

PutThatInYourPipeandSmokeIt · 29/12/2007 18:57

Don't waste your money - a drop of nail varnish remover on to the tick and then wait and it will drop off in a few hours, mouth parts and all. Tea tree oil may be the same idea I don't know.

Original poster

robinredbreast · 29/12/2007 19:02

yeah but do they leave eggs behind ?

OP posts:

littlerach · 29/12/2007 19:10

I didn't think they left eggs behind?

Dd2 has had quite a lot on her, but theyu are much smaller than cat ones.

fortyplus · 29/12/2007 21:20

Ticks have a 2-stage life cycle so you definitely won't see eggs on your cat.

PutThatInYourPipeandSmokeIt · 29/12/2007 22:28

no eggs. Once it's dropped off, you can check where it was attached for a few days to make sure that there's no infection for your piece of mind but you'll probably find the tick and can examine it with great enthusiasm

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