My cat has ticks

[ForgedInFire]

My kitty who usually isn't very affectionate was sitting on my lap tonight and I've discovered two ticks on his head. One bigger then the other. I've ordered a tool to remove them which will arrive tomorrow but I am very concerned. I've had cats all my life and never had this issue. I live very close to a forest and have ocassionally seen deer down the end of my garden. How likely is it that my house will become infected with tics? It is carpeted throughout :( I'm scared we will all get Lyme disease. I'm also nervous that I won't be able to remove them correctly. What should I do to protect my kitty in future?

Bravecto flea treatment also kills ticks.

And you only have to apply it once every 3 months.

And very unlikely they are in the house. Cat will have picked them up outside. As long as you get them before they fall off they are unlikely to attach themselves to you. If you are worried you can do tick checks in the evening.

The key with ticks is it get them off as quickly as possible. The longer they are attached the more likely they are to transfer disease. I believe the ideal is to get them off within 24 hrs.

And be careful not to squeeze as you are pulling the tick off as it can regurgitate into the animal or you if it's on you!

If you have deer nearby you'll have ticks nearby. They are very easy to remove and even if you use the spot on treatment you'll still need to check your animal and yourself regularly. Long grass, woods, fields- check yourself after walking in these areas. Tick o twist sticks and the tick lasso both work pretty well to take them off. Make sure you pop the tick with a rock or a fingernail. They're really tough so you have to hear the click.

Don't touch them with un gloved hands and potentially keep them for Lyme testing if your cat becomes ill.

Thank you for all of the advice. I've had a horrible few months and got a bit sloppy with his usual spot on treatment, which I feel terrible about now. I could try to take it out tonight with tweezers but I'm too nervous, I'm going to wait for the tool to arrive tomorrow. He seems well in himself but I will keep a close eye on him. And will check me and the kids for any signs of ticks