If you are a pet lover, you have to be very keen on identifying fleas from them. What do flea eggs look like on a cat?
- Fleas eggs are very tiny in size. They are also shiny and visible with human eyes. They are approximately 0.019 by 0.011 inches which is nearly the size of the salt grain.
- As for their color – Are flea eggs Black or white? – fleas vary from being translucent to white – see these pictures of fleas. If you started suspecting your cat or dog is having fleas, there are so many ways to confirm your doubts.
Some cats and dogs also have light furs which may make it difficult to trace these flea eggs but you can use the methods listed below to help makes things easier. Related: Will Flea Treatment Burn Cats Skin?
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What Do Flea Eggs Look Like On A Cat?
What do flea eggs look like to the human eye? Because cats are furry pets, you need to be keen when it comes to identifying fleas and their eggs. This is also applicable to dogs too.
These pets are the biggest carriers and breeders of fleas in our homes and any effort to control fleas is a big win for eliminating fleas in your home.
- If your cat has pale fur, it may be hard to spot these flea eggs because of their translucent to a whitish color.
- All other colors of fur make it easy to deal with fleas. Though they are small, it is easy to spot the grain inside the fur. Their shape varies from oval to round shape and looks inflated when healthy.
In some cases, you may also find some eggs with purple or dark brown color. This is common if you had earlier tried using some insecticides that inhibit growth.
In any case, if you had tried using pesticides and flea shampoos to eliminate this flea, the eggs look different. They may change color and also look deflated and dried out with no sign of life.
How to Spot Fleas Eggs in Cats and Dogs
Flea eggs on bed sheets – First, you can use a flea comb and a clean white piece of paper on your cat or dog.
The comb is for scouring through the fur while the white and dark-colored paper is for checking out the fleas and their eggs – you can also use flea drops.
- What I like about the flea comb is that it exposes and removes all the fleas and exposing them.
- In the case of fleas, it is so easy to sense the danger and jump off.
- For this to be effective and bear good results, you have to get the comb through to the skin and gently pull it up to remove them.
The comb is also good for separating the fur making it possible to see through into the skin and spot the eggs and fleas hiding under the fur.
- It also helps you to see any flea bites on the pet’s skin which is a clear indication of flea attack on your It is made with fine-tooth that makes it very effective to remove fleas, eggs, and any other dirt.
- Secondly, you can check for flea eggs through flea dirt. If there are fleas, it is most definitely that there will also be eggs and dirt. You can find some of this dirt at the base of the fur.
Whether it’s through separating the fur or combing the dirt off, this will clearly indicate the presence of fleas and eggs on your furry pet.
What do flea eggs look like on furniture? This dirt looks similar to black specks which easily melt when exposed to sunlight. This is because this diet is made up of blood sucked from the hosts.
- Thirdly, the presence of dandruff and dead skin on the fur could also mean there are flea and eggs on your cat.
- Fleas are a major cause of dry skin, flakes, and dandruff. If this is the case with your cat or dog, you need to get the comb and check out for the fleas and their eggs.
Unlike eggs, dandruff and dead skin come in different shapes and sizes. Their colors may almost be similar to that of flea eggs have a defined shape. Related: Flea Shampoo for Cats.
Can You See Flea Eggs On A Cat?
There are particular places in your pet where fleas like to hide. These are also the same place that they lay their eggs and reproduce.
- The funny thing with fleas is that once they attach to one host, they hardly leave unless there are some external disturbances.
- If your pet is a cat, fleas prefer to hide between the shoulders and also on the backside of the neck.
- That way the cat is not able to disrupt them when grooming. If by chance they are disrupted, they jump off the host and return when it is safe for them. They have enough time to live on the host and reproduce till they die.
When the eggs are laid on the fur, they partially hang on the fur before they dry and fall off to the carpet, couch, and other surroundings. 70-80 % of eggs fall off from your pet and hatch on the ground before they can later look for a new host to continue with the other part of the flea life cycle.
What kills flea eggs on cats? When pests are grooming, most eggs fall. The itchiness from the bites also causes the eggs to fall.
Related: What do flea eggs look like on a dog
How Many Eggs Do Fleas Lay?
Where do fleas lay eggs? Fleas reproduce by laying eggs. When a female matures, it starts to lay eggs even if they are not fertilized. After mating, the female lays eggs that are fertile that hatch into fleas.
- A female flea can lay an average of 20-30 eggs in a day and an average of about 180 eggs per week when all the conditions are right.
- A flea has a life span of 60-100 days. With good feeding, fleas increase their fertility rate and can even lay up to 45 eggs in a day.
Their fertility is greatly enhanced by pet blood while human blood is less nutritious. This means that if there are no pets at home, the fleas lay fewer eggs translating to a smaller population of fleas.
Summary
What do flea eggs look like on a cat? Flea eggs are small and shiny with their color ranging from translucent to a whitish color.
- These eggs are laid in the fur of the pets in your homes like cats and dogs. Fleas will hide behind the neck, on the shoulders, and at the base of the tail to avoid disruption from the pets and humans.
- Fleas are more fertile and lay more eggs when they suck blood from cats and dogs than when they suck human blood. They are capable of laying up to 45 eggs in a day and 180 eggs in a week.
Pets are a good host for fleas and their blood is very nutritious to increase the rate at which they lay eggs. If you have to effectively control them, better start with the pets-cats and dogs.