Removing ticks from your cats is important for several reasons. Ticks can be carriers of several diseases, including Lyme disease, and they’re also extremely uncomfortable and dangerous to your cat’s health. Make sure to keep an eye out for ticks in the spring, summer, and fall when these blood-sucking parasites are more likely to emerge from their hiding places and latch onto your pet. We’ve put together this guide for you to read more about how to remove ticks on cats in order to help you properly clean and check your feline friend once you discover a tick during your daily grooming sessions.
Removal Process
Many cat owners find ticks on their cats from time to time. These small parasites are typically found around the animal’s neck, back and near the ears. But removing them can be a difficult task for novice pet owners. Here is a step-by-step guide that will show you how: Pick up your cat with one hand by holding it securely at the back of its neck or waist, depending on how large your pet is. You can also pick them up by sliding one arm under their stomach and grabbing onto their chest while they’re in the air with your other arm like if you were catching a frisbee. However, make sure not to use this method if your cat has a tendency to scratch or bite people as this may cause injury.
Look for any ticks on the top of their head and remove them carefully by either pulling off gently towards the tail or squeezing behind the head with tweezers.
Turn your attention to the rest of their body looking carefully for any more ticks around their neck, back and armpits where these pests tend to congregate most often. After checking thoroughly, brush off any excess dirt, hair and dander using an old toothbrush before using tweezers again where necessary.
Why Do I Have to Pull So Hard?
When removing a tick from your cat, it is crucial that you pull hard so that the head of the tick comes out with its legs. This way, you can remove the entire tick as opposed to just removing the body. The reason why is because ticks will release toxins if they come into contact with their host’s blood before they get detached, which means that the risks for disease and infection are much higher. Additionally, there is a chance of missing some part of the tick left behind in the skin; therefore, it is important to remove ticks correctly.
