Cats and ticks

[Speicher]

My cat Leo has a green blob attached to his face. It is about 0.5cm in diameter, and seems to be attached to his skin.

Two very kind people on one thread have offered advice but it seems this is more complex than I thought. If it is a tick, any attack on the tick with chemicals will cause it to regurgitate its contents back into the animal. This is turn could cause more problems.

Also pulling the tick out but leaving the teeth in could cause problems.

Does any kind person know what to suggest? Why is it green, not red, from the engorged blood. Or is it just a sticky seed? I can see a photo would help, but I only have one pair of hands.

May I suggest you refrain from humourous remarks about my pussy cat, til someone has offered sensible advice.

 

[Crackle]

Get a tick remover. It clamps around the head and you twist and pull. Quick and easy. The first one is a bit of a nervous affair but the technique and instrument work. In fact I have a spare one at home I can send you if you can't get one. I used to take them off my dog and neighbours dogs in the highlands all the time. Don't use tweezers.

 

[Speicher]

So is there less harm done to the cat if I wait and remove it with a tick remover, than removing it incorrectly. I cannot be certain how long it has been there. I noticed a tiny black blob, the size of a very small seed either yesterday, or the day before.

How long does it take the tick to engorge itself then start regurgitating its contents. Fortunately Leo had an anti-biotic injection last week for an allergic reaction to a flea bite. Hopefully that anti-biotic will act against the contents of the tick.

Wiel's (?) disease is mentionned on the internet, when I looked it up. Do all ticks carry this.

 

[Speicher]

The Vet I use is very good, I am sure they will sell me a tick remover or be able to tell me where I can get one. They also have Nurse Practioners for things like this. They might be able to show me how to do the first one.

 

[Crackle]

Your cat would be unlucky to catch anything. I've had ticks on me and so have the kids. Yes they can pass on tick borne diseases but it's a small chance.

 

[Speicher]

I went to speak to my neighbour who walks his dog in the same field, at the back of these houses, that Leo would have been exploring. My neighbour said he had not known his dog have ticks. But on a long-haired Labrador, they would be almost impossible to see, wouldn't they.

From what you say Crackle and TMN, I will leave it alone for now. Get a tick remover, and operate to remove it.
Leo is fourteen years old, so I tend to be very cautious about any infections he might get.

My other cat Tasha (Yar) has a very thick black coat. No chance whatsoever of seeing a tick on her.

 

[Speicher]

Your cat would be unlucky to catch anything. I've had ticks on me and so have the kids. Yes they can pass on tick borne diseases but it's a small chance.

Thank you for your reassurance.

I was beginning to think that removing it incorrectly, causing the tick to regurgitate into Leo's blood stream, would be more risky than leaving it for 24 hours. This gives me time to remove it properly.

 

[Night Train]

The last time we removed a tick from a cat it took two of us, One to hold the screaming, complaining, cat down and the other to carefully get fingernails between the tick's head and the cat's skin. Slowly easing it back the tick was removed. Some of the tick's mouth (or head) was still in the skin and so a pit of picking was needed to remove it all.

I did the holding down part while wearing welding gauntlets!

It was a sucessful operation and so clean that the vet who checked it refused to believe we removed a tick claiming it was probably just a plant seed on the cat's fur!

 

[Speicher]

The Vet I use has Nurse Practioners, who I am sure would assist.

Leo was not impressed with me examining the blob.

At first I thought it might be a plant seed, but it seems a bit squidgey for that.

 

[TheDoctor]

Pet shops sell flea and tick treatments - I got one the other week.
Admittedly, my pet is canine rather than feline, but they should be around.
Ticks are horrid things - have found a few on myself occasionally
Fields with long grass that have had cattle in them seem particularly troublesome.

 

[Speicher]

There are no cattle in the field. Foxes, yes, but cattle are a long way off.

As well as his jab for the allergic reaction, Leo had a flea treatment last week.
Would that be strong enough to kill the tick?

 

[TheDoctor]

I really don't know. It's been a loooooooooooooooong while since I had a pet cat anyhow.

 

[Speicher]

TheDoctor, that is where you are wrong.

It is a long while since you were owned by a cat.

 

[TheDoctor]

Well, that's why I have a dog. She's always pleased to see me

 

[Sleeper]

Aerosol-bourne Lynx deodorant for my retrievers, works a treat! Wouldn't go near my cat with it though, he'd tear my face off. Best of luck, I know the tick-hooks work well