Things You'll Need
White towel or white piece of paper
Flea comb
A cat that is scratching a lot might have fleas. Frequent scratching calls for a good thorough flea check. Even in the absence of scratching, you should perform a flea check on your cat twice a month to catch fleas early on. Give your cat a treat after each flea check to make it a time that your cat looks forward to.
Set your cat on top of a white towel or a piece of white paper.
Part your cat's fur and look for moving fleas and black specs that look like dirt. The black specs, called flea dirt, are flea excrement. Pay special attention to your cat's neck and above your cat's tail, where fleas tend to congregate.
Brush your cat's fur with a flea comb. Look at the flea comb to see if any fleas or flea dirt are caught in between the teeth of the comb.
Look at the white towel or white piece of paper to see if any fleas or black specs have fallen from your cat.
Tips
Many products are available that can help to eliminate your cat's fleas. Talk to your veterinarian to help you decide which product is right for you --- and your feline friend.
Warnings
A bad flea infestation can leave your cat with serious health problems and can spread to your carpet, bedding, clothing --- and the humans in your home.
References
Photo Credits
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Credit: Ohio Andy - Copyright: morgueFile free photo / ohioandy
Writer Bio
Rose Kivi has been a writer for more than 10 years. She has a background in the nursing field, wildlife rehabilitation and habitat conservation. Kivi has authored educational textbooks, patient health care pamphlets, animal husbandry guides, outdoor survival manuals and was a contributing writer for two books in the Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader Series.
