Cat Tick Treatment Options: Best For Your Kitties

Ticks are pesky little tear-shaped parasites that can attach your cat if s/he's lucky enough to roam in woodland or areas of long grass. If you live in an area like this, or somewhere with lots of wildlife, look out for them on your kitty, particularly in the warmer weather.

Although it's more common to see tick infestations in dogs, it's important to treat ticks on your cat if you notice them.

You should always remove a tick if you see one since it can cause problems for humans as well as pets.

If you live in a high-risk area, be sure you check your cat's coat for ticks when they come in. You can usually feel them just by running your hands over your cat's fur.

There are a few different ways of dealing with ticks so read on to find out.

Quick links:
Fipnil Plus Spot-On Treatment
Johnson’s Tick Remover

Preventative Cat Tick Treatments

In our post about treating cat flea infestation issues, we mentioned spot-on treatments. Some cat flea treatments tackle both flea and tick problems. You can also get cat tick collars, which are best reserved for cats that are highly prone to picking up ticks.

Fipnil Plus

As we always say, purrvention is better than cure. This is one of the most effective cat flea treatments we sell, and it works on ticks, too. If your cat is up to date with their dosage, then any ticks that attach to them will fall off within forty-eight hours.

(Note that each dose protects your cat for two weeks against ticks, which is a bit less than it lasts for fleas.)

It can still be a good idea to remove ticks as you see them, even if your cat has been treated with some kind of active ingredient like this.

Tick Collars

Tick collars are another treatment option for ticks. As we've mentioned, you might only deem this necessary if you have a farm cat or you're in a highly prone area.
Collars provide repellent protection for several months at a time so you can set and forget. If you choose this route, make sure you pick a collar that has a safety release mechanism.

How to Remove Ticks From Your Cat

Even if your cat has been treated with a tick anti-parasitic, it's best to remove any ticks that you actually see. They like to settle in areas around the head and ears, the armpits, tummy and groin.

Even though ticks can be tiny, they're easy to see on light-haired cats. If you see ticks walking about on your cat's fur, you might be able to grab them by the leg with tweezers. Alternatively, you could catch them in a tissue.

If the tick's attached by the time you see it, you ideally want to use a specific tool that's been designed for the purpose. But, in a pinch, you can use tweezers too. (Pun intended!)

Be careful not to squeeze them or tweeze their abdomen as you're taking them off. You don't want to release any harmful fluids onto your cat. We'd also recommend you wear gloves to do this to protect yourself for the same reason.

And always wash your hands well after dealing with ticks.

Tick Remover Tool

View and select the Johnsons Tick Remover

We sell the Johnson's Tick Remover, which is specifically designed to safely remove ticks from cats, dogs and even horses.

It's good for periodic use if your cat is only occasionally affected by ticks, as well as to use alongside a spot-on treatment or collar.

It's important to use these implements correctly, so follow the instructions on the packet. This particular type of tick remover is made to detach ticks from your cat by twisting. Because of the tool's design, it's a safe method of removal.

Ticks are determined little blighters and like to dig their mouthpieces into your kitty's skin. Not all removers are created equal, and these parts can be difficult to remove fully.

But the type of hooked tool we sell supports the tick so that pressure isn't put on its head or abdomen during removal. Hurrah!

If you can, have someone else gently holding your cat still around their front paws and shoulders while you do this. Let your cat have all four paws on a surface with their back against the supporter's tummy.

Removing a Tick Using Tweezers

If you can't get into Riber Pets to collect the tool above, or you're waiting for one to be delivered, you can use tweezers. If you go this route it's recommended that you use a fine-tipped pair rather than the flat ones you might have for your eyebrows.

You need to get as close to the tick's head as you can with the tweezers parallel to your cat. Avoid the parasite's abdomen, which might be quite full of fluid if it's been attached to your cat for a while.

With tweezers, you need to pull firmly (rather than twist) to have the best chance of removing the mouthpieces.

Disposing of Ticks

Once the tick's out of harm's way, you can crush it in a tissue. Again, make sure you're wearing gloves and don't get any fluids on yourself.

You can then put the tick in the household rubbish or flush it down the toilet.

Why Tick Treatments and Removal Are Important

There are a number of nasty tick-borne diseases that can adversely affect your cat in ways like:

• lethargy
• loss of appetite
• joint pain and
• depression

The condition you're most likely to have heard of is Lyme Disease. And although it isn't too common, it can be quite harmful to humans as well as cats.

Should I Contact a Vet About My Cat's Ticks?

You don't normally need to contact a vet if you've treated your cat or are satisfied you've fully removed a tick.

If any of the mouthpieces have been left under your cat's skin, they should fall out in due course. However, keep an eye out for any skin irritation as there's potential for infection.

(Once you've removed the rest of the tick, that's the main issue rather than it becoming contaminated with any diseases.)

If you notice anything unusual like swelling, or if your cat seems to become unwell after having a tick, then do contact your vet.

Treating Other Parasites

To keep your cat happy and healthy, we have a range of other antiparasitics. For worm treatments, we recommend Ridaworm tablets, and for our flea treatment options, see this page.