he mostly has them on his upper body and they like to crawl around his whiskers and face. he's really furry (he's a one year old angora) and white so they're easily spotted.
they don't jump like fleas do and they're really hard to kill.
i try to squeeze them up against him or between my fingers and they keep moving.
they don't move quickly but they crawl away when i try to kill them and they hide themselves
in his fur and attach themselves really well. it takes me a while to pull them all the way to the ends and off.
they're really thin and light brown and, like i said, they attach themselves really easily. pulling them off is like combing out black frosting from your hair.
there's also no visible fluid that comes out of them when i successfully smoosh them ....
so what is it??
i can't take him to the vet because i don't have the money: (but i'd like to know what you think they are so i can at least buy him a tick shampoo or flea shampoo or medicine for whatever it is .
You're going to need to give him a bath. Don't wash him in straight dawn (too much is bad for cats) you can use regular shampoo and just put a drop or two of dawn in it. I don't like using flea shampoo myself cause my cat has sensitive skin and it can burn. You'll want to fill up the tub to where he can stand in it and not be fully covered, it's better if you fill it up to where it's halfway up his legs and get a really big cup to rinse him with. You'll want to wash up his body to his head (they're easier to pick off there). You'll need a comb with teeth that are close together to get the ones you can't get with your fingers.
pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com Brush him well before giving him a bath. Fill up the bath well before you even get him in the room to minimize scratches. You'll need to vacuum and keep him isolated for a while (I don't remember how long, I think it's at least a few days) or he'll just recontaminated with fleas. Don't put him in a carpeted area, an area with linoleum or hardwood is good and something that can be shut off. Certainly do not leave him in the bathroom after giving him a bath. Now that's he bathed, and you've picked off the remaining fleas you can clean your entire house so that you don't have to go through this again. At a minimum vacuum everything your cat has been in contact with: furniture, bedding, carpets.
I know all this sounds like a pain and it is, but at least if you're thorough now you're cat won't get infested again. You need to figure out how he got fleas. I assume he is an indoor/outdoor cat so you'll need to either keep him inside and not allow other people's pets in if they have fleas, or get some of that flea stuff you put on the back of his shoulders from the vet (the stuff they sell in the store doesn 't work as well). At the very least he will need a flea collar. Good luck.
You're welcome. I'm glad he's better now.:)
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pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com
YOu don't need a vet for this they are just FLEAS not ticks you wouldn't be able to get them off at all and they would be really big and blood with smash everywhere.
Bathe your cat in DAWN soap (the blue original) make sure to get around the face and neck thats where they hide. Then wash all your bedding and give the hoouse a good vucuuming and cleaning to make sure there are no fleas jumping around your house .
Sounds like fleas to me, but for your cat's sake, get him to the vet.
Don't just go to Wal-Mart and buy some Hartz brand flea shampoo (or whatever fake brand they are selling), because it won't work. Your cat needs professional help. If you can't afford regular vet visits, you should consider not owning a pet. It seems as though you're not ready for the responsibility.
Definitely not ticks. Sound 90% like fleas. They usually don't jump unless they are looking for a new host. It could be ear mites (they do sometimes travel out of the ears and hang out on the neck and face) but by your description it sounds more like fleas. Give him a bath and comb him with a flea comb. You're not going to get away with not giving him treatment because by now the flea eggs are everywhere and in 2 weeks you'll have a new infestation. As your vet if they can call in a prescription for Advantix, Frontline, etc. Over the counter meds are not only uneffective but sometimes can be fatal since they are pesticides. You're going to have to treat the carpet, linens, your couches etc. When you get him treated, then bomb the house (make sure your cat is not home of course) or vaccuum, wash and repeat numerous times. Your cat can easily get anemic from the blood consumed so make sure you treat him soon. I know you can't afford the vet, but you have to find something to sacrifce to get him the meds he needs or else you'll be a victim soon too when the fleas find your bed ....
