Ticks are small, egg-shaped bugs with eight legs that resemble small spiders. Usually they range in size from 1mm to 1cm and have a white body, but this gets larger and darker as it gets filled with blood they suck out of their hosts (your cat, essentially).
There are many old wives’ tales about how to remove a tick from a cat without a proper tick remover, but these are not advisable as they could cause further harm to either you or your cat.
If you discover a tick on your pet, you will need to remove it quickly and safely. Follow our step-by-step guide to safely freeing your pet from the grip of a tick. 1. Find a comfortable area To keep your cat as calm as possible when removing a tick, choose somewhere quiet where you’re unlikely to be disturbed. You’ll also need somewhere with good lighting, as ticks aren’t always easy to see. Place your cat on a stable surface at a convenient height, such as a table, where you can stand while you examine them and remove any ticks. However, if you’re on your own, you may find it easier to position your cat on the floor, kneeling behind them as you are removing the tick. 2. Put on a pair of gloves Protect yourself by wearing gloves whenever you’re handling ticks as they can carry diseases that infect humans. 3. Handle your cat appropriately If you’re on your own, then simply hold your cat between your knees as you kneel behind them, gently restraining them from running away. However, it’s much easier to remove a tick if you have some help. Ask your helper to hold your cat by positioning its rear against their stomach (unless there is a tick here, of course!), using their forearms to gently restrain its body around their front limbs and shoulders. An alternative option is to hold the cat side-on against your body, with one hand across their body and another holding its shoulders. By doing this you’re able to stop the cat from backing away or wriggling free. 4. Part the fur carefully around the tick Take care to keep your cat as calm as possible and part the hair so you can clearly see the tick attached to the skin, making it easier to get to. 5. Remove the tick Take care to read the instructions provided with your tick hook. The hook needs to be positioned under the tick, as close to your cat’s skin as possible. Then twist while carefully pulling the tick, to safely remove the whole tick’s body without squeezing. If your cat gets distressed, or the tick doesn’t come out in one piece, seek advice from your vet. It’s a good idea to check the tick once you have removed it, looking for the head and mouthparts, and legs, to ensure you have removed the whole tick and none of it has been left behind. 6. Put the tick in a sealed container and then bin it immediately Once you’ve grabbed the tick, put the tick in a sealed container, such as a jar or Ziploc bag filled with rubbing alcohol and dispose of it immediately. 7. Disinfect the area Once the tick has been removed, wipe the affected area on your pet gently with a pet-friendly antiseptic. 8. Dispose of the gloves and wash your hands thoroughly Make sure you clean your hands and tools thoroughly using disinfectant wash. Store your tool safely in case you need to use it again. 9. Reward your cat It’s a good idea to reward your cat after you’ve removed the tick by praising them, giving them a treat or some extra playtime. This incentivises them to be good next time you might need to remove a tick! 10. Keep an eye on your pet You should monitor your cat afterwards and check the bite area for any signs of infection or irritation. Sometimes a tick isn’t removed fully and the mouthparts, which have microscopic barbs, stay inside the skin. This can lead to infection and irritation. If your cat is showing signs of illness or you’re at all concerned about them, you should take them to your vet. |
How to remove ticks on cats
Related Posts
Copyright © 2024 themosti Inc.
