Do bed bugs bite cats?

During your routine checks for fleas and ticks on your cat, you might notice bites on your cat that bed bugs could cause. In this article, you get to know if bed bugs can bite cats.

The bites from bed bugs can cause severe itching and swelling of the affected areas on the skin of humans. But even as bed bugs prefer humans, you may wonder if they feed on pets as well. If you own a cat, you might ask the question – do bed bugs bite cats?

Cats and bed bug bites

As said earlier, Bed bugs naturally prefer feeding on the blood of humans. But, if they can also look for their blood meal from any other warm-blooded animal. This usually happens when the infestation is growing higher. In some instances, they happen to cats that sleep on the same bed with their owners.

Do realize that, unlike fleas, bed bugs do not live on cats or any other living thing. They would only approach their feeding source (humans or animals) when they need to feed and scurry along to a better hiding spot afterward. Yet, it isn’t easy to determine if you have bed bugs in your home and feed your cats, unless you observe their behavior. You might watch your cats scratching, licking, or feeling irritated abnormally. A closer look might reveal if there are bed bug bites. However, you also need to check for other signs of bed bugs around your home to confirm that you are dealing with the bugs and not fleas.

Protecting your cats from bed bugs

Suppose your cats are suffering from bed bug infestation. In that case, it is a sign that your entire home might be suffering from the infestation too. At this point, you have to spring into action. Thoroughly inspect your home for bed bugs, especially locations such as the baseboard of your bed and that of your cat – mattress seams and other bedding material. Bed bugs also hide in cracks and crevices. Look for the actual bugs alongside signs of their activities (black fecal matter, specks of pearly white eggs, and bed bug skins).

If you suspect that your pets can also bring the bugs home, ensure they have a proper bath before getting them in. Also, do a routine check for bed bugs on their skin.

Always check the cat’s crates, clothes, and bedding in the car, especially after taking them on a trip. After that heat, wash their entire belongings (and yours) and dry them at high temperature; this can help eliminate bed bugs. Vacuum beneath cats’ beds and the surrounding. Also, empty the vacuum. It would help if you also sealed all cracks and crevices close in walls and on floors.

How to treat bed bug bites on cats

Bed bug bites on cats do not cause sickness directly. But, the uncontrollable itching feeling it gives to cats can cause them to fall sick in the long run.

When cats are suffering from severe itching due to bed bug bites, immediately call a Vet. Your vet will help you find a suitable treatment (including antibiotics and medications for the itching) to deal with the bed bug bites.

Concluding thoughts

Do bed bugs bite cats? Sure they do! Bed bugs would bite and suck the blood of cats when they could not find access to humans in the near vicinity. Although they will not cause any disease for the cats, they can lead to intense itching, which might cause skin infections and other potential health risks. So it is vital to prevent your cats from bed bug bites by applying the proper bed bugs elimination methods.

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