Parasite Prevention

Fleas, ticks and mites are not just an itch. They carry disease into the cat and into the home, and one of the worms a mosquito can pass, heartworm, has no cure in cats. Steady, year-round prevention keeps all of it at bay. Here is how it is usually done; your vet sets the exact plan for yours.

What's involved

Fleas are the common one, and most of a flea problem is not on the cat but in the room, in eggs and larvae, so treating the cat and cleaning the home go together. Fleas also carry tapeworm and can set off fierce allergy. Ticks bite cats less often than dogs but still bite. Mites cause ear trouble and mange. And heartworm, spread only by a mosquito, settles in a cat's lungs; the signs look like asthma, and because it cannot be treated in cats, prevention is the only protection.

The schedule

Prevention runs year-round. Flea and tick products last from about a month to a few months depending on the kind; a heartworm preventive is given on a steady monthly rhythm. Kittens start young, but each product has its own minimum age and weight, so the timing is set by what your vet chooses.

In Egypt

The warm climate keeps fleas breeding and mosquitoes active most of the year, indoors as well as out, so an indoor-only cat is not exempt. Heartworm is present in the region; how much risk your own cat carries is a question for your vet, who knows the local picture. The steady routine is what keeps the cat ahead of it.

Choosing a preventive

A preventive is matched to what your cat needs covered: fleas and ticks, ear mites, and heartworm where your vet advises it. Ask what is stocked locally and right for your cat's weight. The one rule that is not negotiable: never put a dog's flea or tick product on a cat. Several are made with permethrin, which is safe for dogs and lethal to cats. Dose by weight, and keep a treated dog away from the cat while it dries.

When to see your vet

For a heartworm check, which is a vet test rather than a home kit, for any suspected mange or ear-mite trouble, and for any reaction after a treatment. If your cat has breathing trouble or a cough that comes and goes, have it looked at.

This is a starting point, not a prescription. Every cat is different, and your veterinarian chooses the right products and timing for yours. We are always glad to point you the right way.