Cat ticks can easily be transmitted to humans since a tick can feed on human blood also. Ticks carry parasites and release toxins into the host’s bloodstream causing serious health conditions. Therefore it is for the best to spot and remove ticks as soon as possible to prevent developing diseases. It is also important to protect yourself when removing the ticks on your pet.
Preventing Cat Ticks on Humans
Ticks may attach to your cat when he is outdoors in bushy area. The tick releases parasites and toxins which cause paralysis, Lyme disease or other equally serious diseases which can be fatal.
Ticks can also take human hosts and, even if you do not visit places where ticks live, you risk getting one from your pet when removing it.
Take precaution measures such as wearing gloves when checking for ticks or removing ticks so that you don’t get bitten by ticks.
Checking Your Cat for Ticks
The most important means of preventing getting a tick from your cat is checking your cat’s skin after he has been in areas that are known to be common ticks’ habitats:
- tall grass
- bushes
- parks
- forests
Wear protective gloves.
Wearing Tick Repellents
Spraying tick repellents on your body keeps ticks away. You can buy a commercial tick repellent or you can make some at home.
There are several recipes for tick repellents based on mixtures of vinegar, water, aloe vera gel and oils made of citrus, peppermint or lavender.
Checking Your Body for Ticks
Checking your body for ticks is of great importance since ticks might not stay long enough on your pet for you to find it on your pet and the tick may move to another host. Tick bites do not cause pain and the symptoms can appear long after the tick is gone so it is really important to know whether you have been bitten by a tick.
Tick Diseases in Humans
Both humans and animals can develop various kinds of diseases due to the toxins and parasites released by ticks into the blood stream. Humans can have serious allergy reactions to ticks; tick bites can even lead to paralysis. There are many types of ticks and each can cause a specific disease. The most common tick diseases are:
- Lyme disease
- Rocky Mountain spotted fever
- STARI (Southern tick-associated rash illness)
- Tularemia
- Colorado tick fever
- Q fever
Tick Removal
When you find a tick on your pet’s body, remove it immediately using tweezers. You have to grab the tick as close to the skin as possible to remove it entirely and decrease the risk of leaving behind any tick mouthparts since they can cause an infection. When removing it, be careful not to squeeze its body since this causes the tick to eliminate more toxins into the body. After removal you should put it into a recipient containing alcohol or methylated spirit and take it to the veterinarian for analysis.