Having bugs on the bed is an irritating and unwanted experience you may have. You are also suffering from this kind of situation. You also have a cat and wonder can cats carry bed bugs.
Well, cats can’t carry or spread bed bugs. They don’t serve as hosts for insects. However, just like humans, bed bugs can also bite cats. Because anything which has circulating blood in it can get prone to bug bites. So, in today’s guide, we will discuss the detailed answer to whether cats carry bed bugs and how you can save your cat from biting bugs.
So, without further ado, let’s get into it.
What Are Bed Bugs?
Before we get into the detailed guide for keeping your cat safe from bed bugs, let’s understand what bed bugs are.
As the name suggests, bed bugs are small insects that survive on blood. The blood they need; is obtained from humans or animals. Anything that has circulating blood in it can affect the bed bugs. Moreover, as they feed blood, their favorite hiding place is under the bedding so they can easily feed the blood while humans sleep.
So, if you have a cat friend in your home, your concern about whether cats can carry bed bugs is quite fair. Because cats also have blood and little beds where bed bugs can hide, your cat could be a reason to spread bed bugs.
Can Cats Carry Bed Bugs?
Technically, cats don’t spread or carry bed bugs because they don’t live in animals. But the favorite place for cats to hide is old furniture, mattresses, or clothing. That’s why the main culprit in carrying bed begs is not cats but the furniture.
Meanwhile, it’s necessary to know that bed bugs technically live in the environment and that a cat’s fur is long enough to hide in it. However, it’s not their primary place to live or stay, as they can survive for only a short period. Cats have longer fur where bed bugs can hide, but they usually need closer food sources that can’t be provided in your cat’s fur. That’s why yes, there are the chances that cats carry bed bugs, but it’s generally less period they could live there. Moreover, you can get rid of them easily by paying little attention.
Symptoms That Bed Bugs have bitten a Cat:
You may notice a slight or major wound on your cat’s body but wonder why it is happening, right? Chances are bed bugs bite your cat. So, here are the symptoms for which you can also know if bed bugs have bitten your cat or not because bed bugs can also hide in your cat’s bed as their favorite place to hide our mattresses.
- Your cat will scratch a certain place
- She will start licking the wound
- A rash on the skin is also possible
- You can also find blood spots in your feline friend’s fur or bed
- Small swollen red bumps similar to mosquito bites
- Bed bugs will stray some eggs on her that look like flea dirt, but it’s not.
The bed bug bite will likely affect your cat if you notice these symptoms. Minor wounds can be tackled at home, but you should consult the VET immediately in any worst case of injury or infection. Remember, bed bugs could be small enough that they would be difficult to spot. That’s why you need to use magnifier glasses for early detection.
How to Prevent Bed Bugs on Cats?
You may have the cleanest home in the town, but still, you spotted the bed bugs. Well, it doesn’t matter how clean your house is because all they need is hiding spots and blood where mattresses and couches are their favorite places to hide.
So, it’s true that early detection is the only key to infestation. That’s why you need to regularly inspect all the mattresses, couches, curtains, or in short, anything that can the chances that a bed bug can hide. It would help if you also cared for pet products like blankets or clothing. That’s why make sure to clean the material that can be washed for every on and off. Washing the affected areas in hot water or drying them at high heat can help eliminate these bugs. Furthermore, don’t hesitate to change and buy the best cat bed once needed. After that, all that matters is your cat’s health.
In short regular cleaning and vacuuming is the only key through which you can keep the areas clean and can keep your cat safe from carrying bed bugs.
How Do Bed Bugs Affect Cats?
So, it’s pretty obvious now that cats can’t serve as the host to bed bugs, but how they affect cats is another factor to know for any caring pet parent. So, in general, the following are the circumstances or ways that affect cats’ health.
- Firstly, as soon as a bed bug bites a cat, it instantly leaves a bite mark on its body. Like humans, any bite would affect the cat, too, in the form of bite marks on her body.
- A bug bite can cause stretching on a cat’s body, and if your cat keeps on stretching in that area, it will cause a wound or even a bleed.
- Another effect of bed bugs biting on a cat’s body is that if any of their wound, bite or stretch mark are left unchecked, it will cause bacteria.
However, it’s worth mentioning here that bug bites don’t respond in the same way to every pet. Some may have a small bite mark or feel quite itchy. But one thing is for sure you should not leave any of the symptoms, effects or marks unchecked for the betterment of your cat’s health.
FAQ:
Can bed bugs bite a cat?
Bed bugs can bite your cat only if they don’t get human blood for a long time because the pet’s blood doesn’t meet its nutritional requirements.
Do bed bugs prefer humans or pets?
There is no specific answer to this because, undoubtedly, bed bugs will get their nutritional needs from humans, but it’s also worth noticing that they can hide in white-blooded places. So, it doesn’t matter whether it’s a human or a pet bed bugs can bite because they will not starve for long hours to ensure that they don’t prefer or like pet blood.
Do bed bugs lay eggs in a cat’s fur?
No, bed bugs like to lay eggs near the bed. It can be a mattress, couch or anything but not the cat fur. So, you can keep the surety that bed bugs don’t lay eggs on cat fur.
How to kill bed bugs on cats?
You must frequently clean your cat area, especially the house, bed mattress or litter box. Not only this, but you should also keep your own house clean to stop their production. Furthermore, don’t hesitate to change bedding if needed; most preferably, you should get a washable cat bed.Â
So, Do Cats Carry Bed Bugs?
So, whether cats carry bed bugs or not, you must consider whether bed bugs can survive for several months. That’s why removing them once they enter your home would not be easy. Moreover, a pregnant female bed bug can produce 35000 offspring in 10 weeks, which would be difficult to eliminate. The only way to not have these little radish-brown insects is to regularly inspect or vacuum clean the home or cat’s area.
We have tried our best to give you a detailed answer for do cats carry bed bugs or not. Hopefully, you got the answer, and if something is left unanswered, don’t forget to write in the comment section. See you there.
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