A flea is a small insect with the ability to jump onto the body of our pets, whether they are dogs or cats, fleas can be there. They are found in warm and humid environments, and it is essential that if you have a pet you pay special attention to it.

Any fleas you see on your cat need to be removed, as they can cause serious problems after a certain point.

In addition to the veterinarian, there are certain home remedies to fight against these annoying insects, and that is why I invite you to continue reading this article since we are going to teach you some tools to successfully combat fleas on your cat.

Let us begin!

How to detect fleas in cats?

The general symptom of the presence of a flea is to see how the cat in this case scratches excessively. But, it can also be more pronounced grooming than normal.

Fleas are tiny insects (1 to 2 mm) and have a dark brown color, they are characterized by being very fast and extremely difficult to find.

Another clear symptom that your cat has fleas is the presence of small black dots of flea excrement, and it is something very noticeable, especially if the fur is light.

It is important that you pay special attention in summer, especially in those last months, since they are the high season for fleas par excellence, so always check your pet.

Home remedies to get rid of fleas

There are quite valid home remedies to eliminate fleas on your cat, and they are specific products or quite simple mixtures that we are going to show you below:

Previous care before applying any home remedy

In the first place, it is necessary to bathe the cat and eliminate in this process all the fleas that are possible, in addition, the sensitivity of its skin must be taken into account, which is greater than that of dogs, so special care must be taken. What products are used?

At the time of bathing, all products must be special for cats; If you wish, you can use citronella or lavender oil and mix the shampoo with the oils in equal amounts, and then do the bath. Of course, this mixture is valid for cats older than one year.

During the bath, it will be normal to see how the fleas fall, but of course, they will not be all. In any case, you should dry the cat well and comb its fur with a fairly fine-toothed comb, so that some fleas continue to fall.

Home preparations that can be applied

A very effective home remedy is the mixture of water flavored with lemon or orange; If you wish, you can add the skin of these fruits to a pot of water and let it boil for a few seconds.

Afterward, let it rest for an hour, when straining, put the mixture in a spray bottle, so that you spray your cat’s hair.

Another effective preparation is brewer’s yeast since its composition rich in vitamin B1 is capable of keeping fleas away in this case.

In that sense, add a small spoonful of the yeast to its moistened food, mix it and feed it to the cat; We recommend that you consult your veterinarian beforehand to determine if the cat is not allergic.

Tea tree oil is a very interesting home remedy, which you can add to your shampoo to have that preparation at the time of baths, massaging the fur vigorously and thus eliminating fleas.

It is necessary that it is not done in excess, once every four weeks is fine since it can be toxic for the cat; Veterinarians recommend mixing it with plenty of water if it will be used topically.

Frequently consulting the veterinarian is necessary before applying these practices, but in any case, they are natural components that can be effective over chemical products.

How and when to deworm cats?

Cat deworming should be done periodically, and you can do it with the peace of mind that they are safe and easy to administer methods.

Deworming is an activity that does not cause discomfort, and it is advisable to do it from the feline’s puppy stage since it is in these months that they are less protected against external agents and parasites that can significantly affect their development.

Deworming a cat can be for two reasons: to attack any parasite that is present, as a treatment, and to use specific products prescribed by the veterinarian.

The second reason is instead, by way of prevention, and in this case, the veterinarian administers some product at the time of the routine visit or you do it sporadically.

There are many products to deworm, whether in the form of pills, sprays, droppers and more, in any case, it will be the veterinarian who prescribes the product to use for the cat, according to its condition and needs that it presents.

Likewise, if your cat does not have parasites, it is best to deworm them from time to time to prevent them from getting sick or worsening their quality of life, all as a preventive measure.

Allergy to cats or pets in general, such as dogs, is more common than it seems, and around 15 to 30% of the population has this condition with respect to pets.

It is worth saying that yes that allergy to cats is much more frequent than the reactions generated by dogs, and this is due to the fact that cats have higher secretions in terms of quantity of substances, substances that are allergenic for many humans.

When this allergen begins to affect our immune system, it is when a set of symptoms begin to develop that indicate the presence of a possible allergy.

What are the first symptoms when you are allergic to cats?

Cat allergy symptoms are quite similar to common allergy symptoms, such as colds, flu, or even hay fever.

The best way to determine if your allergy symptoms are caused by a cold or by being around a cat is precisely when they occur because if they are only signs that occur when you are around not only cats but also dogs, those allergy symptoms are most likely not caused by an outcome.

In any case, below, we are going to comment on the most common symptoms of allergy to cats:

• Itching and tearing.
• Strong sneezes.
• runny nose
• Nasal congestion.
• Itchy skin, as well as in the throat, presenting in the latter case as a rough sensation.
• Cough.

Other symptoms in more severe cases are:

• Urticaria is basically the presence of raised, reddish spots on the skin.

Cat allergy treatments

The alternative of medications and natural remedies to combat these allergies to cats can be very helpful in relieving the symptoms that occur or reducing both dandruff and saliva particles that can trigger your reaction in the first instance.

In any case, doctors usually recommend the consumption of conventional antihistamines or decongestants as a treatment for the symptoms generated by cat allergies.

Similarly, in case the medicines from the pharmacies do not help, you can opt for immunotherapy.

Next, we are going to delve a little more into the different ways of helping to combat cat allergies:

Use of antihistamines

According to their name, antihistamines fulfill the function of blocking the effect of histamines, which are chemical substances that act to give rise to the appearance of allergy symptoms.

In general, the use of antihistamines can be given through drops, pills, and even nasal spray.

Immunotherapy treatments

Immunotherapy basically consists of receiving injections periodically, so that if you suffer from allergies, you are exposed to the allergen.

This is intended to “train” your immune system so that it doesn’t react to the allergen, gradually increasing its levels, until you reach a point where contact with your usual triggers has less of an effect.

Use of decongestants

Decongestant medications are an alternative to help shrink the swollen tissues in the nasal passages, making it easier to breathe through the nose.

Different over-the-counter allergy pills can combine the effects of antihistamines in this case, I saw those of a decongestant, you should consult the pharmacy about it.

Some home remedies to mitigate cat allergies

More than home remedies, our recommendation starts with carrying out some simple activities to reduce those problems with allergies:

In the case of nasal irrigation

In this case, you can fill a nasal irrigator or a small bottle that you can fit a saline solution in and use to get rid of all that mucus and irritants present in the sinuses.

Clean your cat

Reduce contact with the cat

To reduce the frequency and impact of cat allergy symptoms, the best thing you can do is reduce contact with the animal, of course, it may be complicated by the relationship you may have with the feline.

Similarly, when you get home after spending some time walking the streets, you should wash your clothes immediately, as there are many unexpected and fortuitous situations in that you can have contact with a cat’s fur or its allergen component.

Can our cat’s diet help reduce dandruff that causes allergies?

Diet is undoubtedly a fundamental aspect of the life of a cat, and for this specific case, there are certain foods that can cause the cat to decrease the level of allergen in its fur, in addition to the dandruff they produce.

These cat foods use a Fel d 111 antibody that can help alleviate the severity of allergic reactions to your cat’s fur.

Conclusion

Cats are undoubtedly an incredible company for the home, they are clean, calm, and very beautiful. But, they have different agents that can cause allergies in people, and that is why some measures must be taken in this regard.

The most advisable thing is to know how to live with the cat, especially, applying hygiene measures at home, and always having the necessary medicines within reach in case of allergy symptoms.

Breast milk is, in all mammals, a fundamental source of nutrients for proper development in these early stages of life, and it will lay a good foundation for the rest of the life cycle of all mammals.

Although it is the same in all cases (except in humans since we cannot fend for ourselves at that stage), speaking specifically about cats, at the moment that it reaches a certain level of development, weaning occurs with respect to the mother.

Although there are differences in the previous process (if the cat is an orphan and was bottle-fed or fed by its mother through breast milk ), when it comes to weaning, the process will always be the same.

Let’s get to know all the information about it, as well as some recommendations to make the best possible process of weaning the cat. Let’s get started!

What is weaning?

The lactation stage is fundamental, as the colostrum in breast milk is made up of immunoglobulins, proteins, fats, carbohydrates, water, and other components that have the nutrients that are needed for the optimal development of puppies.

Weaning is something that must happen, and it is that stage in which the cat stops drinking breast milk to start feeding on solid food.

This stage is quite exciting for humans since there are many challenges that must be faced, but it is very attractive to live with the cat.

At what age is it better to carry out weaning in cats?

The doubt about knowing the age at which a cat should be weaned is very common, and it is essential to know it before being in charge of a litter or orphan cat.

In the event that the kittens are with their mother, this process will take place naturally, so it is very likely that it will not be necessary to intervene.

The cats begin to taste some of the food from their mother’s feeder, so their taste for these foods becomes greater.

In the case of an orphaned cat, this will be a process that will take place when they begin to show some interest in the food that we as humans consume.

In that sense, the weaning of these little cats is at four weeks of life, it may take a few more days to start.

Of course, the process does not happen suddenly, it takes time, and it happens until they stop consuming breast milk (or in the case of orphans, formula milk for infants ) for solid food.

To know the age of a cat that you saw being born, obviously, there are no complications, but when the kitten is rescued from the street, knowing the age to wean them can be complicated, but in any case, until you know the age, weaning should not be done. 

How to determine the age of a cat

When it comes to age in years, this is easier, but here the important thing is to determine the weeks, so in any case, it is better to go to a veterinarian who can help you with it.

Likewise, there are certain details that you can easily notice at home to find out the age of your feline, for example, its teeth and whether or not they have come out, as well as the weight and magnitude of the reactions it can present in certain situations.

How long does it take for a cat to wean?

As we mentioned before, kittens begin their weaning from the fourth week of life, but this process itself can extend until the eighth or tenth week, so all this can take from a month to a month and a half to complete. achieve complete weaning.

So, it is a month in which maximum attention should be paid to the cat‘s diet since it will be a combination of breast milk and solid food that is given to the little feline.

The best thing to do before experimenting on your own is to maintain constant communication with your vet to ensure a smooth transition to solid food with a healthy kitten.

And of course, the mother’s diet should also be of quality, so the cat will benefit.

Also remember that during this interval of time it is of vital importance that you nourish your cat well after giving birth, as this way she will be able to produce the milk that the little ones require.

How to correctly wean cats?

In general, it is essential to let the cats spend as much time as possible with the mother (around the seventh-eighth week), until weaning is finished or has finished (tenth week).

In any case, it is from the fifth week when solid food can be introduced.

Likewise, below, we give you a small guide of what should be done according to the weeks of life:

• Week 4-5: The cat will still be lactating, so you can offer it a little specific breath for its age, and, to make it have a very soft texture, it can be moistened with formula milk.
• Week 5-6: You can start with the introduction of feed croquettes directly moistened with water so that the cat can nibble a little.
• Weeks 6 and 7: Here, basically, what was mentioned above is continued, only that it will be less and less necessary to moisten the food, and by weeks 7-8 onwards, weaning will be coming to an end, so, at the end of, the kitten will be ready to eat solid.

In general, eating habits begin before the sixth and eighth week, so you should take advantage of this stage to lay a good nutritional foundation.

In addition, when adopting a kitten you should know the food that was given to it at weaning (if you did not) since you will have to give it the same so that it adapts better to its new home.

How to choose the best food to wean a cat?

This point is quite personal, although it is true that it must be a quality diet since this stage lays the foundations for the healthy growth of the kitten.

It is essential that the food has a pleasant taste, that it stimulates your appetite and can easily differ.

On the other hand, it must be specific to their age, since it will meet their nutritional needs for that age.

What happens when we wean early? Consequences for the cats and for the mother

When weaning happens naturally, it is like a type of life learning, and it is that the mother, by not allowing the kittens to suck, is teaching them to tolerate that frustration, something valid for their adulthood.

Weaning should be done in the best way, and if it is done early enough, it can increase the aggressiveness of cats and their stereotyped behaviors, something that is related to their level of tolerating frustration.

In addition, there are related problems that we discuss below:

• Lack of nutrients causes behaviors such as eating objects, be it fabrics, plastics, and more.
• Low defenses.
• Easier to get sick.
• Trouble eating on your own.
• Little socialization.
• Fear and lack of confidence.
• Few grooming habits.
• Little control when playing, such as biting, scratching, and others.

Therefore, it is essential that this weaning process takes the necessary time, and that means letting the cat spend as much time as possible with the mother, and if it is an orphan, against the help of a veterinarian to avoid falling into trouble.