Some people may find it strange to imagine bed bugs attacking cats because they are used to hearing about bed bugs living on furniture and terrorizing humans in the area. Some people believe bed bugs only live in beds because they were given the name bed bugs.
Still, when you research these insects, you will discover that terrorizing cats and living somewhere other than our beds are not uncommon occurrences.
Can Bed Bugs Live On Cats
Bed bugs do not like to live on moving hosts, and they will never feed on a moving host. They are nocturnal animals with a feeding strategy. They prefer to live in hidden places near food sources rather than the actual hosts themselves, allowing them to survive for longer periods.
If you find a bed bug feeding on a human or an animal during the day, you are likely dealing with ticks or fleas. Bed bugs will stay put and wait for you to return and rest so that they can begin, and they will not feed for more than five minutes.
Another reason you may not be able to find bed bugs on your cats is that they prefer to feed off clear skin rather than stress themselves trying to navigate through your cat’s fur. It’s simply too much work for them, and they want to eat and leave as soon as possible, undetected, so if a human host is present, they will choose human blood. Given their strategy, catching a bed bug feeding on your cat is nearly impossible unless they haven’t eaten in a long time and are willing to risk everything to get some food.
Can Bed Bugs Live In Cat Litter Boxes
Bed bugs are not the cleanest animals, but you won’t find them in your cat’s litter box; additionally, your cat’s litter box is not where your pet will sleep for an extended period; instead, you should look for bed bugs in your cat’s cage, bed, or tower. If your cat’s cage contains clothing materials or any tight spaces, bed bugs will make that place their hiding spot during the day so they don’t get caught.
Additionally, the temperature of your cat’s litter box is not ideal for bed bugs. Cat litter mites are already a major issue with cats, so bed bugs will not easily thrive. Bed bugs are attracted to the carbon dioxide that animals exhale because it is warm, much like the blood of animals. Bed bugs like the warmth of carbon dioxide, so they prefer to hide in small areas. It’s inconceivable to picture a bed bug living in a cat litter box for these reasons.
Where Will Bed Bugs Bite Cats
If you’re looking for bed bug bites on your cat’s body as proof of their presence, look for them on the parts of their body that don’t have a lot of hair on them. This is because cats have a lot of hair on their bodies, and bed bugs don’t like to stress themselves by navigating through all the hair to get to the blood. This is the main reason they prefer to feed on humans. Examine your cat’s feet and ears for bed bugs; these areas have fewer hairs than other body regions.
Can Bed Bugs Travel On Cats
Bed bugs aren’t like most parasites that cling to their hosts’ bodies after feeding; instead, they prefer to live in their hosts’ resting places and establish a feeding schedule with them. Many have asked can cats bring in bed bugs? Bed bugs can’t cling to their hosts’ hair, but cats can attract bed bugs to your home just like you can because you’re both warm-blooded animals.
Signs That Your Cat Is Under Attack from Bed Bugs
- When your cat frequently itches: Early stage bed bugs on cats may not pose any issues to your cat, but over time they will. Bed bug bites have the same effects on cats as humans; their bites leave tiny red itchy bumps that form clusters, and your cat will notice the bites when it wakes up. Bed bugs prefer to feed in groups, so you should see about four bites or more on your cat’s body, depending on the level of infestation. Because they prefer body parts with less hair, they will target your cat’s ears and legs the most. If you notice your cat scratching its ears with its feet regularly, this is a sign that a pest is attacking your pet. However, this is not enough evidence to conclude that bed bugs are the source of the problem; you should also look around for other signs.
- Presence of bed bug shells, eggs, feces, or bed bug themselves in its place of rest: To come to a conclusion backed by concrete evidence that bed bugs are to blame for your cat’s discomfort, you must search its crate or place of sleep for other clues that will suggest that bed bugs are present. To begin this search, dismantle its crate and carefully search everything inside it. If you find eggs, bed bug shells, or feces, you can be sure that bed bugs are to blame; bed bugs don’t do these things far from home. If you find any of these things, it means that bed bugs are present; they should be somewhere inside that tent, and you can find them by following the trail of that stuff. Bed bugs defecate as they walk, leaving those on their way back to their hiding sites. Their feces looks like little black dots, their eggs appear like tiny grains of rice, and their shells look like dead bed bugs. Once you detect these items, take the required steps to eliminate them.
How To Free Your Cat Of Bed Bugs
To keep bed bugs away from your cats, you’ll need to drive them out of your house. Bed bugs won’t just feed on your cat; they’ll feed on you as well, even if they haven’t started yet, (which is unlikely). So the best thing for you to do is get rid of bed bugs once and for all. To do this, you’ll need to hire a pest control company. However, if you prefer to tackle it yourself, here are some pointers to assist you.
- Utilize insect bombs: To use it, clear the room by removing anything that you don’t want to be contaminated by the chemical, covering anything that you can’t remove, and then setting the bug bomb on a flat surface and detonating it. Then leave the room and take your pet with you, giving the bomb six hours to do its job.
- Bed bug sprays: Will bed bug spray hurt your cat? Not if you buy the right product. Bed bugs can be killed on contact using quality sprays, and there will be no mess left behind. You have to search for and spray them in their hiding places; bed bugs will die if they come into contact with the spray, and you can then clean and dispose of them.
- Have your room and your cat’s cage cleaned out: Clean those areas where bed bugs are likely to be found and wash all clothing items in hot water to destroy the bed bugs, as bed bugs may survive water at normal temperatures.
Conclusion
Bed bugs are not only found in beds, and humans are not the only source of food for them. If your cat exhibits any unusual behavior, such as scratching excessively, you should research to determine the source of the problem. The information in this article will assist you in identifying the presence of bed bugs and eradicating them from your life.