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Welcome to Sunday’s Cats.com Newsletter. |
In this week’s newsletter, we’ll talk about how to check your cat for ticks and why you should do it even if your cat doesn’t spend time outside. |
And read to the end to learn about the beneficiary of this month’s fundraising efforts, Tater, who needs your help to recover from a painful eye condition. |
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Ticks Can Transmit Deadly Diseases. |
Though they may look like insects, ticks actually belong to the arachnid family along with spiders and scorpions. There are over 800 species of tick around the world, but only a handful are known to bite—and transmit disease to—humans and cats. |
Some tickborne diseases like cytauxzoonosis and tularemia can be deadly. In some cases, ticks can transmit disease in as little as 24 hours of biting your cat. The longer they feed, the higher the risk of transmission. Checking your cat regularly is key in preventing tick-borne illness. |
Here’s a simple step-by-step process to check your cat for ticks: |
Brush your cat thoroughly to remove any unattached ticks from their coat. Run your hands over your cat's body from head to tail, feeling for lumps or bumps. Pay particular attention to your cat’s head, neck, ears, feet, and groin area. If you feel a lump, part the fur to take a closer look—ticks can be very small but will grow larger and darker as they feed. Look for signs of tick bites as well as ticks themselves—they may appear as small red bumps or scabs.
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EXPLORE OUR TOP GUIDES: |
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Ticks are most likely to affect cats that spend time outside, but they can be brought into the house by humans and other pets—it’s well worth performing routine tick checks. |
If you find a tick on your cat, take a moment to confirm whether it has attached itself to your cat yet or not. Unattached ticks can easily be removed with tweezers and placed in a cup of rubbing alcohol to kill them. To remove an attached tick, grasp the tick as close to your cat’s skin as possible and pull it straight out from your cat’s body. Double check to be sure the head hasn’t been left behind. |
Check below for some products to help you remove and prevent ticks. |
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Remove Ticks with This Handy Tool. |
Made from anodized aluminum, these tick-removing tools are durable and easy to use. Simply press the opening firmly against your cat’s skin and slide the narrow opening toward the attachment point. The tool gives you leverage to safely and fully uproot the tick. |
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For added convenience, you can purchase this tool in a 3-pack so you’ll always have one handy. Each tool has a hole punched in one end and comes with a metal clip so you can hang it from a keychain (or even your cat’s collar). |
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Treat Problem Areas on Your Property with Tick Repellant. |
Routine flea and tick preventives are the best way to protect your cat against ticks. But if you live in a tick-heavy area and your cat spends time outdoors, it might be worth taking an extra step with this easy-to-use tick repellant. |
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Simply bury the tube in areas likely to be inhabited by mice (like brush, woodpiles, and flower beds). The mice that carry ticks will bring the pesticide-treated cotton in the tube back to their nests, killing any ticks they come into contact with. |
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Here’s a quick summary of the deals we’ve found this week: |
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Cats.com receives a commission on purchases made through this product recommendation. This helps us to continue our mission of giving you the best cat information on the web. Thank you for your support! |
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TATER NEEDS CORRECTIVE EYE SURGERY |
Have you ever gotten an eyelash stuck in your eye? It hurts! Tater, a 5-year-old cat in Florida, knows the pain all too well. He’s suffering from entropion, a condition where the eyelid turns inward, causing the eyelashes to rub up against the eye. |
Without corrective surgery, Tater could suffer permanent eye damage. This month, we’re working to raise $1,600 to cover the cost of Tater’s treatment. |
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What’s amazing about Tater is that he doesn’t let his pain get him down. His caregivers report that Tater is as sweet and friendly a cat as they’ve ever met. He truly deserves some kindness and, with your help, we hope to make sure he gets the care he needs. |
Can you spare a few dollars for Tater? Donate here. |
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A Sneak Peek At Tuesday's Newsletter. |
No one enjoys cleaning the litter box, but if you have a habit of averting your eyes as you scoop, you may want to adjust your tactic. The appearance of your cat’s stool can tell you a lot about their health. Learn more in Tuesday’s mailer. |
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| Meet The Author. | Kate is a pet food nutrition specialist and writer who has been part of the Cats.com family for over three years. She is the doting owner of three cats - Bagel, Munchkin, and Biscuit - and often shares stories about them in weekly mailers like this one! |
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Check your inbox every Tuesday, Friday & Sunday for another round of exciting cat news! |
Have questions about your cat’s health, diet, behavior, and more? Visit our Cats.com community. Our team of expert moderators is available to give you answers and advice specific to your cat’s unique situation. |