Small insect embedded in my cats head....?

accensi0n

I think a small insect has buried its front end into my cats head. The back end of the insect is protruding out of the head. Its a small insect, looks about the size of a ladybird from the back and has tiny black legs.

I tried to gently pull it out but couldn't...didn't want to try too hard cos I didn't want to hurt the cat.

Anyone ever seen something like this?

The insect is a browny colour.

Karoma

...a tick... ?

Celticfire

Karoma wrote:

...a tic... ?

Second that.........

Karoma

A sic too:p

http://www.lisashea.com/petinfo/articles/cat_tick.html
&
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/pic/article.cfm?aid=62
The cat won't enjoy the experience; but it must be done. Get someone else to restrain the cat.

Consult a vet...

muletide

Its a tic alright - if you remove it with a tweezers you will split it and never get the top end out. Your best bet is to try and suck it out with your mouth it will be less painful for the cat

Rollo Tamasi

rollo need's a picture of the cat's head please

blu_sonic

its the south east aisian magorail insectitious aka devil bug, your cats gt 5 days from attachment to live.


joke a tick little feckers, would a delousing cream/wash work?

accensi0n

bad quality picture.....


Too extreme to bring her to the vet or is it advised?

Rantorama

DONT try and pull the little bastard off,it will try to embed itself further on your cat's skin,which can mean serious disease for kitty.

kittenkiller

My cat used to get them now & then.
We always just bulled the beggers out from the neck.
(We punctured the 1st one not knowing what it was, a very messy ordeal.)
Gently pull it out as close to your cat's skin as possible, if you get it out alive all the better. There's something very satifying about crushing the lil bastid! & it means that you know for sure there's none of it left inside your cat!

Best of luck. You're cat'd thank you if it could.
Ps. Ignore the username, it's misleading.

Karoma

It's generally not necessary (In Ireland) to bring it to a vet -but it's always advised as a precaution. DO NOT USE YOUR MOUTH TO REMOVE IT. In fact, if avoidable, don't touch it with bare skin - use rubber gloves and wash gloves and hands after it.
Do drop it into alcohol, or bleach. Alcohol is preferable as you can inspect the remains to check how much of it that you removed.
Line up the tweezers as best you can without touching the tick, close, pull it out straight from as close to the cats skin as possible. Again, I strongly advise you to get someone else to restrain the cat. Again, the head is not the problem, it's the saliva. The tick would naturally drop off after 3-5 days once it's had its fill anyway, but it's best to remove it to prevent any infections / prevent the tick from lurking for another feed.

kittenkiller wrote:

Ps. Ignore the username, it's misleading.

crazy days

Yes its a tick ...our dog had one last year.

you should take your little animale to the vet and have it removed ...don't attempt to pull it off yoiurself i've heard that part of the insect can stay inside and cause infection...have the kittys ears checked for ear mites while your there.

get well soon kitty
ps ticks multiply like crazy and love human blood ...hope that cat was'nt sleeping on your bed?

Karoma

The animal's body will reject any remains of the tick if they are left attached after a few days. It just causes discomfort.
Fine. Let's put it this way, your choices are:
- If you feel you can restrain the cat properly and have a steady hand - carefully pull it out,as directed above, with a tweezers.
- Go to a pet shop and get a spray which will help get rid of the tick (Not a good option imo, as it leaves the cat in discomfort for too long and allows the tick to continue injecting saliva).
- Go to a vet and pay him/her to remove the tick.

accensi0n

Thanks for all the replies.

I'm gonna bring her to the vet tomorrow morning.

I've been in contact with the cat and touched the tick so hopefully nothing disasterous happens to myself.

crazy days

accensi0n wrote:

Thanks for all the replies.

I'm gonna bring her to the vet tomorrow morning.

I've been in contact with the cat and touched the tick so hopefully nothing disasterous happens to myself.

good choice...have the kitty checked over anyway get your moneys worth outta the vet, i've never heard of a person with ticks in this country...i'm sure you'll be fine.

Karoma

accensi0n wrote:

Thanks for all the replies.

I'm gonna bring her to the vet tomorrow morning.

I've been in contact with the cat and touched the tick so hopefully nothing disasterous happens to myself.

Just wash your hands. tada!

FranknFurter

Do remember, ticks can and do pass infections from the first animal they bite to the next, so do get the vet to do a general health check and if its not to expensive (ask first), a general set blood tests (never does any harm in these days of FiV & FlV etc.) specially if she / he is allowed to go outside.

(Always remember, neutering & spaying will prevent pregnancy but
WONT prevent FiV and FLV and other things most of which can be caused by blood / fluid transmission via fighting, scratches & ticks).

So for an extra few euros you could be saving yourself hundreds down the line!
(most vets charge more for doing it all in seperate visits, so take advantage while your there!)

Besta luck

b

peasant

Do not:

-squeeze the tick, it will eject its contents including all sorts of nasty bacteria into the host

- fiddle with the tick for ages, trying to get it out ..it'll "puke" again"

- dowse the tick in alcohol, oil or something else ..."puking" again


Do:

- get a proper tick remover (from your vet) for the next time
- check your animals regularly for creatures moving around on them. Ticks wander around for hours, looking for a convenient spot. They look like little spiders before they start sucking and get bloated.
- destroy any and all ticks you see. They are tough little buggers. Burning them makes sure they're gone for definite.
- If you find a lot of ticks on your animals regularly, try and keep grass and weeds short where your animals are. Ticks sit on tall grass, waiting for something warmblooded to come by and then they jump



And just to freak everybody out ...ticks do not disciminate ...they also feed on humans. If you're out in the wilderness on a regular basis, keep your legs and arms covered (and check the warm and moist areas of your body (yes, THOSE areas as well) regularly)

Thankfully, ticks in Ireland (up to now) don't carry anything too nasty. On the continent it's a different story. If you get a tick bite while on holidays ...see a doctor immediately!

SCI

I would get front-line from your vets.Its alcohol based and will also sort out any other parasitic that might be there and protect the animal for another 2 mouths from other problems.Its good stuff.

franksm

I've removed these before from my cat with olive oil - just soaked the tick and surrounding area in olive oil. The tick has to come up for air eventually, then... whammo !! Off to the squasher !

bushy...

I think covering them in oil /vaseline makes them inject more saliva before they fall off though

animan

wen my cat got these i pulled it out with i tweesers the hed came out to then i burnt the f***er after it bit me

gypsygirl

Every year I have to deal with these little feckers. Methelated Spirits kill them, its so simple, get a bottle of Meths from your Chemist, soak a ball of cotton wool & hold on Tick for about 10/15 secs,This kills 'em & releases the jaws. Remove tick with tissue, job done. Do NOT attempt to remove tick with tweezers while alive as this may cause infection if the head/jaws are left behind. I've used Meths for years and have found it to be the most effective method by far.

Amalgam

Ticks. Remember if they haven't been feeding, the ticks will be tiny, little slivers.. tiny, much like fleas. A classic place to find them is the bridge of the nose on a cat, or the lobe\lower end of the ear, they can get huge in there, don't get noticed.

Fascinating creatures, well engineered.

Our cats get loads, they share the same sleeping area (under a garden shed), as our garden Hedgehog.