Are Bed Bugs Bad For Cats?
WouterIf your cat has been scratching and biting at his or her skin, bedbugs may be the culprit. These bugs usually feed during the night, so they’re most active then. If they can’t find a meal during the night, they may strike during the day. After all, you wouldn’t go to sleep if you weren’t hungry. Bedbugs use heat and CO2 to find food, and your cat’s body has both.
Cats are also susceptible to ticks and fleas, but bedbugs are different. They don’t live on your cat’s fur, instead they wait until you’re asleep to feed. Because they don’t like light, bedbugs tend to come out at night and feed for only 20 minutes before they go back to hiding. In contrast, fleas and ticks stay on your cat’s fur for days.
Bedbugs can also bite cats, although they have difficulty moving through fur. They’ll usually appear on the more exposed parts of your cat’s skin, such as the paws, belly, and snout. Although they don’t transmit diseases, their bites can still be very uncomfortable.
Although bedbugs aren’t harmful to cats, they may spread them to other people and areas of the home. This is why it’s important to check your cat thoroughly after spotting an infestation. Depending on where the bugs are living, they can make their homes just a few feet from your cat’s bed.
