How Do Bed Bugs Affect Cats?
Cats are more likely to detect bedbugs than humans. Their heightened sense of smell allows them to detect these pests easily. Bedbugs prefer to feed during the night, but they will also attack your pet during the day. This is understandable, as if you were hungry, you wouldn’t sleep, but instead would hunt for food. Bedbugs also seek heat and CO2, two factors that are present in your pet.
Bedbugs bites look like tiny pink welts on your cat. They typically appear in clusters or in lines where multiple bed bugs have recently eaten. Cats that have been bitten by bedbugs may scratch themselves more than normal. Cats are usually not prone to excessive scratching, so this is a definite sign that your cat has been infested.
You should visit a vet immediately if you notice your cat scratching and itching. Your vet can diagnose the source of the infestation and recommend the best approach to treatment. You should also check for any red or fecal welts on your cat. These are a sign that bedbugs have infested your cat’s bed.
Bedbugs can spread easily, so it’s important to regularly wash all of your cat’s bedding, including bedding and cat toys. If you can’t wash your pet’s bedding, you should try to dry it on the highest heat possible for at least 10 minutes. If you have any leftover materials, you should discard them immediately or seal them in plastic bags with a label indicating if they’ve been infected.