Are ticks dangerous ?

[berties mum]

I have posted before about one tick I removed, as its head popped out the tick went into the air (just missing my face), landed on the cat pen floor then started to walk off. Me being me dare not stand on it so I ran in and  got the frontline spray. Although it was necessary I did feel so guilty at ending a little life.

Eek, that's the last time I try any at-home tick removal - I'd have been hysterical!! 

[Ela]

tick removers work very well but from experience of many a owner managing to remove the body and leaving the head part which then can turn into a foreign body many will just advise getting it removed by veterinary staff

I have posted before about one tick I removed, as its head popped out the tick went into the air (just missing my face), landed on the cat pen floor then started to walk off. Me being me dare not stand on it so I ran in and  got the frontline spray. Although it was necessary I did feel so guilty at ending a little life.

[Michelle (furbabystar)]

I dont see this cat every day so i will have a good look at it the next time he "pops round".
He is a beaten up old cat and i have only managed to touch time once but he is happy for me to sit there while he eats

[CurlyCatz]

tick removers work very well but from experience of many a owner managing to remove the body and leaving the head part which then can turn into a foreign body many will just advise getting it removed by veterinary staff.

[Mark]

My vet has told me on my last few visits that stronghold will soon work on ticks as well. He said it is due to to milder (supposedly) weather we have thesedays.

[berties mum]

Don't know - mine certainly doesn't and wasn't impressed that I'd tried using a remover on Minnie without success.  As with most things, different vets probably give different advice.

[Ela]

vet then told me he would always recommend they are removed by a pro,

Um, I wonder why some vets sell tick removers?

[CurlyCatz]

Ticks should be removed.  If you dont want to take it to the vets then smear a giant blob of vaseline over it - that suffocates them and it will fall off also treat it with frontline or something.

[berties mum]

I tried a tick remover on Minnie and it did nothing ... vet then told me he would always recommend they are removed by a pro, as they can cause really serious problems if the head detaches and stays under the skin.

[cheekee_munkee]

Ticks are only dangerous in high numbers.

As they feed on blood, a high number on a cat could possibly cause anaemia.

This would make the cat feel weak.

As Sam says they need to be removed carefully.

Best of luck

[Sam (Fussy_Furball)]

Ticks need to be removed carefully ... you must make sure you get the whole thing otherwise you end up leaving the head and this will get infected. (you can buy speical tick removers).

[Beccles]

It'll fall off on its own when it's full  but if it was my cat I'd want it off sooner than that. If it's a feral the stress of catching it would probably be MUCH worse than any harm done by the tick - there is a possibility of their transmitting disease but the damage is surely already done, yanking it off now couldn't help that.

If the moggy is a regular visitor, you could try and frontline him/her...

[Michelle (furbabystar)]

A stray Black and White cat that i feed has a huge tick on his shoulder.

Is it safe to leave it or should i try and catch the cat ?