How do fleas harm a kitten? - briefly
Fleas remove blood, leading to anemia, and their bites provoke itching, skin inflammation, and secondary bacterial infections; they also serve as vectors for tapeworms and other parasites that can further compromise a kitten’s health.
How do fleas harm a kitten? - in detail
Fleas bite the kitten’s skin, injecting saliva that contains anticoagulants and enzymes. This causes immediate itching, redness, and swelling. Repeated bites can lead to:
- Allergic dermatitis – hypersensitivity to flea saliva results in intense inflammation, crusted lesions, and hair loss.
- Secondary bacterial infection – scratching breaks the epidermis, allowing opportunistic bacteria such as Staphylococcus to colonize the wound.
- Anemia – each adult flea consumes up to 0.5 ml of blood per day; a heavy infestation can remove a significant portion of the kitten’s total blood volume, causing weakness, pale mucous membranes, and, in severe cases, circulatory collapse.
- Transmission of pathogens – fleas are vectors for Bartonella henselae (cat‑scratch disease), Rickettsia spp., and tapeworms (Dipylidium caninum). Kittens acquire these agents through flea bites or ingestion of infected fleas during grooming.
- Dermatitis from flea dirt – fecal debris from fleas contains digested blood, irritating the skin and promoting further inflammation.
- Stress‑induced immunosuppression – chronic discomfort and sleep disruption weaken the immune response, increasing susceptibility to other parasites and viral infections.
Effective control requires immediate removal of adult fleas, treatment of the skin lesions, and prevention of re‑infestation through environmental sanitation and appropriate topical or oral ectoparasitic products approved for young cats. Monitoring hematocrit levels and checking for signs of systemic infection are essential components of veterinary management.