What do cat fleas feed on? - briefly
Cat fleas subsist on the blood of their hosts, mainly feeding on cats but also biting dogs, rodents, and occasionally humans. Adult fleas require blood meals for reproduction, while larvae obtain nutrients from adult feces and other organic debris.
What do cat fleas feed on? - in detail
Cat fleas (Ctenocephalides felis) obtain nutrition exclusively from the blood of their hosts. The adult female requires a blood meal to develop eggs, while both sexes need periodic blood intake for survival and activity. Blood is drawn from the skin of cats, dogs, and occasionally other mammals, including humans, through the flea’s piercing‑sucking mouthparts.
The feeding process proceeds as follows:
- The flea detects heat, carbon‑dioxide, and movement, positioning itself on the host’s skin.
- Its stylet penetrates the epidermis, reaching the superficial capillaries.
- Anticoagulant saliva is injected, preventing clotting and facilitating fluid flow.
- The flea ingests a mixture of plasma, red blood cells, and lymph, typically 0.1–0.2 µL per meal.
- After feeding, the flea retreats to a sheltered area (fur, bedding, cracks) to digest and, for females, to lay eggs.
Nutrient composition of the ingested blood supplies proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, and micronutrients essential for:
- Egg production: a single female can lay 20–30 eggs per blood meal, with up to 2,500 eggs over her lifespan.
- Energy metabolism: carbohydrates and lipids fuel locomotion and thermoregulation.
- Tissue synthesis: amino acids support cuticle formation and reproductive organ development.
Flea larvae do not consume blood directly. Instead, they feed on organic debris in the environment, primarily the feces of adult fleas (known as “flea dirt”), which consist of partially digested blood. This indirect reliance on host blood completes the flea’s life‑cycle nutritional loop.
In summary, adult cat fleas survive solely on intermittent blood meals from their hosts, using the acquired nutrients for maintenance, reproduction, and growth, while their offspring exploit the blood‑derived waste material deposited in the surrounding habitat.