What happens to ticks after they become engorged in cats? - briefly
After a tick has fully engorged on a cat, it detaches and falls to the surrounding environment; there it either molts into the next developmental stage (larva → nymph → adult) or, if already adult, seeks a suitable site to lay eggs before dying.
What happens to ticks after they become engorged in cats? - in detail
After a tick has completed a blood meal on a cat, it expands dramatically, becoming visibly swollen. The engorged parasite then seeks a secure site to detach, often on the cat’s fur near the tail base, abdomen, or neck. Once it releases its grip, it falls to the ground or onto a nearby surface.
The detached tick undergoes a short period of off‑host activity. For females, this phase includes:
- Digestion of the ingested blood, which supplies nutrients for egg development.
- Maturation of the reproductive system; a single female can produce several thousand eggs.
- Migration to a protected microhabitat (leaf litter, cracks in flooring, bedding) where environmental conditions are suitable for survival.
After a few days to a week, the female lays her egg mass and then dies. The eggs hatch into larvae within one to three weeks, depending on temperature and humidity. The newly emerged larvae climb onto vegetation and wait for a new host, beginning the cycle anew.
Male ticks, which do not engorge, typically detach soon after mating and die off‑host within a few days. Their primary role is to fertilize females while attached to the cat; they do not contribute to egg production.
Key points regarding the post‑feeding phase:
- Detachment occurs within 24–48 hours after full engorgement.
- Females require several days to process the blood meal and develop eggs.
- Egg deposition and subsequent hatching are influenced by ambient temperature (optimal 20–30 °C) and humidity (>70 %).
- The majority of ticks perish after egg laying; only the next generation continues the lifecycle.
Understanding these stages helps in timing preventive measures, such as regular grooming and environmental control, to interrupt the tick’s reproductive cycle and reduce the risk of re‑infestation.