How to Check Your Cat for Anemia and Flea Infestation

Fleas live on a host animal. When they bite the host they are taking his blood like a mosquito does. If your cat has a severe infestation of fleas, the blood loss could cause anemia. Anemia can be a life-threatening condition that requires immediate first aid care from a vet.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Look for fleas on your cat every time you play with or groom her. Roll her onto her back and look underneath her legs and on her chest for signs of flea movement. Fleas are very small but sometimes you can see them jumping on the cats skin and fur.
2. Check for flea dirt on the cat and in his bedding. Flea dirt is feces from fleas and is made up of undigested blood from the host. It will usually look like black pepper but sometimes it is red in color.
3. Place the cat on top of a white surface--a white paper towel works well for this. Comb the cat using a flea comb and check the white paper for flea dirt coming out of the fur with the combing.
4. Tilt the cat's head back and use your fingers to open her mouth to check for signs of anemia if you find fleas. Look at her gums. The gums on your cat should be pink. If the gums are very pale or are white in color, the cat is suffering from anemia and will need first aid care.
5. Take your cat to the vet for first aid if her gums are pale or white. If the anemia is severe she might need a blood transfusion to save her life.

Tips & Warnings

• Preventing fleas is easier than getting rid of them. There are many over-the-counter flea preventatives sold, but most veterinarians recommend using a prescription product. If you want to use an over-the-counter product, you should check with your vet first.