For this reason, often pet owners choose to temporarily board their pets at kennels or leave them with friends or relatives to accommodate travel schedules. If this is the case for you, you should understand the importance of treating your cat or kitten for fleas & ticks during this time to minimize your pet’s risk of becoming infested.
Kennels see a large volume of animals, and because not all owners treat their pets with flea & tick medication, it is extremely easy for another person’s animal to bring fleas into the kennel and thereby affect surrounding pets. It is not even necessary for your cat to come in direct contact with an infected animal in order to become afflicted with fleas. In fact, fleas are capable of jumping distances up to 13 inches, about 200 times the length of their small bodies, making it very easy for these pests to move rapidly from one host to the next. Additionally, many kennels offer pets outdoor “play time” which offers yet another opportunity for your pet to come into contact with fleas.
If your plans include dropping your cat off with a relative or neighbor, you should be diligent about protecting your pet. Many pet owners become lax about treating their pets in winter months and this can lead another household animal to infect your pet as risk of flea infestation is not eliminated in winter months. Additionally, fleas can lie dormant in pre-adult larvae and pupae stages for up to six months. This means that if your friend’s pet was infected with fleas during summer months, it is possible that eggs dropped off during this time have since matured into biting adults.
Treating your cat with a product like Hartz® UltraGuard Pro® Flea & Tick Drops will protect him through the winter season, and help you have a worry-free and enjoyable holiday.
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