Cat Flea allergy dermatitis is the most common allergy in cats and is
caused by fleas biting, specifically the saliva of the flea. It is a
very itchy disease and predisposes to the development of secondary
skin infections.
Most animals with flea allergy oddly show signs of having very few fleas,
because they are so itchy they groom themselves excessively which
eliminates any evidence of fleas. However, a couple of flea
bites every two weeks are sufficient enough to make a flea allergic
cat itchy all the time. Any animal can become allergic to fleas,
although some cats appear to be are more attractive to fleas than others.
Cat Fleas are bloodsucking insects and can live from 6 to 12
months old. This life span can be influenced by environmental
conditions which in turn can vary from two to three weeks and in some cases
up to 12 months. Optimal conditions include humidity of 75 to 85
percent and temperatures of around 65 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
Humidity is more important to the Cat Flea than the temperature. The adult Cat
flea spends most of its life on the host, while the immature
stages (eggs) are found in the environment.
