Fleas on cat?

[Aimee1980]

I have never dealt with fleas before, it said online that if you take the black specs off the cat and wet them and they turn red its flea poop, is this true? the stuff on my cat turned red, but he doesnt seem to be scratching, and the other cats in the house dont seem to have it...please see attached pics, he has a high concentration around his mouth, its speckled through his fur and there is some on his brush.

[sugarcatmom]

Originally Posted by Aimee1980

the stuff on my cat turned red, but he doesnt seem to be scratching,

It does sound like you may be dealing with fleas. Another trick is to put a bowl of soapy water by the cat's bed in the evening, with a desk lamp over it (lock the cats out of the room while you do this). The fleas hiding in the bedding or carpet will be attracted by the warm bulb, jump towards it, and land in the soapy water where they can't escape.

[chico2]

I just want to add,do not buy Flea-collars,or cheaper Flea meds in any store,they might do more harm than good.
I notice flea-poop on my cat this summer,did the papertowel/water test and it was blood.
Went to the vet and got some Advantage for both my cats,only for 2 months and no more fleas.

[Lizardlaird]

I do not think that is from fleas. That on the mouth area is Kitty acne!!! It is blood flakes, so it will turn to blood when put into water. My kitty has that as well. Its very common around the mouth and chin. Best thing to do is get rid of all your plastic food and water bowls!!! You should never use those, they harbor way too much bacteria. Use only stainless steel or ceramic. You should also wash the food and water bowl EVERY day. My kittys acne has improved greatly after making these changes. My vet also told me I could apply Witch Havel to the areas around the chin and mouth with a cotton ball. Its pretty much an astringent for acne, but safe for the kitty. If you find this all over his body then it might be fleas... but your pic definitely looks like kitty acne.

[Hazmat]

Keep checking the brush when you brush. If fleas you will snag a live one once in a while.

[Koteburo]

I think you're dealing with fleas, they usually get that under the chin. Hilda (my super loved now senior cat also known as the goddess) in my parents Catuary has had that problem before.
Those black thingies are not fleas in themselves but a product of the fleas probably.
There is a product called Front Line. You get a little vial with a liquid and you only need like 2 or 3 drops (I don't remember) on the back and it has a long lasting effect of about 3 months. It's efficient and better that those anti flea sprays that cats usually hate so much. Ask your vet about Front Line.
I would also look into cat acne like a member mentioned on one of the posts above.

[Sandra RVT]

Definitely fleas! Many cats are such good groomers that you may never see a live one, but that is definitely flea dirt. As a previous poster noted, stay away from over-the-counter flea products, you a better off paying for an exam etc. to get a vet product. The pet store products contain ingredients that cause cats to seizure and can be fatal!

[mona_b]

Have you taken him to the vets to make sure that it is fleas? Fleas bite. Can you inspect his skin? Do you see any red bumps? It's very odd that he is not scratching. If it is fleas, you will need clean the carpets and areas really well. Vets have a real good product. Well mine did.

I had a previous cat who got fleas. She was scratching like crazy. I had to get meds from the vet.

Also, pet stores cary a flea comb. This will give you a better idea if he does have fleas. The fleas show up on the comb.