{"id":2132,"date":"2017-12-19T14:15:55","date_gmt":"2017-12-19T14:15:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.petwellclinic.com\/wp\/?p=2132"},"modified":"2017-12-19T19:11:15","modified_gmt":"2017-12-19T19:11:15","slug":"help-think-indoor-cat-fleas-possible","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.petwellclinic.com\/wp\/2017\/12\/19\/help-think-indoor-cat-fleas-possible\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cHelp! I Think My Indoor Cat Has Fleas\u2014Is That Possible?\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"The title of this blog post is an actual text message that a friend of PetWellClinic\u00ae received from one of her coworkers. This coworker had noticed that her family\u2019s cat had been itching and licking herself much more than usual, but she figured it was dry skin. But then she noticed dark brown specks on the cat\u2019s neck and also thought she saw a flea on the cat\u2019s head, but she couldn\u2019t be sure.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut my cat is an indoor cat and never goes outside,\u201d she said, \u201cIt\u2019s not possible for her to get fleas, is it?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Unfortunately, yes it is, and in fact it\u2019s quite common for indoor cats to get fleas. Incessant licking and scratching are key clues, as are the brown specks this cat owner saw. Known as \u00a0\u201cflea dirt,\u201d these specks are actually the feces of the flea. You can verify that they\u2019re flea dirt by putting them on a paper towel and then misting them with water to see if they turn red. If they do, it\u2019s evidence of fleas because the flea feces are composed of digested blood. <\/span><\/p>\n

So, how is it possible for indoor cats to get fleas? Here are the 5 most common ways:<\/span><\/p>\n