Western Pest Services - Pest Library

Pest Library

Cat Flea
Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Latrielle).

Class:

Insecta

Order:

Siphonaptera

Family:

Pulicidae

Size & Characteristics:

Cat flea adults are about 1/8 in (2.5 mm) long. Body is flattened from side to side, and has no wings.

Color:

Brownish black to black, but reddish black when full of blood.

Geographic Range:

Cat fleas are found throughout the United States and the world.

Habitat:

Cat fleas live mostly on cats! But they can also live on other pets and animals that visit the city, such as dogs, opossums, foxes, mongeese and even rats. They are also found indoors in narrow cracks where these animals frequently visit, or outdoors in humid climates. Their larvae live in the same kinds of places, especially where there is high moisture.

Food:

Cat fleas have chewing mouthparts and feed on organic debris, as well as dried adult flea fecal blood.

Biology:

After each blood meal a female cat flea lays 4-8 eggs among a host animal's hairs or in its bedding area, amounting to 400-500 during her life. Eggs are tiny white ovals, about 1/64 in (.5 mm) long, which take 1-12 days to hatch. They may fall or be shaken off into crevices where the animal sleeps or spends time. Larvae need high relative humidity (45-95%), going through 3 instar stages in 1-2 weeks to several months. Cocoons (pupae) with camouflaging debris on the surface last 4-14 days, up to a year. The pre-emerged adult stays in the cocoon for up to 20 weeks, protected from dangers such as pesticides. Adult fleas look for a blood meal soon after emerging, but can survive for several months on stored fat. Once on a host, they feed, mate, and lay eggs. Many adults live only a few days, as cat grooming removes up to half of them, but survivors can live about one year.

Invasion:

Fleas can enter buildings that do not have pets, because they can jump up about 6 in (15 cm) and come in on peoples' shoes and clothes. Even if a structure has been empty for 6 months, if there have been flea larvae or cocoons present it is possible for the population to have grown to be a nuisance, since a continual food source is not required.

Damage:

Cat fleas bother the host animal and the household. They are intermediate hosts of dog tapeworm, which can infest indoor cats, and rodent tapeworm, which sometimes infest humans. They may transmit plague and murine typhus.