The Cat Flea is similar to many other species of flea, but will not willingly change its host. While they do bite other animals besides felines, they will choose to feed off other types of hosts when their preferred hosts become unavailable.
Appearance
- Adults of both sexes range from 1–2 mm long and are usually a reddish-brown colour
- Abdomens of females with eggs cause them to have cream and dark brown bands
Life Cycle
- A female flea will lay 4–8 eggs after each blood meal, and can usually lay several hundred eggs during her adult life.
- Smooth, oval light-coloured eggs measuring around 0.5 mm long are usually laid on hosts, but will not be firmly attached.
- Larvae feed on organic matter in environment
- An adult takes a week or two from the larval and pupal phase, but under unfavourable conditions, it can remain in the pupal phase for up to a year