Okay, you've read about HEARTWORM and FLEAS that can put your CAT's health, if not his or her life, in jeopardy. There's a third creature out there--TICKS--that can be just as unpleasant and just as dangerous. Ticks come in several varieties, and your CAT needs to be protected from all or them.

Ticks latch onto your CAT as he or she strolls through tall grass or brush. Once on board, the tick bites into the CAT's flesh, burying its head under the skin. Then they start to feed. As they ingest the CAT's blood, the tick begins to swell. Fully engorged, a tick can look like a pea or bean in size. If you don't find it, the tick falls to the ground, lives on the stored blood for several days, and then waits for another creature to walk on by so that history can repeat itself.

Some CATS are allergic to tick bites and can develop what's called a "hot spot", an inflammation that causes the CAT to chew and/or lick the area until it becomes ulcerated, often needing medical attention.

Some ticks, especially the deer, blacklegged, and Western blacklegged tick, carry Lyme Disease, a serious illness from which some animals do not recover. Symptoms include lack of appetite, listlessness, fever, and swollen joints. Without proper attention the disease can spread to the kidneys and heart.

Lyme Disease in cats is usually rare, possibly because they groom themselves so often. It usually takes a day or two before the disease is introduced into the pet. Cats won't usually demonstrate the symptoms as readily as dogs. If you find an engorged tick on your cat take her to the vet for a check up (bring the tick with you).

If you find a tick on your CAT there are several methods for removal. One method requires you to swab the tick with rubbing alcohol. Then, using a pair of tweezers, grip the tick as close to the entry point as possible. It's important that you remove the head of the tick that is buried under your CAT's skin. Pull the tick straight out. If you have the head, dab the entry wound with an antiseptic. If you do not have the head it is possible that the would will swell and fester. Apply a local antibiotic cream that is recommended by your vet (some "human" creams may not be safe). Watch the area and call your vet if it looks infected. Depending upon the kind of tick your CAT may need medical attention.

Some flea collars may also handle ticks. So if your cat wears a collar see if it can do double duty. Just remember that collars lose their strength the longer they are exposed to the air. And, water can shorten its usable life even quicker. Talk to your Vet; ask other CAT owners about what they use and why.