How Can a Strictly Indoor Cat Get Fleas?

Many pet owners think the advantages of having a strictly indoor cat is that it won't get fleas, but this is not always the case. While keeping your cat indoors is your best bet for the safety and health of your cat, it doesn't always prevent it from getting fleas. An indoor cat can still get fleas from a surprising number of sources, which is why applying flea prevention even to strictly indoor cats is necessary to prevent infestations.

  1. Through the Windows

    • Contrary to what this popular Beatles song might indicate, fleas can enter your home through any window, not just those in the bathroom. If a flea-infested dog, cat or other animal has entered your yard or come near your home, there is a chance that the fleas have found their way from them through your window screen and into your home. Or if the environment around where you live is generally infested, the fleas can come in your home through the windows or doors.

    Hitching a Ride on You

    • Fleas are crafty little pests and take help where they can get it---and this includes hitching a ride on you. According to CatChannel.com, fleas can jump onto your shoes, pants, shirt or other clothing and hang on long enough to become uninvited guests into your home, car or any environment you happen to visit while they are in tow. The fleas then find their way onto your kitty, populate and build a community inside your home.

    House Guests

    • Visitors can similarly bring the pesky pests through the door with them. If your visitor lives in an environment in which fleas are present or just happened to walk through an area that in infested, she can bring the fleas into your home, according to the website Ark Animal Answers.

    Veterinary Hospital

    • If a veterinary hospital has been invaded by the blood-sucking pests, your cat can pick them up just from being there a few minutes. Moreover, if your cat had to spend any lengthy time at the clinic, the chances of catching fleas is even greater. However, if your cat does contract fleas from the vet, it doesn't always mean the clinic is infested; more likely, an infested animal had recently visited the same area.

    Boarding

    • If you've recently left your kitty at a boarding facility and it then developed fleas, chances are it picked them up while it was a guest. Animals are kept in close quarters in most facilities, and infested pets can easily share their flea bounty with those around them. Always apply a flea preventative before leaving kitty at the kennel.