Ticks on Cats: How to Remove Them Safely and Keep Them Away

Ticks are tiny arachnids that feed on blood, and they are far more common on cats than many owners realise. Cats are meticulous groomers, so ticks are often removed or swallowed before you ever see them, which means the ones you do find are often already well attached. Knowing how to deal with a tick calmly and correctly protects your cat from infection and saves a lot of panic.

Where cats pick up ticks

Ticks do not jump or fly. They climb onto grass, leaf litter and low shrubs and wait with their front legs extended, then grab onto a passing animal. Cats that roam outdoors, hunt in long grass or explore wooded edges are most at risk, but indoor cats can be exposed too, when ticks hitch a ride on dogs, clothing or shoes. Tick season varies by region, though in mild climates ticks can be active almost year-round.

Where to look

Ticks prefer thin, warm, sheltered skin. Run your fingertips slowly over your cat and check:

• Around and inside the ears
• Around the eyes, chin and lips
• The neck and under the collar
• Between the toes and in the armpits
• The groin and around the tail base

A feeding tick feels like a small, firm bump, often grey or tan and growing plumper as it fills with blood. Some owners mistake them for skin tags or scabs, so if a bump has tiny legs near the skin, it is a tick.

How to remove a tick safely

Fast removal matters because the risk of disease transmission rises the longer a tick stays attached. You need fine-tipped tweezers or a purpose-made tick hook, gloves if you have them, and a small jar of rubbing alcohol.

• Get a helper. One person gently steadies the cat while the other works.
• Grasp close to the skin. Grip the tick as near to your cat's skin as possible. Do not squeeze the swollen body.
• Pull straight out. Use slow, steady upward pressure. Do not twist, jerk or wiggle, which can leave mouthparts behind.
• Drop it in alcohol. This kills it. Keep it for a few weeks in case your vet wants to identify it.
• Clean the site. Dab the bite with a mild antiseptic and wash your hands.

The PDSA demonstrates the technique clearly in this video:

PDSA vets show the correct way to remove a tick.

Blue Cross also has a cat-specific walkthrough:

Blue Cross shows tick removal on a cat step by step.

What not to do

• Do not use petroleum jelly, nail polish, oils or a lit match. These are ineffective and can make the tick regurgitate into the wound.
• Do not crush the tick with your fingers.
• Do not use dog flea and tick products on cats. Some, especially those containing permethrin, are seriously toxic to cats.

If your cat will not hold still, the tick is in the eye area or ear canal, or the mouthparts break off, book a vet visit rather than digging around.

Diseases ticks can spread to cats

Cats are less prone to tick-borne illness than dogs, but it does happen. Depending on where you live, the concerns include:

• Cytauxzoonosis: a serious, often fast-moving disease seen in parts of the southern and central United States, carried by certain ticks. Signs include fever, lethargy, pale gums and loss of appetite.
• Anaplasmosis: can cause fever, lethargy and reduced appetite.
• Lyme disease: rare in cats, and clinical signs are uncommon.
• Tularemia: uncommon but severe, with fever and swollen lymph nodes.
• Tick paralysis and anaemia: heavy infestations can cause blood loss, especially in kittens.

Watch your cat for two to three weeks after any tick bite. Contact your vet promptly if you notice fever, lethargy, hiding, poor appetite, pale gums, laboured breathing or limping.

Preventing ticks

The most effective approach is a vet-recommended, cat-specific preventive used consistently. Options include spot-on treatments, oral tablets and certain collars, and your vet can advise which are licensed for cats in your region. Practical extras include:

• Checking your cat after every outdoor trip during tick season
• Keeping grass short and clearing leaf litter in the garden
• Treating other pets in the household, especially dogs
• Considering a catio or supervised outdoor time in high-risk areas

For more on how these infections spread, this veterinary explainer covers tick and flea-borne diseases in cats:

Signs, risks and prevention of tick and flea-borne diseases in cats.

The bottom line

Ticks are manageable. Check your cat regularly, remove any tick promptly with tweezers or a hook, never use dog products on cats, and keep up year-round prevention your vet recommends. If your cat seems unwell after a bite, do not wait.