Answer: True
Sharing living spaces means pets often share more than cuddles.
Yes, cats can get fleas—and ticks—from dogs, especially if they’ve been playing or relaxing together. But can dogs get fleas from cats? You bet—fleas don’t care if their host barks or meows!
The so-called "dog flea" and "cat flea" will happily switch teams if given the chance. While the cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis) is the most common flea species in North America, they will happily feed on dogs, too. If your canine friend brings home fleas or ticks, your cat is probably next in line.
Not only can a cat get fleas from a dog, but fleas can infest other small pets, like hamsters, rabbits, guinea pigs, gerbils, ferrets, sugar gliders and rats. If one pet has fleas, it’s safe to assume others are at risk too. Treating all pets with species-appropriate flea and tick preventives is essential to stop these tag-alongs in their tracks.
It’s easy—fleas can jump distances of up to two feet! Flea eggs can also fall onto carpets and bedding, hatching later to infest other pets. So, even indirect contact can transfer fleas!
Yes—and ticks too. While fleas can’t live on people, they’ll gladly take a quick snack, leaving behind itchy red welts, before hopping back to their furry hosts. Fleas and ticks can also hitch a ride on shoes, clothing and blankets. To keep these pesky parasites at bay, regularly inspect your pet and remove hitchhiking ticks, vacuum your home, wash pet bedding and maintain a clean environment.
To protect your pet, prevention is key! On top of regularly checking your pet’s coat for fleas and ticks, talk to your veterinarian about the right parasite preventive. As an added bonus, many of these preventive products protect against several other parasites.
