Ticks in cats – signs and when to see a vet

Updated 2026-09-30 · 2 sources

Based on: PDSA, International Cat Care (iCatCare)

Book a vet visit

Book a vet appointment if you think your cat has this – a vet needs to confirm it and plan the treatment. Ticks are external parasites that live on a cat’s skin and feed on its blood.

What to do now

What you can do now

  1. Contact your vet.
  2. Note when it started, how often it happens and what else you see.
  3. Take a photo or short video to show the vet.
  4. Let your cat rest somewhere calm.

Don't

  • Do not give any human medicine.
  • Do not wait if it gets worse.

What it is

Ticks are external parasites that live on a cat’s skin and feed on blood.[2] When a tick attaches to your cat, it can cause skin irritation and potentially transmit diseases.[2]

Signs

  • Round
  • Shiny
  • Tiny head
  • Large, flattened body
  • Brown, pink, purple or a bluish grey

Causes and risk factors

  • Spending time outdoors
  • Warm weather
  • Long grass
  • Woodlands
  • Areas with lots of wildlife

How vets treat it

  • Fluids/drip

What the experts say

“Round ; Shiny ; Tiny head ; Large, flattened body ; Brown, pink, purple or a bluish grey”

“Cats that spend time outdoors can pick up ticks, which are external parasites (ectoparasites) that live on the skin and feed on blood. When a tick attaches to your cat, it can cause skin irritation and potentially transmit diseases.”

— International Cat Care (iCatCare) [2]
If your pet is struggling to breathe, has collapsed, is having a seizure or can't stand up: go to the nearest vet now.

Not sure how serious it is?

OkPaw asks a few quick questions about your pet and tells you in 30 seconds whether it can wait. Free on Google Play for Android.

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Common questions

What are ticks?

Ticks are external parasites that live on a cat’s skin and feed on blood.[2]

Can cats pick up ticks outdoors?

Cats that spend time outdoors can pick up ticks.[2]

Can ticks transmit disease to cats?

Ticks can potentially transmit diseases, although Lyme disease is very rare in cats.[1]

Sources

  1. PDSA
  2. International Cat Care (iCatCare)

How this page was made: written with the help of AI from the sources below, then checked claim by claim against those sources. Urgency levels follow OkPaw’s fixed safety rules. It is guidance, not a diagnosis. How we write our pages

The same page for dogs →

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