Lyme disease is a bacterial infection caused by a corkscrew-shaped bacterium called Borrelia burgdorferi. The disease is primarily carried by the Ixodes species of ticks, which are typically found in wooded and grassy areas. Lyme disease can affect humans, cats, dogs, and other animals.
How Do Cats Get Lyme Disease?
Outdoor cats that spend a significant amount of time outside are most at risk of contracting Lyme disease due to their exposure to ticks. These ticks are parasitic by nature and hide in bushes and tall grass, waiting for an opportunity to latch onto a host. Once they find a host, they crawl to the cat’s skin and use their specialized mouthparts to extract blood. The ticks feed until they are engorged, at which point they fall off and return to the grass, waiting for the next feeding opportunity. If the tick is carrying the *Borrelia burgdorferi* bacteria, the cat will likely contract the disease before the tick falls off. Cats that are not protected with flea and tick medications are at greater risk, as they will be bitten repeatedly, increasing their chances of exposure to infected ticks.
How Frequently Does It Occur?
Many people believe that Lyme disease is overexaggerated in the United States, while others argue that most cases are underreported. Between 1980 and 2008, approximately 308,000 human cases were documented. However, there is no solid data on the prevalence of the disease in cats. Additionally, some cats are misdiagnosed due to symptoms that overlap with those of other medical conditions. Lyme disease cases are most concentrated in the Northeast United States, as the tick that typically carries the disease, *Ixodes scapularis*, is prevalent in this region.
Symptoms of Lyme Disease
Symptoms of Lyme disease typically appear one to two weeks after a tick bite, though in some cases, they may not show up until a month later. Common symptoms include fever, flu-like symptoms, rash, heart inflammation, nerve inflammation, painful or stiff muscles and joints, fatigue, loss of appetite, and even sudden collapse. Some cats have been reported to act “zombie-like” after contracting the disease, walking around as if they are in a daze.
In some cases, cats may become permanently lame, having difficulty walking or being unable to walk at all. If your cat experiences any mobility issues, it is essential to take them to the vet immediately for evaluation. A blood test can confirm whether Lyme disease is the cause.
Treatment
If you suspect that your cat has Lyme disease, take them to the vet for diagnosis and treatment. Be sure to inform the vet that your cat has been bitten by a tick and is frequently exposed to the outdoors. Lyme disease is typically treated with antibiotics such as amoxicillin, tetracycline, or doxycycline, all of which can be prescribed by your veterinarian.
How to Prevent Your Cat From Getting Infected
Ticks don’t begin transmitting Lyme disease to their host until about 10 to 12 hours after attaching. Therefore, it is crucial to check your cat thoroughly when it comes inside after spending time outdoors in tall grass or wooded areas. A careful inspection may reveal a tick (or multiple ticks), which should be promptly removed with tweezers. Ticks are similar to other bugs and don’t jump like fleas, so once you remove a tick, place it in a napkin and either crush it or kill it with bug spray. When removing a tick from your cat’s skin, use a twisting motion to avoid leaving behind the tick’s mouthparts, which could cause an abscess or rash. Experts do not recommend using alcohol or petroleum jelly to loosen a tick, as these can cause the tick to regurgitate and release bacteria-containing saliva into the open wound.
Don’t simply discard the tick in the trash, as it may crawl out and reattach to your cat. Remember that ticks can also bite and transmit the disease to humans.
There are several effective but sometimes expensive products available that protect your cat by making their skin toxic to ticks. For example, a product like Revolution can be applied to your cat’s neck, where it is absorbed into the skin. If a tick attaches while your cat is outside, it will typically die before it has the chance to transmit Lyme disease.
Want another simple way to prevent Lyme disease? Keep your cat indoors! Outdoor cats tend to have shorter lifespans due to medical complications caused by exposure to other animals and environmental hazards. If you value your cat’s health, it’s best to keep them indoors, away from ticks, fleas, and wild animals. If your cat loves being outside and you don’t want to deprive them of that experience, consider supervising them while outside to ensure they don’t wander into tall grass or wooded areas.
