Can Cats Get Lyme Disease?

Lyme disease is a well-known threat to dogs and humans, but what about our feline friends? Should we take steps to prevent transmission or protect our cats when they are spending time outdoors?

While cats CAN contract Lyme disease, it’s far less common than in dogs. (PheBorrw!)

This begs the question: Should cat parents be concerned about this tick-borne illness? How significant is the danger to our furry friends? Let’s dive into the details to understand the risks and preventative measures to keep your cat safe.

What is Lyme Disease?

Let’s start at the beginning – What is Lyme Disease and why should we be concerned about the risk it poses for our cats?

Lyme Disease is a bacterial infection caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi (and, on rare occasions, Borrelia mayonii). This bacterium is transmitted to the animal (or human) through the bite of an infected tick. It then moves through the bloodstream, spreading the infection and leading to potentially serious health complications.

Cats are capable of being infected by the bacteria responsible for the disease. Luckily, our feline friends are also highly resistant to it, making the infection highly unlikely to develop and spread. Their grooming habits also help to prevent a problem from occurring. But, if you’re like me, you recognize that highly unlikely doesn’t mean it can’t happen and would rather take steps to prevent a problem just in case.

How is Lyme Disease Spread?

The bacteria responsible for Lyme Disease is carried by infected black-legged ticks (deer ticks), which are commonly found in many areas of North America. When the tick bites an animal or human, it transmits the bacteria into the bloodstream, but this transmission isn’t instantaneous.

As the infection spreads, it starts to impact different areas of the body, including the joints, kidneys, neurological system, and heart. The infected animal or person often feels the effects of this infection for the rest of their lives. In the most severe cases, Lyme Disease is fatal.

Removing the tick in the first 24-48 hours reduces the infection risk. Of course, the best way to avoid Lyme Disease is to prevent tick bites from occurring in the first place.

Symptoms of Lyme Disease in Cats

Recognizing that this disease can progress into something life-threatening, pet parents must familiarize themselves with the early signs of trouble. Identifying a problem is even more challenging in cats as they don’t show the signs as early or clearly as our canine friends.

Some of the more common early signs of Lyme Disease include:

• Stiffness or swelling in and around the joints
• Loss of appetite
• Fever
• Lethargy

As the infection spreads and progresses, other signs you may see include:

• Nausea and vomiting
• Weight loss
• Weakness
• Limping or a stiff gait when walking
• Unwillingness to jump
• Difficulty breathing

The signs of Lyme Disease don’t usually start to show until days, weeks, or even months after the initial tick bite occurs. If you have an adventure cat who has spent time in a high-risk area, like hiking, where ticks are known to be found, you must continue to be diligent over time.  

Is There a Cure for Lyme Disease in Cats?

The sooner treatment is started, the better your cat's chance of a full recovery. When you arrive at your veterinarian’s office, they will do some tests to diagnose what’s making them ill. The signs and symptoms of Lyme Disease in cats are similar to many other ailments – requiring them to rule out other options before they can treat it.

 The usual approach for treating Lyme Disease is the antibiotic doxycycline. However, unlike dogs, many cats experience trouble taking this medication. Therefore, they may choose a different antibiotic. Ensure you carry through with the full course of medication even if your cat starts feeling better to prevent flare-ups.

If the antibiotics fail to work or your cat’s infection is more severe, they may need to be hospitalized for more intensive treatment. This may include IV fluids, pain relief, kidney medication, anti-nausea medication, or other medical support to address specific complications. This is especially important if the infection has started to affect the major organs.

The biggest struggle with this bacterium is how it impacts the immune system. This sometimes allows it to hide in the body, flaring up later in life. In these cases, Lyme Disease may be an ongoing or recurring struggle requiring treatment again in the future.

Is Lyme Disease Contagious to Humans or Other Pets?

As a cat parent, it’s comforting to know that Lyme Disease is highly unlikely in our feline friends. But can they carry or transmit the disease to other family members, such as humans or dogs?

You may be relieved to learn that the disease is not contagious. While infected ticks can transmit it to other family members, it cannot be spread from pet to pet (or pet to human). However, there is a chance that your cat may bring other infected ticks into the yard or house. Ensure you are doing a thorough tick check on both your cat for any remaining ticks and on any others in the home.

Tips for Preventing Lyme Disease in Cats

Of course, the best approach to any disease, including Lyme Disease, is to prevent it before it happens. There are no guaranteed ways to avoid the infection entirely (except for keeping your cat in a sealed bubble away from any other pet or person who could be carrying a tick). There is a vaccine to protect dogs against Lyme Disease, but no such vaccine exists yet for our cats.

The following tips will help you lower the chance of trouble significantly:

Consider Tick Prevention Options

There is no vaccine to prevent Lyme Disease, but your cat can’t contract the disease without the bacteria being transmitted first. The best way to prevent this is to keep those nasty ticks away. Different tick prevention options, including conventional medication and natural solutions, are available.

Conventional tick prevention solutions like Frontline Plus for Cats are an easy and ongoing option. Frontline is a topical treatment that is applied once a month and protects against fleas, ticks, and lice all in one product.

If you prefer to avoid chemicals and opt for a more natural option, you may want to try using the Tickless Ultrasonic Tick and Flea Repellent device. This device secures onto your cat’s collar and sends ultrasonic pulses that repel the pests while imperceptible to you or your pets.

Make Yard Maintenance a Priority

Ticks prefer to spend their time in long grass and overgrown areas. This means that slipping on your yard maintenance may invite pests into your space, increasing the risk of your cat encountering an infected tick. The best way to address this is to keep up with regular maintenance, including cutting the grass and trimming the weeds along buildings and fences.

If your property runs alongside a large, unmaintained field or space, you can take steps to create a barrier to lower the chances of ticks traveling into your property. First, putting up a fence is a great solution as it stops wildlife from carrying the pests over as they wander through.

If a fence isn’t feasible, consider using diatomaceous earth to create a barrier. The small, sharp particles cut the tick as it crawls over them, absorbing oils and fats and causing the tick to dehydrate within a few hours. Plants like rosemary, lavender, and mint are also said to repel ticks. However, you will need to consider whether your cat will have access to these plants, as some are toxic.

Consider Using a Catio

If you live in a situation where keeping your property clear and tick-free is challenging, you may want to consider creating a catio as a safe space for your cat to be outdoors without the pests. This works best if the catio space is separate from the ground outdoors, either lifted off the ground or by installing a protective barrier around the lower portion to prevent ticks from entering the space.

Of course, this shouldn’t be considered a guarantee. Even the best-designed catios may welcome a tick at one time or another – it’s a risk of being outdoors. This should be paired with regular tick checks, at the very least (more on how to do that correctly below).

Choose Adventure Locations Strategically

If you have an adventure cat who enjoys hiking and exploring on leash, take the time to plan your trips strategically. Pay attention to news about high-risk locations and areas where other pet parents are encountering higher-than-usual tick populations. These areas are best avoided, especially during the heaviest tick season from March to mid-May and mid-August to November.

Pay attention to the area itself. Groomed, gravel, or paved trails offer a surface your cat can explore without climbing through long grass and vegetation. An overgrown trail will increase the chances of picking up an unwanted hitchhiker during your adventures.

Do Regular Tick Checks

Make tick checks a regular part of your daily routine. We live in a wooded area far from other homes or populated areas. This means there are a lot of ticks around the property. Knowing this, we check each of our pets or ticks daily. This ensures that if there is a tick, we can find and address it during the first 24 hours when there is a far lower chance of disease transmission.

Tick checks don’t have to be elaborate or complicated. It can often be done while your cat is snuggled into your lap for some love and affection, petting them and separating the fur while you do.

High-risk spots where ticks are most often found include:

• In or around their ears
• On the eyelids  
• Around the neck
• Under collars, harnesses, or other clothing items
• The base and underside of the tail
• Groin area
• Under the legs in the armpits
• Between their toes and paw pads

Of course, while these are the highest-risk areas, a tick could be found anywhere. We spotted one on our cat Jinx once, just on the side of her body, nowhere near any of these locations. If you find a tick, move on to the next point…

If a Tick is Found, Remove it Promptly

As mentioned, the risk of disease transmission is significantly lower if a tick is removed within 24 to 48 hours. People often fail to mention that there are correct and incorrect ways to remove a tick. Many of the most popular “tick removal hacks” that circulate online will irritate the tick, increasing the likelihood of it releasing saliva that carries the bacteria into the cat’s body.

Use tweezers or a tick removal tool like The Original Tick Key or the TickCheck Premium Tick Remover Kit to remove a tick safely. Grasp the tick as close as possible to your cat’s skin and pull it straight away from the skin with steady, even pressure.

After removing the tick, clean the area with soap and water or an alcohol-based sanitizer. Since most cats dislike water, it may be easiest to use a small alcohol wipe like the kind found in a standard first aid kit. In the coming days, monitor the bite location for signs of infection or irritation.

Final Thoughts: Cats and Lyme Disease

While it is rare for cats to suffer from Lyme Disease, we need to remain vigilant as cat parents and take preventative measures where possible. By regularly checking your cat for ticks, familiarising yourself with the signs of Lyme Disease, and creating a tick-free environment, you can significantly reduce the risk of infection.

Remember, early detection and treatment are crucial for a full recovery.

So, enjoy your outdoor adventures with peace of mind, knowing you’ve taken the necessary steps to keep your best friend safe. After all, there’s a whole world to explore, and cats make incredible travel buddies!

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