What are the small black dots in my cat's fur? Are they fleas?

Hello, thank you for using PetCoach. This looks like flea dirt. If you put "cat flea dirt" into a Google search you will see many photos that resemble this. I suggest you get her a GOOD flea prevention and treat your house and/or yard for fleas. You can bathe her if she will let you with Dawn dish soap. Use the dish soap sparingly as it is very concentrated. Be sure to rinse it off thoroughly. You should only need to bathe her once. Bathe her either 24 hour before OR after applying the topical flea medication. If you can't bathe her, don't worry too much about it. Once the medication kicks in and you treat the environment her clinical signs will resolve. I have linked some products for you below: ( https://worldtails.securevetsource.com/itemView/view/223965_HomeDelivery.pml?productId=120766 ) ( https://www.amazon.com/Virbac-Knockout-Treatment-Spray-16-Ounce/dp/B00AT6FY6A/ ) ( https://www.amazon.com/Black-Flag-Killer-Concentrate-Treatment/dp/B071XPK8M8/ ) Be sure to continue to use a topical flea prevention on her EVERY MONTH. Watch her poop closely in the coming months as often cats will get tapeworms from ingesting fleas. If you see any worms (look like grains of rice) on her poop or around her anus you should take her to your vet to get a dewormer. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

It definitely looks like flea dirt. If you search through the coat quickly, you may see them scampering around. You can also try using a flea comb to find them. The article below has some good tips for finding them and treating for fleas. https://www.petcoach.co/article/5-tips-to-get-rid-of-fleas/ I hope that helps and all is well with Yuki.

Hello, my name is Dr. Shines and I am happy to help. I agree that does look suspicious for flea dirt. It could also just be environmental debris or sometimes the skin will produce dark pigmentation from general irritation. First test it to see if this is flea dirt. Collect a few of those dark colored flakes on a clean white paper towel and apply a few drops of hydrogen peroxide. Then gently rub it around. If the towel turns reddish or rusty colored, it's flea feces (flea dirt). If it is, switch products. I recommend Revolution or Cheristan. If you must use something OTC, stick with name brand Frontline or Advantage. This could also be miliary dermatitis. Here's a link about the condition: https://www.petcoach.co/article/feline-miliary-dermatitis-in-cats/ If Hugo is licking more than normal, it could be causing the lesions to get worse. Plus it means they bother him. I recommend to make an appointment to have him examined. In the mean time, prevention the licking by having Hugo wear an elizabethan collar at all times. Start Hugo on an omega fatty acid. I like one called Welactin. You might also consider changing his diet to one that is good for over-all skin health. The two brands I recommend are Royal Canin and Nutro. Note it will take about 6 weeks for the supplement/diet to fully kick in. I hope this helps and please feel free to reach out any time.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! From your pictures the black squiggly thing looks like "flea dirt" or flea poop. When you wet it on a white paper towel it melts to blood. They usually don't move though unless you had a flea. I would start a good flea preventative like Comfortis, Bravecto or the Seresto collar. I hope this helps and I wish you and Livvy the best!

I can see where this is frustrating. It is possible that you had flea dirt on your bed. If flea dirt gets wet it can cause red color. I am not 100% sure but I would make sure you do not have bed bugs or anything else like that. I have seen clients bring in there pets for bugs and it is actually a bed bug problem (there pet did not actually have bugs). However like I said fleas could be a cause too. I would recommend taking D'd to the vet for a good check up and applying flea prevention every 30 days.

It sounds like your cat may have a flea allergy. Flea dirt (small black specks) are often found in the skin and this is accompanied by constant scratching/licking and hair loss. The skin is also susceptible to getting secondary bacterial infections. Your cat needs to first be examined to confirm a flea allergy is likely present, then he/she needs to get a steroid shot to stop the itch quickly. The more your pet scratches the worse it will get. If your pet doesn't have fleas then another possible cause of hair loss and black specks is a mite infestation on the skin with lots of loose scans; although this is not nearly as common as fleas. Both require a vet visit to get any type of resolution. I hope your kitty gets well soon!

Hi, thank you for using PetCoach. Those black dots are blackheads (clogged pores). It is not typically a serious problem. It is not related to a flea problem. Feline blackheads often result when cats don't groom themselves properly but it could also be from overactive oil glands or certain yeast or bacterial infections. Stress and food allergies can also contribute to this issue. You can try these medicated wipes on the affected area once a day. If after about 7-10 days there is not much improvement then you should have Dino examined by your vet. ( https://www.amazon.sg/Douxo-30-Count-Chlorhexidine-Pads/dp/B00G3D8JL0 ) Hope this helps. Best wishes!