Cat Flea (fragments)

Indoor environments, carpets, bedding, and on the bodies of mammalian hosts like cats, dogs, and humans.

Obligate hematophagy; adults feed on the blood of mammals and birds, while larvae consume 'flea dirt' (dried blood excreted by adults).

Fleas are wingless, laterally compressed jumpers that use specialized hind legs to leap onto hosts. They undergo complete metamorphosis: egg, larva, pupa, and adult.

Risks include physical irritation, allergic dermatitis, and transmission of pathogens such as tapeworms or Bartonella. They offer no significant ecosystem benefits in human habitats.