
Community identification
Cat flea
Ctenocephalides felis
- Order & Family
- Order Siphonaptera, Family Pulicidae
- Size
- 1 to 3 millimeters in length
Natural Habitat
Found indoors on pets, in carpets, bedding, and dark humid crevices.
Diet & Feeding
Adults feed exclusively on the blood of mammals and birds.
Behavior Patterns
Flightless parasites utilizing powerful hind legs for jumping onto hosts to feed.
Risks & Benefits
Bites cause severe itching and allergic dermatitis; vectors for tapeworms and pathogens.