Cat Flea

Found globally; common in homes with pets, specifically in carpets, bedding, and floor cracks where pets rest.

Adults are obligate blood-feeders on mammals (cats, dogs, humans); larvae feed on organic debris and 'flea dirt' (dried adult blood excretion).

Wingless, laterally flattened insects that are expert jumpers. They undergo complete metamorphosis; a single female can lay up to 50 eggs per day on a host's fur.

Risks include painful, itchy bites, allergic dermatitis, and transmission of pathogens like tapeworms (Dipylidium caninum) or murine typhus. They offer no significant ecosystem benefits in residential environments.