Tick species vary in size from as small as a speck of pepper to as large as a dime. They come in many shades of brown, gray, black and tan. They have a round, oval or tear-drop shaped body, eight legs and a small head with two mandibles for feeding and holding tightly. Remove them as close to the head as you can. Use a tweezers if possible. When removed, make sure the head is attached to the body. If the head stays in your cat the area can become irritated or even infected. Crush the tick until it pops or burn it until it's a crispy critter (gross I know). Cats are usually very good at removing ticks but have difficulty with very small species or any attached around their head, face, ears and neck. If it's a big concern where you live, apply feline-only tick and flea prevention like Advantage, Revolution, or Frontline. Also get an internal parasite medication from your vet, like Drontel or Pyrantal. Cats can become anemic and weak if they are infested with a lot of parasites, like fleas, ticks, worms and mites. Cats with many parasites have a weakened immune system and are more susceptible to diseases. This can even lead to death in severe cases.
