[Interhost migration behaviour of Ctenocephalides felis on cats and in their resting sites]

The cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis, maintains its life cycle indoors feeding on pets. However, it must be emphasized that only about 1-5% of the flea population is on their hosts, the remaining 95-99% (eggs, larvae and pupae) are spread around the habitat. The eggs and dried blood feces fall from the coat of the animal on its sleeping, resting or feeding sites. In the first study, 100 pupae of the cat flea were applied on the resting sites of 6 cats' (3 female, 3 male), each in a separate box. Five days later all 6 cats were examined for adult fleas. From the 600 applied pupae a total of 326 adult fleas (Ø: 54 fleas per cat) were found in the haircoat of the animals. Male cats showed a remarkable higher flea infestation than females. In the second study, 6 cats kept in separate boxes were infested each with 100 cat fleas. After being infested, every cat was brought together with a flea negative fellow cat. On 3 courses, 3, 6 and 9 days post infestationem, all 12 animals were inspected for adult fleas on their skin and in their haircoat. On the primarily flea infested cats a mean of 43 fleas was found. The initially flea negative cats showed a mean flea count of 2. In almost the same manner like in the first study the male cats exhibited a much higher tendency for flea infestation. The likelihood of establishing new infestations by adult fleas being transferred from one host to another exists, but is very uncommon. However, visitations to environments capable of supporting immature stages (pupae) of fleas seem a more important source of flea infestations.