Cat flea

Definition

A small, laterally compressed flea species, Ctenocephalides felis (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae), whose principal host is the domestic cat but which infests dogs, wild canids and felids, and occasionally humans. Despite its common name, it is the predominant flea species recovered from dogs in many regions, outcompeting the morphologically similar dog flea, Ctenocephalides canis. Adults are hematophagous ectoparasites; larvae feed on organic debris in host bedding. The species is a vector of Bartonella henselae (cat-scratch disease), Dipylidium caninum tapeworms, and Rickettsia felis. Native to Africa, it has achieved cosmopolitan distribution through human-mediated dispersal of domestic cats.

Etymology

Common name derives from its association with Felis catus; specific epithet felis reflects this host relationship.

Example

In veterinary practice, 'cat flea' and 'dog flea' are distinguished microscopically by the length of the first genal comb spine: in Ctenocephalides felis it is shorter than the second, whereas in C. canis the first spine is longer.

Synonyms

• Ctenocephalides felis

Related Terms

• dog flea
• Ctenocephalides canis
• Siphonaptera
• Ectoparasite
• Vector
• pulicosis
• flea allergy dermatitis

Usage Notes

The common name is misleading in practice: surveys typically find C. felis more frequently on dogs than C. canis, especially in North America and Europe. Morphological identification requires slide-mounting and microscopic examination of head and genal comb characters; molecular methods (COI barcoding) are increasingly used. In ecological and epidemiological literature, 'cat flea' specifically denotes C. felis, whereas 'flea' alone may refer to any of ~2,500 siphonapteran species.