A tick

Hi All.

My girlfriend just called me. She found a tick on one of her cats. She came up with 2, not so bright ideas, on her own, and then called me.

Bright idea #1: She mixed salt with warm water and poured it over the tick. Nothing. Besides, the cat was not impressed.

Bright idea #2: She lit a match, blew it out and took the hot tip of the match and put it on the tick. Nothing. Except now the cat is burned, and is REALLY not impressed now.

I suggested that she put rubbing alcohol on a q tip and touch it to the tick to get it to release, but not now. She may have killed the darn thing with the hot match. I don't know.

If anyone has a suggestion on how to get the tick to release, please let me know.

Thanks in advance.

[Savas]

Ugh... if the cat will let her near it at this point, and isn't hiding under the bed giving her that "We'll see who's smart when YOU go to sleep tonight!" looks, you've got two choices;

One, get those flea and tick drops and place it on the cat (administered on the back area). Hopefully, that will deal with it.

I use the Vaseline trick, but it's hard on an animal because of the fur. Usually I trim the area down and then apply liberally. If you can keep the cat from licking it off (good luck!), the tick will choose NOT to suffocate and climb out. Then you can scrap the sucker off and nail it to the wall!!! (Tick Art?)

Seriously, though, the danger in using the match trick or trying to pry it off is;

A: Ticks burrow when attacked.

B: Ticks have REALLY detachable heads. They don't care to do this, as it invariably kills them...so...well...lets just say if the head detaches, NO one's happy!

The problem is the head is then stuck under the skin and infection can set in. So she should watch the area for signs of infection for the next week, and hope the tick didn't do it's impersonation of **** Cheney trying to avoid a bright idea!!!

[Savas]

Wow...I forgot that Cheney's first name is also an often censored part of the human body! How appropriate!!!

[IBKleen]

When I can stop laughing..I will call her...my stomach hurts.

Thanks so much..really. I knew I could get an answer here.

[Bertrum]

To remove the tick:   dab the tick with rubbing alcohol....this puts the tick to sleep

Then take tweezers and pull the tick out...... I just had to do this to a stray cat the other day, and he is fine. Hope this helps....

[Savas]

Well, I'll have to try that sometime. I've never heard of it. Are you sure it didn't kill it? Not that that matters, I suppose!
I always tell people if they don't behave I'll thave Cheney take them out on a hunting trip... :)

[ksanden]

who is cheney? lol