Everyone watches for ticks in April. Almost nobody watches for them in September. That is a mistake, because late summer is the second annual peak, and it is often more intense than the spring one. Humidity returns, temperatures stay mild, and the nymphs that spent the summer fasting go back on the hunt.
So if I go outside, or even if I only use the balcony while the household dog comes back from the park, we need to talk. Removing a tick is not difficult, but there is one right way and about five wrong ones.
How a tick gets onto me
It does not jump and it does not drop out of trees, whatever you have heard. It climbs to the top of a grass stem, 20 to 50 cm off the ground, and waits with its front legs outstretched. This is called questing. It detects carbon dioxide, warmth and vibration, and hooks on as I pass.
It then wanders over me for anywhere from one to several hours before attaching, looking for thin, sparsely furred skin. That delay is exactly why a daily check works so well: a tick spotted before it attaches comes off with one pass of a comb.
Where to look first: around and inside the ears, under the chin and throat, the eyelids, between the toes and pads, the armpits, the groin and the base of the tail.
The only correct way to remove a tick
You need a tick hook, not tweezers. It is a small plastic tool that costs a few pounds and completely changes the outcome. I use a Tick Twister style tick hook: two sizes, one for tiny nymphs and one for adults, and it is made in France.
- Pick the right size, the one where the tick sits in the slot without being pinched.
- Slide the hook in sideways, letting it glide along the skin until the tick is caught in the notch. Do not lift.
- Rotate, either direction, it makes no difference. Two or three turns.
- The tick releases itself, whole, with no pulling.
- Disinfect the bite site afterwards, never before, using a gentle solution on a sterile gauze pad.
- Write down the date. You will want it if a symptom appears three weeks later.
Rotation is the whole trick: a tick’s mouthparts are covered in backward facing barbs. Pulling drives them in and snaps the head off. Turning unscrews them.
What if the head stays in?
It happens, especially after an attempt with tweezers. It is not a disaster. The remaining mouthparts cause a local reaction, like a splinter: a small red bump that takes one to two weeks to settle.
Disinfect, and above all do not dig with a needle, which only worsens the inflammation and the abscess risk. Watch it. If the area swells, feels hot, weeps or stays painful beyond a few days, go to the vet.
What to do with the tick afterwards
Do not crush it between your fingers: its contents are the problem. Fold it into a piece of sticky tape, or keep it in a sealed pot for a few weeks in case symptoms appear. Wash your hands afterwards.
The three weeks that follow
Tick borne disease is considerably rarer in cats than in dogs, but it exists. Watch for about three weeks and see a vet if you notice:
- Unusual lethargy, a cat sleeping more and no longer playing.
- Persistent loss of appetite.
- Fever, pale gums, very dark urine.
- Lameness that shifts from leg to leg day to day.
- Marked swelling or an abscess at the bite site.
Prevention: what works, what does not
The daily check, measure number one
It costs nothing and beats any product. Five minutes in the evening, flat hands over the whole body, concentrating on the thin skinned areas. A tick removed in the first few hours has not had time to transmit anything.
A fine grooming comb run through after the stroke catches the tiny nymphs your hand will never feel. It also works against fleas, which peak at exactly the same time of year.
Diatomaceous earth in the environment
Food grade, uncalcined diatomaceous earth works mechanically by damaging the parasite cuticle. Its place is in the environment: bedding, rugs, skirting gaps, wherever larvae develop. Leave for a few hours and vacuum.
Natural repellents
A natural repellent spray formulated for cats reduces attractiveness for a few hours. It is a top-up before a walk in a high risk area, never protection in its own right. Always check the label says for cats.
What does not work, or is downright dangerous
- Garlic. Useless against ticks and toxic to cats: it destroys red blood cells. Avoid entirely.
- Neat essential oils on the coat or in a diffuser. Tea tree, eucalyptus, pine, mint and citrus are toxic to cats, whose livers lack the enzyme needed to clear them.
- Collars sold for dogs. Many contain permethrin, which is lethal to cats even by contact with a treated dog.
- Brewer’s yeast alone. Good for the coat, no demonstrated effect on ticks.
Reducing ticks around the house
Ticks live in damp shade at ground level. A few garden habits cut the pressure noticeably:
- Mow regularly and strim the long grass along the edges.
- Clear leaf litter and stacked wood, which are humidity reservoirs.
- Keep a dry strip of gravel or wood chip between woodland and the living area.
- Prune to let sunlight through: ticks hate dry and bright.
The real September routine
Three things, and the problem is solved nine times out of ten: a tick hook in the hall drawer, a check every evening during the stroke, and a note of the dates you remove one.
Everything else is a bonus. And if you want to cover fleas too, which explode at exactly the same moment, I have a dedicated guide for that.
Purrs, Sachat 🐾
Related reading
- Natural Flea Treatment for Cats: 2026 Reviews
- Natural Cat Dewormer: Full Guide & Top Products
- How to Clean Your Cat’s Ears: The Safe Method
- Natural Cat Health: The Complete Guide
- Fleas in Summer: Protect Your Cat Naturally
Frequently asked questions
How do I remove a tick from a cat without leaving the head in?
Use a tick hook, never tweezers. Slide the hook in sideways until the tick sits in the notch, then rotate two or three turns without pulling: it releases whole. The mouthparts are covered in backward facing barbs, so pulling anchors them while rotating unscrews them.
Should I put alcohol or oil on a tick before removing it?
No, never. Ether, alcohol, oil, nail varnish or a flame make the tick regurgitate into the wound, and regurgitation is exactly how infectious agents are transmitted. Disinfect after removal, not before.
What if the tick’s head is left in the skin?
Disinfect and leave it alone. The remaining mouthparts cause a splinter-like local reaction that resolves in one to two weeks. Do not dig with a needle. See a vet if the area swells, feels hot, weeps or stays painful for several days.
What are the symptoms of tick borne disease in cats?
Unusual lethargy, lasting loss of appetite, fever, pale gums, very dark urine or lameness that shifts from leg to leg. They generally appear within three weeks of the bite, which is why noting the removal date matters.
Can I use essential oils against ticks on my cat?
No. Tea tree, eucalyptus, pine, mint and citrus are toxic to cats, whose livers lack the enzyme to clear them, whether applied to the coat or diffused. Garlic should also be avoided: it is ineffective and destroys red blood cells.
When are ticks most active?
There are two peaks a year: one in spring and one from late August to October, often the more intense of the two. Returning humidity and still mild temperatures reactivate nymphs that fasted through the summer, so September calls for the most vigilance.