Cat Health & Care

Flies and Bluebottles

Cat Care > Cat Parasites > External Parasites > Flies and Bluebottles

Common blowflies or bluebottles are attracted to rotting organic matter and also to wounds and sores on a living animal. If a wound on a cat is left untreated or is not noticed, and the animal is weak and ill, these flies may lay their eggs in the sore. These soon hatch into larvae or maggots that feed on the flesh, and this situation is commonly called 'fly strike'.

It may occasionally be a problem in an elderly or debilitated cat or one that is a stray. The animal should be taken to a veterinary surgeon so that the wound can be cleansed and treated, and the cat is likely to need antibiotics and other medication, depending upon its condition. If left untreated, this condition is potentially very serious as some cats may pass into shock as a result of toxins produced by the maggots passing into the bloodstream.

In other countries of the world, cats are affected by different external and internal parasites, some of which can transmit unpleasant illnesses. In the UK, cats can be affected by the ringworm fungus that produces similar skin lesions to those of external parasites and is also highly contagious to man.