AN INVESTIGATION ON THE INFLUENCE OF FELINE FLEA ALLERGY ON THE FECUNDITY OF THE CAT FLEA

Survival, egg production and egg viability of fleas allowed to feed on eight flea-allergic and six flea-naive cats were compared. Fifty flea s, in feeding cages or free roaming, were allowed to feed on the cats. Flea-allergic cats removed significantly more free-roaming fleas than did flea-naive cats. Female fleas produced fewer eggs on flea-allergi c cats than on flea-naive cats regardless of feeding method. There was no significant difference in egg viability between the two groups. Th e data suggest that flea-allergic cats efficiently removed fleas by gr ooming and that they also produce unknown factor(s) that affect the fe cundity of fleas.