First bloodmeal of Ctenocephalides felis felis (Siphonaptera : Pulicidae) on cats: Time to initiation and duration of feeding

Three experiments were conducted on cats to evaluate precocity and duration of the first blood meal of Ctenocephalides felis felis (Bouche). Percentag e of engorged fleas was calculated for fleas held on cats for 5, 15, 30. an d 60 min. Duration of first blood meal was also measured for individual fle as confined on cats. When fleas are free in the hair coat, 24.9% are engorg ed after 5 min and 97.2% are engorged after 1 h. Fleas confined to a vial o n the cats fed significantly sooner; 60% of females were engorged within 5 min. The mean delay between deposition and biting for fleas, which began fe eding within 15 min, was 24 s +/- 31 s for females and 23 s +/- 44 s for ma les. The mean duration of meals was 25 +/- 18 min for females and 11 +/- 8 min for males.