Dog Flea vs Cat Flea

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Dog Flea Cat Flea
Scientific Name Ctenocephalides canis Ctenocephalides felis
Order Siphonaptera Siphonaptera
Family Pulicidae Pulicidae
Size 2-3.5 mm 1.5-3 mm
Habitat Underground Underground
Diet Blood Feeders Blood Feeders
Regions Europe, Asia, Africa, North America Worldwide
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Dog Flea

A flea historically associated with domestic dogs but actually less common on dogs than the cat flea. Distinguished by its more rounded head profile.

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Did You Know?

Despite being called the dog flea, this species is often outnumbered on dogs by cat fleas at a ratio of ten to one.

Cat Flea

The most common flea on both cats and dogs worldwide. Can jump up to 150 times its body length. A single female can produce up to 2,000 eggs in her lifetime.

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Did You Know?

Fleas can jump 150 times their body length — equivalent to a human leaping over a 75-story building. They achieve this using a pad of elastic protein called resilin.