As a pet owner, have you ever wondered whether your dog’s fleas could out jump your cat’s fleas?
No? Not at all? Well, it seems this question has only burdened a select few. In fact, it has bugged some to such an extent, that a study was done on the subject. Hard to imagine that someone was paid to measure how far a flea jumps.
However, despite the oddness of someone dedicating their day to watching fleas jump, the study does resolve certain questions.
Firstly, for those who are constantly debating which is the better pet, a cat or dog, you can now add fleas to the mix. Why not? If you are going to compare the two animals, you might as well compare which one’s fleas are potential long jump champions.
Secondly, if one of your friends wants to bring their pets near your beloved furry children, you can estimate the distance in which you must keep the two apart. Why must their flea infested pet pass on its fleas to your beloved babies?
So, which jumps furthest? Will the agile cat’s fleas leap to greatness? Or will the powerful dog’s fleas dominate the contest?
According to a study on fleascience.com, on average a flea from a cat can cover 20 centimetres in a single jump. Apparently, the furthest leap was 48cm and the shortest jump was a mere two centimetres. This is impressive to say the least, considering how tiny a flea is.
However, a dog flea can jump slightly further. The study claims a flea from a dog can leap an average of 30.4 centimetres. The maximum distance is 50 centimetres. Impressed? If not, you should be.
For all those dog lovers, the next time your cat loving friend’s feline walks past, let him know that your dog’s fleas can out jump his cat’s fleas anytime of the day.
“Random knowledge proves valuable during 90% of first encounter meetings” – Mr G. Raffe
