Have some tweezers to hand before starting. Should you spot a tick on your cat’s body, avoid the temptation of simply trying to pull it out. All you will get is the body, while the head and jaws remain buried in the cat. The remaining parts can cause irritation and inflammation.
The most effective way to remove a tick is to dab it with alcohol or fingernail polish. This will not harm your cat and will kill the tick. Then pull it out of your cat’s body with tweezers. Place the tweezers as close as you can to the skin, so that the head is removed.
My experience tells me that you have to be quite vigourous when you pull out the tick as they hold on fast. When ticks have not eaten they are flat and not that easy to recognise. When engorged they are as shown in the picture and more recognisable. Your cat and yourself can collect ticks on the skin when walking in tall grass.
I know of a Maine Coon who became seriously ill because of a tick. They can be dangerous.
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Be very careful about squeezing, the tick will vomit and spread any diseases it is carrying. I use my fingernails to grab close as most tweezers are too close together.
You can also purchase a tick removal kit with a tool to slide between tick and skin that will encourage the tick to let go. Works very well for larger ticks.