Help! Ticks and related nasty bugs...?!

Help! Ticks and related nasty bugs...?

I was laying near our balcony door with my pet ferret, enjoying the fresh air with just the screen door closed. When I got up, I felt something itchy on my arm and scratched off a bug which I believe to be a tick. It freaked me out. I'm still freaking out...and my arm feels tingly.
So anyways, my question(s):

If I found one tick in my home, what do you think the chances are that there's more?

What's a good way to check my ferrets and cats fur for ticks?

Is there a good non-harmful/herbal formula for repelling ticks (something I can use with pets and babies in the home)?

Thank you. I'm trying to calm down now. *deep breaths*

If you found one tick, he probably came in on the cat, or on one of your shoes. Ticks are outside, usually in areas with tall grass. Tie a white rag to a stick... and drag that rag all over your yard. If you find even one single tick on that rag, then you probably have a pretty big tick population in your yard. Best to mow and consider using a pesticide or insecticide (just be very cautious when using these products on places where pets roam- I don't know of any true "safe" formulas).

As for a good way to check the pets... you just have to part the fur and look. You can usually find them just from every day petting, or you'll notice a raised bump under the fur... always check.

At any rate, it was probably just a lone tick. You might not see another for months or years. They don't infest houses the way fleas do, so unless you start seeing them daily or weekly, I wouldn't worry too much about it.