Thebest Flea Treatments For Cats
Weve curated a range of well-established brands which have worked tirelessly to bring you only the best cat flea treatments on the market. These veterinary experts include Bravecto, Frontline Plus and Seresto Cat Flea Collar. Each of these flea and tick heroes will provide you with a solution and help keep your home free of parasites.
Dogs Vs Cats Flea Drops
You may have had incidences where your vet recommended the same medication for your cat and dog. However, that principle does not apply to flea drops. Do not choose a flea intended for dogs as it may contain certain harmful, even deadly ingredients on your cat. Stick to flea drops specifically made for cats.
The 5 Best Flea Treatments For Cats
Fleas are extremely common in cats and are quite often the cause for further skin problems that may affect your cat so it is very important to treat them as soon as you notice it. Luckily there are a wide range of treatments you can try and we will give you the low down on the 5 best flea treatments for cats by looking at cost, ease of administration and effectiveness with a rating out of 10 for each to help you decide on the best method for you and your cat.
Also Check: Wilderness Cat Food Reviews
Best Topical Flea Treatment For Cats: How To Stay Flea
ByJessica Brownpublished 8 December 21
We pick the best topical flea treatment for cats to keep in mind should your cat start scratching
Included in this guide:
Spot On Flea & Tick Treatment for Cats
Plus Spot On Cat Flea Treatment
Choosing the best topical flea treatment for cats is arguably the best way to keep your kitty free from parasites. Most formulas offer protection for around 30 days, so are ideal for monthly treatments. But with the numerous brands offering a variety of products, it’s understandable if you were confused as to which one to pick. With this in mind, lets take a closer look at what flea treatment for cats entails.
Fleas aren’t just biting nuisances they can cause other issues, such as anemia and skin problems. The best flea treatments for cats will ideally address these too. From collars and shampoos, to sprays and spot-on treatments, each have their benefits and downsides.
If your cat doesn’t mind or at least will tolerate the prospect of a small amount of liquid being applied to the back of their neck, then topicals might be an ideal choice, as they offer full-body coverage. They’re easy to use and apply just like the best flea treatments for dogs and most of them come with a six-month supply.
With the wide amount of products offering flea treatment for cats currently out there, we’ve put together a guide to the best ones out there. Hopefully this will make things easier for you when you’re making your mind…
Comb Your Pet To Check For Fleas
If you’re in any doubt about whether your pet has fleas, a good way to check is to groom your pet using a fine-toothed comb held over a white surface, such as a piece of kitchen paper. Any fleas or flea droppings will be deposited on the surface. Add a few drops of water, and if the droppings turn reddish-brown it¿s very likely your pet has fleas.
If you’re still unsure if your pet has fleas or want to know what product to use, speak to your vet for the best advice.
You May Like: Normal Heart Rate For Cats
How Can I Kill Fleas On My Cat
Several factors must be considered before deciding which type of flea treatment for cats will work best in a given situation, including effectiveness, safety, cost, potential side effects, and formulation.
The most effective flea control products will contain an adulticide or an insect growth regulator that sterilizes flea eggs and prevents the immature fleas from growing up and reproducing.
What To Look For In A Flea Treatment
Ive shared a variety of of flea treatments with you, and as youve seen there is a wide choice. While some contain insecticides, others only use natural ingredients.
However, if your cat is already infected you need a fast acting solution. This is because of the speed at which fleas develop.
A female can lay up to 50 eggs a day, and can soon infest not only your cat but bedding as well. While spot on treatments are easy to apply, tablets can be notoriously hard to administer.
Spot on applications containing fipronil and methoprene are fast acting with results seen within days. Although highly effective in killing fleas, they are also toxic with potential side effects.
Natural alternatives are kinder to your cat and many cat parents find they work well in eliminating fleas. Of course, not all brands are the same, and what works well for one may not for another.
If you want continuous protection you could consider a flea collar for your cat. These can work very well at repelling pesky fleas and ticks
Recommended Reading: 12 Years Old In Cat Years
Cons To Using Flea Drops
With everything good, something bad is also waiting.
Can Oral Treatments Eliminate The Flea Population In The House
Tablets provide instant relief for your cat, but they cannot kill off the fleas hiding in your home. When your kitty moves around the house, fleas nearby your cat will die, but unless you treat your feline like a duster or floor mop and move your cat along every surface in your home, the flea colony will remain and continue to propagate. Flea eggs and larvae can hide in fabric, carpet, crown molding, bedding, and practically any surface inside or outside your home.
Although several commercial pesticides are available, we suggest calling a professional pest control company if the infestation is severe. Commercial products are cheaper than professional treatments, but theyre also less effective and more hazardous to cats and children. Most pest control operations offer pet-safe treatments that do not leave sticky, toxic residue on your furniture and carpets.
In some homes, the infestation may be limited to the interior, but youll also need to treat the outside if your pets play outside. If you use pest control technicians to eliminate the fleas inside and around your property and give monthly tablets to your cat, you can eliminate the pests and keep your pets and family safe.
Read Also: Blue Buffalo Wilderness Chicken Grain-free Canned Cat Food
Finding The Right Treatment
With so many different flea treatments available on the market, finding the right one can be tricky. We have put together this list of some of the best and most effective flea treatments for dogs and cats to get you started, but discovering which works best for you and your pets may require some trial and error.
How To Tell If Your Cat Has Fleas
As fleas are so small and fast moving it can be difficult to tell if your cat has fleas or if there is another issue that is causing the symptoms you are seeing.
With this in mind, you could have a problem with fleas even if you havent actually seen a flea, here are some of the classic signs to look out for in your cat:
If you have seen some of the above signs, try to take a close look at your cats fur to see if you can spot the small bugs bouncing around.
Sitting your cat on a white sheet can make it easier to spot any fleas or flea dirt that might dislodge while you are looking.
A flea comb can be used to help you look closely at your cats fur and can actually catch fleas and eggs .
Fleas tend to like hiding at the back of the neck, inside of the legs and at the base of the tail so these are hotspots worth investigating if you have suspicions that fleas are bothering your kitty.
Read Also: Is Blue Buffalo Wilderness Good For Cats
Cat And Kitten Flea Treatment Combs
This is not an effective method of flea control, and is not preventative. But combs can be useful if you suspect your cat may have fleas, as you can only see them if your pet has lots. Use one of these fine-toothed combs on your cat over a clean white surface. If no fleas can be seen but you spot any small black specs, place these on damp cotton wool if it is flea faeces, it will dissolve to leave red-brown marks, meaning its likely your cat has fleas.
Advantage Ii For Dogs And Cats
This topical treatment uses pesticides to kill and repel a variety of pests including fleas. It is known for being incredibly fast-acting as it kills all adult fleas within 12 hours of the first application. However, some animals find that the solution irritates their skin. It comes in a selection of formulas which are based on weight.
Recommended Reading: Blue Buffalo Fit And Healthy Cat Food
Best Flea Treatments For Dogs And Cats
As pet owners you will know that unfortunately, fleas are an extremely common and annoying occurrence and it is important to treat your dogs and cats for worms and fleas on a regular basis. However, with 95% of flea and egg larvae living in your environment rather than on your pet, it is equally if not more important to treat your home too, otherwise the infestation will return time and time again.
Efficacy Issues In Products
It is important to keep in mind that efficacy issues can occur when attempting to treat a flea infestation. Killing the adult fleas is easy, but eliminating the larvae, eggs, and breaking the life cycle can be challenging.
Fleas can be resistant to some more widely used products, so it is not unusual to run into a product that simply does not work for your cat. Other times, you may notice a product does not work for the length of time advertised. For example, a once per month medication may only keep the fleas away for two weeks.
It is very important to discuss flea treatment and prevention directly with your cats veterinarian so that they can give you the best option in tackling this pesky problem.
Don’t Miss: How Many Calories For Cat
How To Remove A Tick
Tick bites can carry diseases, so it’s important to remove them straight away. When removing a tick, make sure not you don’t squeeze the tick’s body or leave the head in. If you squeeze its body or leave the head in, this can push blood back into your pet, which will increase the chance of them getting a disease.
Discontinued Products We Intended To Review
Although we tried to find 10 excellent oral flea treatments to review, we discovered that several brands are now discontinued and unavailable online. There are numerous oral treatments available if you have dogs, but many brands, like Bravecto, only offer topical treatments for cats. Some of the oral treatments that are now discontinued include:
- SENTRY Capguard Oral Flea Control Medication
- Dog & Cat MD QuickTabs Nitenpyram Flea Pills for Cats
- Program Flea Control Green
- Capstar 004CG-61011 Fast-Acting Oral Flea Treatment
In August 2021, the FDA published a list of tablet and topical flea treatments that could cause adverse reactions to cats and dogs with neurological issues. As we mentioned before, our number 3 pick, Credelio, uses a chemical that could potentially cause tremors and seizures in rare cases. Isoxazoline class drugs are used in multiple tablet and topical products, and the FDA claims that theyre generally safe to use on cats and dogs. If your kitty is healthy and free of neurological ailments, its less likely to react to an isoxazoline product.
Read Also: How Many Calories Cat
Revolution Plus Topical Solution For Cats Best Flea And Tick Treatment For Cats
If you want to be sure that youve killed every last little biter on your cat, youll need to call in the big guns, and they dont come more powerful than Revolution Plus. It will start knocking off fleas in as little as 4 hours.
A quick caveat: Revolution Plus is our top pick because its incredibly versatile. Its primary ingredient, Selamectin, kills fleas, ticks, ear mites, and various worms . Its basically a one-stop shop for parasite management, which is why we believe that its the best overall flea treatment for cats.
Theres one big thing that it doesnt do, however: kill flea eggs and larvae. As a result, you may see a huge difference in the flea population the first few days after application, only to see a few more pop up a little while later.
Thats normal, and nothing to worry about those fleas will die off before they can lay eggs, and the life cycle will be snuffed out. Still, it can be disconcerting to see a flare-up after youve applied a treatment.
Revolution Plus also requires a prescription, which is a bit of a hassle . Its easy to apply and only needs to be put on once a month, giving you hassle-free protection.
- Doesnt kill eggs or larvae
Hide It In A Pill Pocket
Pill pockets are small treats designed to hold edible medication for your cat. It fools cats into thinking theyre only eating treats, but you may have to cut the pill in half and place the pieces in two pill pockets. Some of the larger tablets are too massive to fit snugly in a standard pill pocket. If you prepare homemade treats for your cat, you can try the same technique.
Don’t Miss: Why Is My Cat’s Foot Swollen
The Fleas On Your Cats Body Are Just A Symptom Of A Larger Infestation
When you treat your cat for fleas, you need to treat your home and outdoor surroundings as well.
Remember that fleas lay their eggs in crevices and corners throughout the house. These eggs and the larvae that hatch from them may lurk in your bedding, around cushions, deep in the carpeting, and in curtains. Theyll be particularly prominent in your cats beds, trees, and in any cat-specific living areas.
Heres a helpful video sharing advice for those who need to eliminate the fleas in their home:
Flea & Tick Spot On For Cats
Vet’s Best Flea + Tick Spot-On for Cats was formulated for cats and kittens 4 months and older. This unique blend of Cedarwood and Peppermint Oils was carefully formulated to kill and repel fleas and ticks on your cat. Avoid the mess and fuss with our easy-to-open applicators, just twist and squeeze – no scissors required. For over 30 years, Vet’s Best has blended premium quality and plant-based ingredients that work together to comfort and protect your pet.
- PROVEN EFFECTIVE: Vets Best Flea + Tick Spot-On for Cats is lab tested and proven effective to kill & repel Fleas and ticks and repel mosquitoes.
- EASY TO USE: Twist and Squeeze applicators allow for easy application directly onto cat No scissors required and safe to use on cats of any size.
- CERTIFIED NATURAL OILS: Each steam distilled essential oil is selected for its potent pest fighting properties and is 100% Certified Natural.
- NO HARSH CHEMICALS: Vets Best Flea + Tick Spot-On for Cats kills & repels fleas and ticks without harsh chemicals.
- ASSEMBLED IN THE USA With globally sourced ingredients.
Recommended Reading: Blue Buffalo Kitten Food Reviews
Best Cat Flea Treatments For 2021
Protecting your cat from fleas is essential, especially if they are outdoor wanderers or you live in a multi-pet home.
Cats can be social creatures who love to explore every corner, and if your cat is infested with fleas, you can ensure that your home and any other pet is too. This is why flea control should be top of your list when it comes to healthcare for your cat, and youre going to need the best flea treatment to put your mind at rest.
Even indoor cats will benefit from flea control and prevention, particularly if any other pet in the house can go in and out. But flea treatment can come in various varieties, so getting the best for your kitty could be tricky.
This is before we even get into the life stages of a flea adult fleas will need different attention to flea eggs.
We have rounded up the best flea treatments for cats out there to make your decision easier, and finally, find a solution to your problem.
Natural Flea Treatments And Home Remedies Do Any Of Them Work
There are numerous natural treatments that can deter fleas, but very few can eliminate a flea infestation.
David J. Shuman, DVM agrees with the majority of veterinarians, saying that Ive tried -or have had clients try- eucalyptus oil, peppermint soap, garlic powders, B12, brewers yeast, essential oils, and a long list of other ingredients. This is a well worn path that often leads to futility. What I found is that many cats hate the taste of many of these items and some even had reactionsIve seen as many reactions to these organic pesticides as I have towards the manufactured ones and I at least know the manufactured ones work.
Recommended Reading: Kitten Food Blue Wilderness