What If My Cat Is Indoor
A lot of you are thinking, Well, my cat is indoors. I dont need flea and tick medication. But you might. If your cat is indoor-only on the 38th floor of your apartment building in New York City, no, you dont. But if you have anyone else in the household who goes outside, you must!
As a veterinarian, my indoor cat is on flea and tick medicationyup, thats right. And read on to find out why
When it comes to fleas and ticks, these external parasites are not only annoying to your cat, but they can result in secondary life-threatening infections.
The Best Oral Flea Control Product
Comfortis Chewable Tablets start killing fleas within 30 minutes and offer a full month of protection with one easy-to-give flavored pill.
Pros: Fast-acting treatment starts killing adult fleas within 30 minutes, safe for kittens 14 weeks or older, easy to give alone or in food
Cons: Does not kill flea eggs or larvae or prevent parasites other than fleas, not labeled for use in kittens younger than 14 weeks or breeding, pregnant, or nursing cats
Parasites prevented: Adult fleas
Duration of effectiveness: 30 days
Safe for: Cats and kittens 14 weeks and older, weighing at least 4.1 pounds
Not labeled for use: Breeding, pregnant, and nursing cats
Prescription: Yes
Our top choice for an oral flea control product for cats, Comfortis Chewable Tablets, is fast-acting and good for cats that can’t tolerate topical flea preventives. Its active ingredient, spinosad, starts to work within 30 minutes and kills 98% of adult fleas on cats within four hours.
Although topical flea control products are typically easier to use , there are some cases when an oral preventive is a better choice. For instance, some cats with sensitive skin can’t tolerate a spot-on treatment. “An oral flea preventive product is better if a cat has had focal hair loss related to the application of a topical product or if it has a severe flea-related allergy,” said Sawyer.
Is There Any Harmful Effect Of Flea Treatment On Cats
Spot-on flea and tick treatments are very popular among cat parents. They are fast acting, easy to administer and considered to be safe for most cats. These spot treatments release insecticides over a long period of time. They do rid your kitty of the infestation, but she is also absorbing the chemicals, which can cause harmful side-effects such as seizures, stumbling, hyperthermia or even result in death.
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Chemicals In Flea Treatment For Cats
Many modern oral flea and tick medicines on the market today use isooxazoline. The FDA has determined that isoxazoline treatments are safe and effective for most cats and dogs. However, there is a slight chance that flea medicine with isoxazoline could cause neurological disorders such as seizures or muscle tremors in pets.
Many older flea and tick treatments used either macrocyclic lactones such as ivermectin, milbemycin and selamectin, or spinosyn like Spinosad. Macrocyclic lactones are known for preventing and killing such parasites as fleas and ticks. Spinosyn is most effective at treating fleas, but in higher doses, it may kill off ticks as well.
While macrocyclic lactones and spinosyn have been around for much longer than isoxazolines, all three chemicals are considered effective at treating fleas.
Other common ingredients found in flea medicine include:
- Pyriproxyfen, effective at disrupting fleas growth cycle
- Fipronil, treats ticks, chewing lice and fleas
- S-Methoprene, interferes with and stalls the growth and development of pests
How Can I Treat My Home Environment
A number of products are available to kill the adult and larval stages of fleas and stop the flea life cycle, such as:
adulticide sprays for use in the house sprays containing IGR for use in the house insecticides applied by professional pest control companies
Sprays for use in the house should be used in places where the flea eggs, larvae, and pupae are likely to be. Treat the entire household first and then concentrate on the hot spots – your cat’s favorite napping spots – such as soft furniture, beds, and carpets. Once they hatch from the egg, flea larvae move away from the light and burrow deep into carpets and into other nooks and crannies where they are difficult to reach. Be sure to move cushions, furniture, and beds to spray underneath them. Other places larvae are likely to live include baseboards and the cracks and crevices between floor seams or floorboards.
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Best Flea And Tick Medicine For Outdoor Cats Of 2022
You can depend on our experts to share their product searching experiences with you.
To assist you select the flea and tick medicine for outdoor cats brand, we examined all the features and came up with a list of ten possible purchases.
We looked at durability, materials, designs, expert reviews, and customer ratings to find the best-performing flea and tick medicine for outdoor cats.
The review includes detailed performance information and recommendations for your goals and budget. Find out which is best for you.
The Best Flea Treatments For Cats To Buy In 2022
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For owners that want to try out an oral preventative, Dr. Brausa recommends Comfortis. “Oral preventatives arent generally the easiest thing to give to cats but sometimes they work well or you have a cat that, for whatever reason, is more amenable to getting an oral medication or treatment,” Dr. Brausa says. The pill is given once a month and can be used for both cats and dogs.
Why are fleas dangerous?“Fleas in and of themselves are a bit of a nuisance. They cause bites which are itchy to both animals and people alike. They are also potential hosts for a number of different diseases and all of this stuff is very preventable with flea preventative,” Dr. Brausa says. Dr. Katribe also noted fleas can cause anemia in animals in severe infections, which can be life-threatening to animals.
How can you tell if your cat has fleas? One of the easiest ways to know if your cat has fleas is to look for them, explains Dr. Katribe. “Common signs of flea infestation include seeing live fleas on your cat or in some cases, we see ‘flea dirt’ which looks like fine, black sand in the hair coat, often at the base of the hairs,” Dr. Katribe says. “To examine for potential fleas, part the hairs on your cats coat near the base and look for fleas or ‘flea dirt.’ Flea dirt can be combed out with a flea comb. When placed on a paper towel and moistened, the black dirt will turn red, as flea dirt is actually flea excrement digested blood.”
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Prescription Topical Flea Prevention
If you are looking for monthly broad-spectrum parasite control, take a look at Revolution Plus. It uses the active ingredients selamectin and sarolaner to kill fleas, ticks, heartworms, ear mites, roundworms and hookworms. It can be used on cats over 8 weeks of age and is safe for cats 2.8 pounds and larger.
Bravecto is a topical flea treatment option that uses fluralaner to kill adult fleas. This topical flea treatment will provide your cat with three months of protection. It should only be used on cats that are older than 6 months and weigh more than 2.6 pounds.
The Stages Of The Cat Flea Life Cycle
Fleas are pesky pests and in our experience can do quite a lot of damage in a short amount of time! That’s why providing effective flea treatments for felines as soon as an infestation is suspected is an absolute mustit’s the best way to kill fleas and prevent further growth. Kill adult fleas and larvae for your cat’s peace of mind.
It may be helpful to have a general idea of how fleas grow and develop. These animals have a relatively quick life cycle that can be broken down into four main stages:
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Whats The Best Flea Treatment For Indoor Cats
Fleas can migrate into the home on the bodies of other pets, hop in through opened doors, and may hitch a ride on the household humans. That said, indoor cats are less likely to have flea problems than their outdoor-dwelling friends.
While you may choose to use a preventative treatment on cats living in a flea-prone area, its not necessary for every cat. If youd rather minimize the amount of chemicals applied to your cat, you may choose to skip monthly preventatives and spot-on treatments.
Oral flea treatments are the safest choice, so go with a trusted flea tablet like Comfortis if you have to get an acute infestation under control.
Advantage Ii Flea Prevention And Treatment For Large Cats
- Kills multiple stages
- 30 days protection
Looking for a product that would help large cats get rid of fleas and ticks? Well, go for Advantage II flea treatment. It works well for large cats over 9 pounds with a 1-month continuous supply. This Advantage II tick preventing medicine works through contact and thus stops fleas from biting a feline. Therefore, it offers effective and efficient results in a little time for all people. This easy-to-apply treatment starts working within 12 hours as soon as people apply it to their fur mates. Besides, it protects dogs and cats for up to 30 days. Undoubtedly, in our analysis, this solution gave great results.
To bring an end to the flea cycle, Advantages II cat licked flea medicine helps to kill bugs in all stages, starting from eggs, larvae to adults. This caters to breaking the chain leading to complete disruption of these insects. Various vets recommend it for cats, and thus, Advantages II becomes a cheap flea therapy for cats. Since it is free from all kinds of fragrances, it works well, especially for cats with allergic reactions. This 1-dose solution comes out to be an efficient one in fulfilling all animal requirements yielding productive results.
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The Best Otc Topical Flea Preventive
Available without a prescription, Frontline Plus kills adult fleas, flea eggs, flea larvae, ticks, and chewing lice.
Pros: Kills adult fleas, flea eggs, flea larvae, ticks, and chewing lice safe for use in kittens at least 8 weeks of age and in breeding, pregnant, and nursing cats fleas don’t have to bite for it to work
Cons: Not recommended for kittens younger than 8 weeks of age does not prevent any parasites other than fleas, ticks, and chewing lice
Parasites prevented: Adult fleas, flea eggs, flea larvae, ticks, chewing lice
Duration of effectiveness: 30 days
Safe for: Cats and kittens 8 weeks and older, weighing at least 1.5 pounds breeding, pregnant, and nursing cats
Prescription: No
We recommend Frontline Plus because it not only kills fleas and controls flea infestations, but it also kills ticks and chewing lice. Used and trusted by pet owners for more than 20 years, Frontline Plus protects for 30 days with one application. Fleas do not have to bite your cat for Frontline Plus to work they die on contact.
“In flea-infested environments, when they do studies looking at the efficacy of these products, sometimes it takes a few months of consistent, high-quality flea prevention to even see that population completely eradicate because there’s four different stages to the flea life cycle,” said Bourgeois.
Capstar Flea Control For Dogs And Cats
If you prefer to administer your pets flea treatment orally then this is a good option. It kills fleas and can be used in conjunction with other popular preventatives to help stop any future infestations. It is also safe for pets that are pregnant or nursing. There are a number of formulas available for dogs and cats. Make sure you select the right one for your pets weight.
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Best For Kittens: Revolution Plus Topical Solution For Cats
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Small amount of liquid for kittens
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Quick-drying formula
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Protects and treats for more than just fleas
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Safe for kittens
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Must avoid touching the area of application until it is dry
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Needs to be applied monthly
Kittens are extra sensitive so not all flea treatments are safe to use on baby cats. Revolution Plus is safe for kittens eight weeks and older and contains a small amount of an alcohol-based liquid. This makes application easy and avoids making a mess all over your tiny kitten. It not only kills fleas but also ticks, various intestinal parasites, prevents heartworms, and even ear mites. It does require a prescription from your veterinarian, but is a safe and effective option for your young cat.
What Kind Of Flea Medicine For Puppies
Treating fleas and ticks on pups can be challenging as flea and tick medicines used for large dogs might not be suitable for them. Most flea medicines are best for dogs when they reach the age of 7-8 weeks. Before you pick any therapy, check its suitability based on your puppers age. Some flea solutions from brands like Capstar would also solve your little purpose as they are feedable to pups of 4 weeks.
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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.
An Aside On Ticks And Cats
Fortunately, ticks are less of a nuisance in cats, compared to dogs. Cats are meticulous groomers, and they usually remove most ticks from their coat before they attach. Those that do attach rarely cause problems because cats are much less susceptible to dangerous tick-borne diseases like Lyme disease, Ehrlichiosis and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. In my 29 years in practice, Ive never seen a case in a cat.
Dr. Arnold Plotnick is the founder of Manhattan Cat Specialists, a feline-exclusive veterinary practice on Manhattans upper west side. He is also an author of The Original Cat Fancy Cat Bible. Dr. Plotnick is a frequent contributor to feline publications and websites, including his own blog, Cat Man Do. He lives in New York City with his cats, Mittens and Glitter.
Read more about fleas and cats on Catster.com:
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Cat Flea Treatment Effectiveness
Not all cat flea treatments are equally as effective. Some are not very effective at all, while others work within a few hours. What is useful for one cat isnt always going to be effective for another. However, a well-designed formula should work for practically every cat.
Some flawed formulas out there dont seem to work for some felines, while others work very well. If you use these formulas, it is mostly a flip of the coin.
It is usually better to choose a formula that works for practically every feline, even if it may cost you a bit more money.
Relying on reviews like ours is necessary if you want to understand how effective a particular product is. No company is going to tell you that their product is only so-so. You must rely on the reviews of those who have used it to grasp whether or not it works.
Advecta Plus Flea Squeeze
- Fragrance-free
- Easy to apply
Apart from all those regular medications for getting rid of fleas, this one kills in just 12 hours after applying. Advectas Plus flea treatment kills not only fleas but also eggs and larvae effectively. Thus, it helps to break the cycle completely and prevents re-infestation of fleas in felines. Being a cheap flea medicine for cats, it has active ingredients as pyriproxyfen & imidacloprid. These ingredients arrive formulated in many top flea and tick medicines, making this suitable for the best results. All in all, this one offers high-quality results without any compromise.
Advecta flea medication is efficient in preventing reinfestation for up to 4-months. Individuals can apply the pet flea and tick control treatment on their paw mates with great comfort. Besides, it comes as a topical solution without being harmful to animals in any way. This flea therapy is waterproof and free from fragrance, thus catering to its use without any side effects. Since it does not require any efforts in killing fleas, it becomes an easy-to-use product apart from causing no harm. Also, it is available at a reasonable price.
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Why Flea And Tick Preventatives Should Be Used All Year Long
The older school of thought was that fleas and ticks werent as active in the winter months. Therefore, it wasnt necessary to use preventatives during these periods, with saving money as the only real benefit.
However, with more recent climate changes, we have seen warmer winters, cooler summers, and a surge in bugs during these months when we normally wouldnt see any. Because we cant predict these parasites behavior, it is not recommended you skip any preventative doses anymore, even when it may be cold outside.