Best Flea Treatment For Cats
Fleas are the most common external parasites found on cats;in North America. Not only are these bugs irritating to your cat, they can also pass on other parasites such as tapeworms or lead to anemia and skin allergies. They may also transmit several serious bacterial infections to your cat and ultimately to you, such as Cat Scratch Fever and the Plague .
Best Flea Collar For Cats: Bayer Seresto Flea And Tick Collar For Cats
This nitenpyram-based oral medication is safe for cats and kittens weighing 2-25 lbs. It has the same active ingredient and performance as Capstar, but its sold at a marginally lower price.
This oral medication starts working in 30 minutes and kills adult fleas on your cats body. The effects of the pill will last for about 24 hours, at which time any new fleas will jump onto your cats body and survive.
Youll need to thoroughly treat the environment in addition to using this treatment, then re-administer as necessary.
Natural Chemistry Flea Shampoo For Cats
This shampoo is a great place to start if you have just adopted a cat that turns out to be infested with fleas. Follow the directions for applying and rinsing off the shampoo. You can repeat the treatment once a week until the cat is free of fleas . Active ingredients: cinnamon oil, clove oil, and cedar oil.
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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.
Guide To Flea And Tick Control Cats
Flea and Tick infestations can be a nuisance to any animal. These pesky pests are known for carrying some serious diseases that can have devastating effects on your beloved pet. That is why it is so important to do everything in your power to keep these bugs away from your furry friend. In this blog post, we will review the 5 best flea and tick control cats of 2021!
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The Best Flea Treatments For Cats In 2021
Fleas are an irritating but common problem for kitties and their owners. Theyre one of the most common feline parasites and come in almost 2,000 varieties worldwide. Fleas are impressive little blighters, capable of leaping more than 100 times their own length, and their pupae can survive without food in their cocoons for upwards of a year.
This surprising tenacity makes fleas a challenging parasite to treat, but there are plenty of different options you can try to rid your pet and your home of this pint-sized menace. In this buying guide, we run through the best flea treatments for cats, covering everything from flea collars to oral medication. To help you select the right option for your feline friend, weve also compiled a handy buying guide. Here, youll find answers to some common flea-related questions, helping you to banish the critters for good.
Synthetic Pyrethrins Or Pyrethroids
These synthetic insecticides are more powerful and longer-lasting than naturally-occurring pyrethrin. Theyre toxic to cats and are never a good flea treatment choice. Pyrethroid chemicals include allethrin, cypermethrin, deltamethrin, fenvalerate, fluvalinate, permethrin, phenothrin, tetramethrin, and etofenprox.
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Sentry Capguard Oral Flea Medication For Cats
Many times cats do not like wearing collars or having liquids rubbed on the skin and you can try oral flea medications like the Sentry Capguard to keep them adequately protected from the pests.
This is not your monthly treatment but it is intended to kill off the infestation before it can get severe. After administering this pill, you will start seeing the flea problem reducing and getting wiped out within 6 hours. The tablet contains Nitenpyram, a vet-recommended chemical, that will get rid of fleas quickly without putting your kitty under any extra strain.
Moreover, this treatment can be repeated if the infestation resurfaced after a few days.
Pros:
- Treatment safe for cats to swallow
- A single order will deliver dosage for six months
- Recommended for cats weighing between 2-25 pounds
Cons:
- Requires the fleas to bite your kitty to deliver results
- Will not work if the kitty has vomited the pill within 30 minutes
The Seresto Flea And Tick Collar Offers Eight Months Of Protection Against Fleas And Ticks In All Life Stages
A; reported 1,700 animal deaths and other adverse reactions linked to Seresto flea collars. It’s unknown if the EPA-approved pesticides used in the collar caused these incidents and this story is still developing. Read “Can a flea collar harm your cat?” for more details. Always speak to your veterinarian if you have concerns before using a product and only purchase Seresto collars from authorized retailers.
Pros:;Eight months of protection against adult fleas, flea larvae, and ticks; sustained release technology for continuous protection; lightweight and easy to wear; adjustable for cats of all sizes; fleas don’t have to bite for it to work
Cons:;Not recommended for kittens younger than 10 weeks of age, children should not play with the collar or put it in their mouth, adjusting size can be tricky
Parasites prevented: Adult fleas, flea larvae, ticks
Duration of effectiveness: 8 months
Safe for: Cats and kittens 10 weeks of age and older
Prescription: No
Although flea collars were once a standard option for flea control, these days they take a back seat to topical and oral preventives. However, one standout in the flea collar category is the Seresto Flea and Tick Collar, which uses patented sustained-release technology to provide eight months of continuous protection against adult fleas, flea larvae, and ticks.
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Flea & Tick Treatment & Medicine For Cats
Its every pet parents nightmare, your cuddly companion has contracted a pesky pest. Fleas and ticks cause a myriad of problems for both kitty and pet parent. Cat fleas are small, dark brown to black insects whose bodies are hardened. While they cannot fly, they have strong hind legs which help them jump. Their mouths are designed to be able to pierce through your pets skin and suck their blood. Fleas can live one to two and a half months depending on the temperature and humidity. Thats enough time to cause your kitty significant discomfort. Signs your cat has fleas include flea dirt in their coat, excessive scratching, licking or biting at the skin and loss of hair. There are several available flea treatments & medicines for cats. Some kill fleas that live on your pet, while others help kill pests that live in your home or yard. The best flea treatment for cats will not only attack adult fleas, but eggs and larvae as well.
Chewy carries the best flea treatments for cats from brands like Advantage II, Seresto, and Frontline Plus.Flea medicine for cats contains ingredients like fipronil and methoprene which kill adult fleas, and flea eggs and larvae. Frontline Plus flea and tick treatment for cats kills fleas, ticks, chewing lice, and flea eggs and larvae that can transmit Lyme disease. Frontline Plus comes highly recommended by veterinarians as a good cat flea medicine option.
How Often Should You Apply Topical Flea Treatments
Many experts and commercial product manufacturers recommend you apply a flea control product such as a topical medicine at least half-yearly, but no sooner than 30 days from the last application.
The reason for this is that the flea life-cycle is around 6 months in duration, so a treatment that eliminates both adult fleas and larvae should be effective for a long time.
While most products only guarantee protection for up to 30 days or, you should see that fleas are controlled for a longer period when investing in the best topical treatments for fleas.
Make sure you have a flea comb on hand to help remove dead fleas and larvae from your cats coat. Youll see far longer protection window if you actively help stop new adult fleas settling too.
It may also be worth investing one of the best flea sprays for home, this can help keep adult fleas out of carpets and linen while you deal with the infestation on your cat.
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Capstar Flea Control Tablets Are Safe For Kittens As Young As 4 Weeks Old And Start Killing Fleas Within 30 Minutes
Pros:;Safe for kittens 4 weeks of age or older, safe for pregnant and nursing cats, fast-acting treatment, easy to give alone or in food, can be used with other flea control products, available without a prescription
Cons:;Does not offer long-term protection, does not kill flea eggs or larvae, does not prevent any parasites other than fleas
Parasites prevented: Adult fleas
Duration of effectiveness: 24 hours
Safe for: Cats and kittens 4 weeks and older, weighing at least 2 pounds; pregnant and nursing cats
Prescription: No
Available without a prescription,;Capstar is the only flea control product safe for kittens as young as 4 weeks and weighing at least 2 pounds. With other flea control products, whether topical or oral, kittens must be at least 8 weeks old, and sometimes older.
Fleas should be eliminated as quickly as possible for heavily infested cats, especially young kittens. The active ingredient in Capstar, nitenpyram, works within 30 minutes and kills greater than;90% of adult fleas;in as little as six hours.
Capstar only protects against fleas for 24 hours, but it is safe to give daily if necessary. Since giving a cat a pill every day can be inconvenient, pet owners should follow up with a long-term flea control product once the kitten is old enough.
Testing For Fleas On Cats
Before you start buying expensive products to treat fleas and calling an exterminator, try some simple tests to see if you actually have a flea infestation on your hands:
- Watch your cats behavior for increased grooming, scratching, and hair loss.
- Check your cats skin for bumps or crusts, particularly on their back or neck.
- Check for signs of movement on your cats coat. If you see tiny black spots bouncing off of his or her fur, this means they have fleas.
- Use a fine-toothed flea comb to comb your catdo this on a white sheet or pillowcase to really see any fleas that fall off. Check the comb for adult fleas and eggs or flea dirt.; Flea dirt are tiny little black specs, which is actually the fleas poop.; Since fleas eat/drink blood, their poop will turn red if you scrap the black specs on a damp paper towel.
Another way to catch fleas before the infestation takes over is by conducting regular flea tests on your cat. The Companion Animal Parasite Council recommends a few steps:
- Take your cat for preventative physical examinations 1-2 times per year.
- Test your cat for fleas before putting them on a heartworm preventative medicine and afterwards as recommended.
- Do fecal examinations by centrifugation four or more times during the kittens first year, then at least twice a year for adult cats depending on their health and lifestyle .
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Are Natural Products Fine To Use
You may see many natural flea control products available on the market for both cats and dogs. While these are great in theory as they avoid chemicals, they are nowhere near as effective as a tried and tested medical form of flea treatment or prevention.
Some may also contain ingredients known to be harmful to cats, such as permethrin, tea tree oil, peppermint, cedar oil, and lavender.
You also need to use the right amount for your cats weight, which can be hard with natural products or if you are trying to make a homemade treatment. Cat flea treatments available to buy through dedicated stores and vets will have been thoroughly tested for safety
Our Buyers Guide Of Cat Flea Treatments
Product reviews are often the best way out to understand a particular product before actually buying. However, product reviews themselves do not address the question of selection on their own. Buyers guide will help in understanding different categories of cat flea treatments, and the factors that should influence your decision of selecting a treatment. We have also tried to answer a few FAQs at the end.
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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.
Check For Reviews And Ratings
Back then when the Internet wasnt as big as it is today, local stores charged high and even ended up selling the products which sucked or wasnt future proof. Its because the salesman threw technical terms and confused the buyer. But nowadays, there are sites like ours which does all the research and lists down the best models and there are eCommerce stores like Amazon which has user reviews which can be read to know the experience of the user with that particular inexpensive flea treatment for cats. Isnt it great?
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How Do Fleas Spread In Cats
Contrary to popular belief, fleas do not spread from one cat to another. Once a flea lands on a cat, it will stay and feed on its blood for its entire life. Ingesting blood allows a female flea to become fertile and lay eggs .
Flea larvae will burrow into dark spaces in your home, such as carpets, cracks in hardwood floors and furniture. The larvae grow up to become baby fleas within a few weeks and wait for your cat to walk by. Once they hop onto your cat, their lifecycle commences.
This shows that flea treatment doesnt only involve treating your cats body but eliminating eggs and larvae from your home and yard as well.
Frontline Plus Cat/kitten Flea Treatment Best Overall
If youre looking for the best flea treatment on the market today, you simply cant beat Frontline Plus Cat & Kitten Flea and Tick Treatment. This long-lasting treatment remains active for 30 days after application and gets to work straight away to kill fleas and their eggs and larvae.
Its also waterproof, so if your cat happens to need a bath, you dont need to worry about this losing its efficacy. Its suitable for cats and kittens over 8 weeks of age or weighing over 1.5 pounds. As well as killing fleas, this treatment also kills lice and ticks that can be vectors for Lyme disease.
Our recommendation as the best flea treatment for kittens for the money is the PetArmor Flea & Tick Squeeze-On Treatment. Suitable for kittens over 8 weeks of age and 1.5 pounds in weight, this treatment is easy to use and gets to work killing those fleas straight away. While this is a great flea treatment, it missed out on our top spot because it only acts to kill adult fleas, not the eggs or larvae.
This spot-on treatment also kills ticks and lice within 72 hours of application. Its waterproof, so its a good choice for cats who may have allergies and need a bath. This pack comes with three pipettes, equaling a 3-month supply.
- Doesnt act on flea larvae
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Signs That Your Kitty Has Fleas
Not sure if you need to worry about this? Check for these tell-tale signs to see if your cat has fleas:
- Scratching their head and ears
- Chewing and biting themselves
- Lots of licking, especially around their legs
- Red and irritated skin
- Some bald patches from all the scratching
- Tapeworms contracted through flea bites
To check if your cat has fleas, use an inexpensive flea comb to hunt for fleas and black specks of flea dirt . These are most commonly found at the base of the cats spine , on the cats back, or on the belly.
Fleas can be fatal to young kittens, so if your kitten has any of these symptoms, call your veterinarian immediately.
I Have Not Seen Any Fleas On My Cat Why Has My Veterinarian Advised Flea Control
One of the most common causes of feline allergic skin disease is flea allergy dermatitis. To eliminate this possibility, your veterinarian may advise rigorous flea control even though no fleas can be found. If the cat’s skin problem improves with flea control, it suggests that flea allergy is involved.
Fleas are easy to find if a cat is heavily infested. If fleas are present in smaller numbers, it can be harder to see them. Fleas move quickly! Try looking on the cat’s stomach, around the tail base, and around the neck.
Sometimes adult fleas cannot be found but flea dirt can be seen. Flea dirt is fecal matter from the flea that contains partially digested blood, and it is a good indicator of the presence of fleas. Flea dirt is seen as small black specks or coiled structures; when placed on a damp, white tissue, the flea dirt dissolves, leaving a reddish brown stain. Flea dirt may be found in cat’s bedding even when fleas cannot be found on the cat.
“Cats are very efficient at removing debris from their coat’s using their tongues and may succeed in removing all evidence of flea infestation such as adult fleas and flea dirt.”
In cats that develop an allergy to fleas, one of the symptoms is excessive grooming. Cats are very efficient at removing debris from their coat’s using their tongues and may succeed in removing all evidence of flea infestation such as adult fleas and flea dirt.
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