Fleas may be a real nightmare for both humans and animals, resulting in scratchy days, laundry of all kinds, potential health problems for cats, and perhaps even the need for expensive exterminator or veterinary services.
The best cat flea treatment is preventative, so treat and check your cat for fleas on a regular basis as advised by your veterinarian. However, there are also remedies for an advanced infestation.
Check out the tips provided below on how to keep cats flea-free and get rid of them.
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Checking for fleas on cats
Before paying for expensive flea treatments and hiring an exterminator, perform a few quick tests to see if you actually have a flea infestation:
- Watch out for your cat’s increased grooming, scratching, and hair loss.
- Check your cat’s skin for lumps or crusts, especially on the back and neck.
- Look for signs of movement in your cat’s coat. If you observe tiny black specks bouncing off of their fur, they have fleas.
- While your cat is lying on a white sheet or pillow, comb it with a fine-tooth flea comb to thoroughly see any fleas that fall off. Check the comb for flea dirt, eggs, or adult fleas. The “flea dirt” that is described as being little and black is actually the flea’s waste. The fleas’ faeces will become crimson if you scrape the black spots on a moist paper towel because they consume and drink blood.
Another method to catch fleas before the infestation grows is to routinely check your cat for fleas. The Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC) recommends the following steps:
- Bring your cat in for preventative checkups one to two times each year.
- Check your cat for fleas before beginning a heartworm preventative medicine and as prescribed after that.
- Depending on the health and lifestyle of the cat, do centrifuged fecal examinations at least twice annually for adult cats and at least four times throughout the first year of a kitten’s life (i.e. indoor vs. outdoor).
Medications & Products for Cat Fleas
When choosing a flea treatment, factors including cost, side effects, effectiveness, and safety must be taken into account, regardless of whether the goal is to get rid of existing fleas or act as a preventative measure. A flea medicine with “adulticide” or “insect growth regulator” should be sought out (IGR). I only use it during the summer because of where I live in the Midwest of the United States. In the winter, I don’t use it. You can give your cat this therapy in a number of alternative ways:
[Editor’s note: I use Revolution on two Ragdoll cats named Trigg and Charlie. The IGR will sterilize eggs to stop the next generation of fleas from breeding, and the adulticide component will kill flea adults before they can lay eggs. I also only use it every six weeks or so. I do think that these topical medications have the potential to be dangerous, so you should base your choices on what feels appropriate to you in your family, community, or country—or wherever you are—as well as what your veterinarian advises. This article simply serves as information; it does not provide guidance.
- Spot-ons are monthly topical treatments applied to your cat’s skin. Check to see if the liquid has dried before petting or washing your cat. Remember that even though certain substances claim to be waterproof, frequent showers tend to reduce their effectiveness. Consult your veterinarian for information on the best treatments to use and how to administer them. Inquire about the aforementioned renowned products and ingredients.
- (Frontline Plus) Fipronil (Frontline Plus)
- Midacloprid (Benefit) (Advantage)
- Stronghold/Revolution Oral Selamectin Products: These are an appealing substitute because they are easy to apply, do not leave any residue, and completely cover the cat’s skin.
- Nitenpyram (Capstar) can kill adult fleas, although the effects are very temporary.
- The chewable flea treatment Spinosad (Comfortis), which eliminates fleas before they produce eggs, offers a month of defense.
- Injections – Some vets administer a 6-month shot of lufenuron, the active ingredient that prevents flea larvae and eggs from developing. While an infestation may be stopped, adult fleas still have the ability to bite your cat.
- Due to their ease of use and recent advancements in safety and efficacy, flea collars are enticing.
- Shampoos – There are many different kinds of shampoos available, but only the fleas that are regularly present on your cat will be destroyed by them, so they won’t prevent fleas from biting it after a bath. Ensure that everything you buy is marked “safe for cats” on the packaging.
For your cat, these options can be used in conjunction with expert flea treatments to help cure or prevent fleas. Inquire with your veterinarian about the two active ingredients that are frequently found in Seresto: imidacloprid and flumethrin. Flea collars, however, regularly need to be replaced (every 30 days or so), and some of them don’t provide enough coverage for the body parts that are farthest from the collar.
Natural Flea Treatments for Cats
If you want to naturally get rid of fleas on cats, try a few of these DIY remedies:
- Use a shampoo containing one of the well-known natural flea repellents, such as citrus, lavender, cedar, or eucalyptus, and then bathe your cat with cool water.
- Omega-3 fatty acids can help your cat’s skin look and feel better.
- Put the fleas in soapy water as you comb them out to kill them.
- Keep your house clean and well-maintained by routinely sweeping the floor.
- If you reside in an area with low humidity, you can use salt to get rid of fleas by sprinkling it on your carpet.
- Around your home, grow flea-repelling herbs and plants like lavender, eucalyptus, fennel, or marigolds.
- Use cedar chips and food-grade diatomaceous earth in your yard.
If you are worried about treating your cat for fleas, consult your veterinarian about their advice and research several cat flea remedies. For more information on cats and fleas, check our article “Fleas and Cats-Discuss.”
What successful anti-flea treatments have you applied to your cat?
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