We guide you through the best flea treatment for cats to keep your pet and home free of fleas
Flea treatment is an essential part of cat ownership. With so many options available, how do you choose the best flea treatment for cats? We guide you through all the choices available and why regular prevention is better than just treatment.
Why treat cats for fleas?
Catching fleas is not a pleasant experience for cats. Signs your cat has fleas are persistent scratching and over grooming which can lead to bald patches and irritation. If left untreated your cat could also develop sores, scabs and skin diseases. Failing to treat your cat for fleas is not only unpleasant for your cat but may lead to house an infestation in your home. Preventing and treating fleas will ensure your cat is happy, and your home is a flea-free environment.
The best flea treatment for cats is a preventative solution. Should your cat develop fleas, swift treatment will prevent infestation from taking hold and keep your cat happy and healthy.
What are the best flea treatments for cats?
With a wide range of products available, you may find it difficult to choose the best flea treatment for your cat. Here are some of the options available to you.
Oral cat flea tablets
All effective flea tablets for cats currently require a veterinary prescription in the United Kingdom. There are lots of over-the-counter flea tablet options available on the market, but their efficacy is not sufficient to use as a reliable option for flea treatment and prevention.
Anyone who owns a cat knows it can be tricky to persuade a cat to eat a tablet, so this type of treatment is not suitable for every cat.
Flea collars
A flea collar works by releasing pesticides from a plastic collar worn around your cat’s neck. Treatment is continually released to spread around the coat and skin providing constant protection. There are many types of flea collars available, with varying efficacy.
Any collar put on your cat should have a quick release mechanism to prevent injury, this does however mean that these collars can frequently get lost. Some cats may have a skin reaction to the chemicals on the collar and a ring of hair loss can occur.
Flea comb
Regular grooming of your cat will ensure you notice any signs of fleas swiftly and enable you to quickly address the problem, minimising the time for flea numbers to multiply. A flea comb has narrow teeth that will trap fleas and flea dirt. If you have a cat with dark fur or long hair, the evidence may be harder to spot.
Flea combing is better suited to monitoring for the presence of fleas rather than being a method prevention or treatment. If your pet is at low risk of fleas, then diligent combing can be used as a replacement to on-going preventative flea treatment.
Vet flea injections
A vet administered flea injection helps to prevent the development of flea eggs on your cat. This type of treatment can only be prescribed by a vet and is a low maintenance option as treatment is only administered every 6 months. It can prove a costly though, with each injection costing around £40 – 65 depending on your veterinary practice. These injections do not kill adult fleas, therefore if fleas are present another method of flea control will also be required.
Flea spray
Flea sprays are often used on kittens too small to use other forms of treatments. Sprays can be tricky to administer and are often a short-term solution. Some sprays are also effective against ticks and lice. Cats often do not favour anything being sprayed on them and will often try and escape from this type of treatment!
Spot-on formula
Overall, the best flea treatment for cats is a spot-on topical formula that is applied to the back of your cat’s neck. Frontline Plus Spot-on for cats and Advantage Spot-on for cats both offer a superior level of flea treatment that is easy to apply and highly effective. When correctly applied, it offers a high level of protection for fleas on your cat. These spot-on cat flea treatments provide ongoing protection when administered monthly.
Advantage spot-on
Advantage Spot-On offers protection and treatment for fleas. In addition to killing adult fleas, it acts by preventing immature larvae from developing into adult fleas, stopping the life cycle of the flea so infestations cannot take hold. It is one of the most effective flea treatments on the market.
Frontline plus SPOT-ON
Frontline Plus Spot-on treatment offers highly effective protection against fleas and ticks. The double action ingredients work together to target all stages within the flea life cycle, spreading across the skin of your cat to both kill adult fleas and prevent the immature stages from developing.
Pros
Kills adult fleas within 24 hours
Prevents eggs from developing
Highly effective treatment
Waterproof
Cannot be removed by the cat
Cost-effective treatment
Easily administered
You can handle your cat as soon as treatment is given
Safe for kittens from 8 weeks old
With a cat flea subscription box, you won’t forget to dose!
Cons
Remember to dose monthly for the treatment to be entirely effective
What if I have used flea treatment but I am still finding fleas?
If you are still finding fleas but are using a good quality flea treatment, remember that flea treatment on your pet must be combined with treating your home to ensure your home is not acting as a flea reservoir. Regular hoovering of carpets and soft furnishings, washing bedding regularly and using an annual household flea spray will help prevent infestations taking hold on your cat and in your house. Remember to treat each pet individually to ensure that fleas do not survive or transfer to each animal.
Try our best flea treatment for cats
Our topical spot-on solutions offer a cost-effective and convenient way of preventing fleas on cats and dogs. Starting from £6.49 you will receive monthly flea, tick and worming treatment in the post, so you never forget to dose. We allow you to spread the cost of your cat flea treatment and our service is commitment-free. Help keep your cat or kitten healthy and happy and avoid an unwelcome flea infestation with our monthly subscription service.