Flea and Tick Treatment for Cats

WHY DOES MY CAT NEED FLEA AND TICK TREATMENT?

You may not realize it, but flea and tick treatment for cats is just as essential as it is for dogs. Cats are just as susceptible to these harmful parasites, especially if they spend time outdoors or live with a dog who does. It’s important to treat and prevent ticks and fleas to keep your cat healthy and safe. Fleas can bite your cat and leave them itchy and uncomfortable, causing them to bite at the affected area. This can lead to skin irritation or even infections. Fleas also transmit worms. Ticks are harmful pests that are hosts for an array of harmful, even life-threatening diseases, including Lyme disease. Fleas and ticks can have negative effects on your cat’s quality of life. So you’re probably wondering, what is the best flea treatment for cats? Should I choose oral or topical medication? There are plenty of considerations when it comes to the most effective tick treatment and the best flea treatment for cats, but not to worry – Allivet has what you need!

In addition to your cat's uncomfortable itching, excessive grooming, and scabs or flakey skin that comes with fleas and ticks, there is also the danger of these pests infesting your home. Many of the tick-borne diseases, such as Lyme disease, can be transmitted to humans with just one bite. And once you have an infestation, it can take months to get rid of all the fleas and ticks.

Many people think that only outdoor cats get fleas and ticks and that indoor cats are immune to them. This is just not the case. Fleas can enter your home if you have a cat that spends part of the day outside or can be brought into your house by your dog if you have one, or by a visiting pet, and even on people's clothing. If this happens, fleas and ticks will consider your cat as just another food source.

Once a flea finds your cat, it stays there and can produce between 30-50 eggs within a mere 24 hours. These eggs look like tiny flakes of sand and easily fall off your cat and land either in the carpet or on your cat's or dog's bedding. It takes anywhere from 14 days to many months for these eggs to become adult fleas, depending on the temperature and humidity in the environment. You can see why it is so easy for a home to become infested with fleas.

The danger of ticks to your home and your family depends on where they are in their lifecycle. Ticks have four life stages and, after hatching, they must feed on blood to move onto the next stage. It can take up to three years for them to complete a full lifecycle. If a pre-adult tick gets on your cat, it will feed and either climb off your cat to move to its next life stage. If it is an adult tick, it may produce eggs that could cause an infestation in your home.

Disease transmittal from ticks happens at the pre-adult nymph stage and the adult stage. Rocky Mountain Spotted fever and Lyme disease are two of the diseases ticks can transmit. Fleas transmit cat scratch fever and were also responsible for transmitting the plague. To avoid an infestation and the risk of worms or disease, flea and tick prevention is essential for your cat and all pets in the home.

WHAT ARE THE OPTIONS FOR FLEA AND TICK SHAMPOO FOR CATS?

There are several options for flea and tick sprays and shampoos for your cat. Reading through the best flea treatment for cats reviews can help, but the best cat flea treatment comparison is the one you’ll do when you consider your cat’s individual needs and preferences. From Frontline Spray for effective eradication to NaturVet Herbal Flea Shampoo for a more natural treatment option, you’ll find what you need within our selection of proven products.

Types Of Flea & Tick Prevention For Cats

There are several different types of products available that offer flea treatment for cats. When looking for the right product for your pet, consult your veterinarian who can help guide you in making the right choice for your pet. Common types of cat flea and tick treatment products include:

• Oral pills: Oral treatment works to prevent and treat fleas and ticks and is safer for your family and your cat. Some pet parents find oral pills easier to use, as they have a taste formulated to please cats and can be given with their meal. These products can only be obtained with a prescription from your veterinarian.
• Topical flea and tick treatments: There are also many different topical flea treatments for cats. In many cases, pet parents prefer topicals such as Advantage Multi for Cats because they begin to work within approximately 20 minutes. These products are available with a prescription from your veterinarian.
• Cat flea shampoos and sprays: Some pet parents prefer sprays or shampoos. These products can keep fleas and ticks off your cat for up to 30 days.

Whether you choose a pill, topical, shampoo, or spray, always use a product developed for cats. Some dog products are lethal for cats, and others don't work as well.

WHAT ARE THE ORAL FLEA AND TICK TREATMENT OPTIONS FOR CATS?

Allivet offers the top veterinarian-recommended options for oral cat flea treatment. Chewable flea treatment for cats is a great choice for getting your cat to comply with their monthly medication routine. Oral treatment is easy to administer with an appealing taste, and it’s mess-free. The best options for flea pills for cats are Comfortis and Capstar. Each has their own unique active ingredient, but either one would be an excellent choice for vet recommended flea treatment for cats.

WHAT ARE THE TOPICAL FLEA AND TICK TREATMENT OPTIONS FOR CATS?

Allivet carries all the best options for topical flea treatment for felines. Topical tick and flea treatment for cats is a highly effective option for treating existing infestations and preventing future ones. Some of the top-recommended options for flea and tick treatment for cats are Revolution, Bravecto, Advantage, Cheristin, and Frontline. Allivet even offers Seresto or Adams collars, which are impressively efficient options for tick and flea treatment for cats. Whether you prefer a spot-on treatment or a collar, topical treatments are easy to apply and will give you the peace of mind you deserve.

Protect your cat from fleas and ticks with Allivet’s impressive selection of treatment options! Check out our Flea and Tick chart to find which product works best for your cat. If you also have a dog in your home, be sure to treat them with our flea and tick treatment options as well.

Proper Flea and Tick Prevention for Cats

Preventing flea or tick infestations before they start is easier and less stressful than dealing with a serious problem that has gotten out of control. If you see signs of fleas or ticks on your pet, you may already have a problem. If you see one flea, there are probably many more on your pet that you don't see. That's why prevention is so important. With the right flea protection for cats, you can avoid an infestation.

Take a proactive approach to your flea and tick treatment for cats by discussing the many factors that may contribute to your pet's potential exposure to fleas and ticks. In addition to products that offer flea protection for cats, pet parents should take some steps to keep their homes flea-free. Vacuuming regularly and steam cleaning the carpets can remove and destroy flea eggs. Wash pet bedding in warm water and disinfect the area around where your cat sleeps with a pet-friendly cleaning solution.

FAQs about Flea & Tick Treatment for Cats

Isn't killing the adult fleas enough to protect my cat? Why do I need to use flea and tick prevention products?

Adult fleas are the smallest part of the flea population. They are the ones that do the biting that causes your cat discomfort. They also spread tapeworms, so you need to keep them off your cat. However, since the majority of fleas – eggs, larvae, and pupae – can hide in your carpet, it's crucial to get rid of them to offer your cat complete protection.

If only one of my pets has fleas, do I need to flea prevention for them all?

While some pets seem to be bothered more by fleas than others, that doesn't mean you shouldn't give all your pets flea and tick prevention treatment. If your pet has a flea allergy, they will scratch endlessly. But just because the others don't doesn't mean they don't have fleas. They may not be allergic to fleas and so are less troubled by their bites. To get rid of all fleas, treat all pets whether they seem to be itchy or not.

Can I use flea treatments for dogs on my cat?

No, this is very dangerous. Only flea protection for cats should be used on cats. Cats are much more sensitive to flea treatment products than dogs are, and some flea treatments formulated for dogs are very harmful to cats. And for some products, the dosages are different for cats than they are for dogs. They may not go just by the weight or age of your pet but by other physiological factors. The biggest cause of non-medicinal poisoning in cats is the use of the wrong products. Neither should you use cat products on dogs, each type of product is developed for the specific species.