Recommended Cat Flea Treatments

With so many options available for treating your cat's fleas, it can be difficult to decide what to try and to know what really works. Indications of flea infestation on a cat include frequent scratching and dry patches of skin. Once you know your cat has fleas, you must also consider removing fleas from your other pets and from your home (carpets, beds, couches). Getting rid of fleas can be a challenge because flea pupae live up to 1 year inside their tough cocoons before emerging; therefore, effective flea treatments eliminate the pupae, not just the adult fleas. A variety of products and strategies exist to relieve you and your cat of this problem. Be sure to contact your veterinarian for the best and safest results.

  1. Shampoos and Sprays

    • Shampoos, such as Hartz 2 in 1 Rid Flea Shampoo, offer a short-term solution and only work if you can coax your cat into having a bath. The shampoo contains two ingredients that kill fleas: d-trans Allethrin and N-Octyl Bicycloheptene Dicarboximide. If you do not think your cat will become re-infested, this can be an easy solution.

      Vet's Best brand offers two sprays, one for cats and one for the home. The spray contains natural ingredients to repel and kill fleas, including peppermint oil and clove extract. Like shampoos, sprays offer a short-term solution to the problem and must be frequently reapplied for best results.

    Flea Collars

    • Flea collars are a popular and inexpensive way to prevent fleas, but they are not recommended to treat an existing flea infestation. Typically, they only prevent fleas around the neck and head, so they are not ideal for outdoor cats. For best results, try a flea collar that contains ingredients that penetrate your cat's skin, such as Adam's Plus brand.

    Oral Flea Treatments

    • Sentinel and Program offer vet-prescribed pills or liquids to be administered to your cat orally to prevent fleas. The medication is usually administered once a month, and it prevents flea larva from hatching; however, these products do not kill existing fleas, so they must be used alongside another form of treatment such as spray or shampoo. Program and Sentinel are available by veterinarian only because dosage is dependent on the animal's size, weight and condition.

    Spot-on Flea Treatment

    • Spot-on treatment is by far the most effective and recommended flea treatment for your cat. Spot-on treatments involve applying a small amount of liquid containing an agent that kills fleas quickly and effectively. The liquid dose must be placed on the back of the cat's neck. Advantage and Frontline offer the best spot-on flea treatments; other brands are much less effective because they do not contain the active ingredient imidacloprid. Advantage and Frontline treatments kill fleas and their larvae, and if it is administered properly every 30 days, re-infestation will not occur.