The Best Flea Meds for Cats

Flea medications are designed to prevent cats from becoming infested with fleas. There are a variety of products available on the market, and choosing the best one for our feline friends can be confusing. Often, the ultimate decision is based on personal preference.

  1. Revolution

    • According to Consumer Search, veterinarians and cat-care experts prefer a topical flea control medication for the treatment and prevention of fleas on cats. Revolution for cats is the brand recommended by many of these experts. Revolution is a once-a-month topical treatment that quickly kills adult fleas and prevents new eggs from hatching. Revolution is also effective in the prevention of heartworm infestation, ear mites, hookworms, roundworms and the American dog tick.

    Advantage

    • Advantage is another top-rated topical flea control product for cats. Advantage stops fleas from biting your cat within three to five minutes of application and kills 98 to 100 percent of adult fleas within 12 hours. Advantage works by breaking the life-cycle of the flea, and actually kills flea larvae within 20 minutes of application. Advantage also kills newly infesting fleas in as little as two hours. Unlike Revolution, Advantage is not effective against ticks, heartworm or other internal parasites.

    Program

    • Program is a once a month oral medication available in pill or liquid form. Program does not kill adult fleas that are already on your cat, but it immediately sterilizes any flea that bites them preventing the fleas from producing eggs. Ninety-five percent of the fleas found in our homes are in the egg, maggot or cocoon form, so it will take a few months for all of the fleas to hatch and bite your cat. It is suggested that you use an additional product such as a topical treatment or a different oral medication that kills adult fleas during this time.

    Capstar/Comfortis

    • Capstar and Comfortis are oral medications that kill adult fleas within 20 minutes of ingestion. Capstar should be administered daily, or when adult fleas are seen on your cat. The effects are short lasting, and repeated dosages are necessary for re-infesting fleas. Comfortis kills adult fleas for 30 days; however, neither of these products are effective against flea eggs and larvae so they are often used while the oral medication Program is being established.

    Additional Products

    • There are several other products that receive good reviews and are effective for the control and prevention of fleas on cats. A few of these are topical medications similar to Revolution and Advantage and include Frontline Plus which controls fleas, flea eggs, lice and ticks; Bio Spot, which kills fleas, flea eggs and deer ticks as well as biting mosquito's which cause heartworm and ProMeris for cats which controls existing flea infestations.