Photo Credit: Tristan Bowersox via Flickr
Fleas might be small, but they can cause some big problems. They are a nuisance that can cause cats itching and irritation, transmit tapeworms if swallowed, and left unchecked can even result in anemia. While fleas prefer warmer mammals, they are often willing to take a bite out of humans as well. If there is any chance that your cat may encounter fleas, it’s time to find the purrrfect flea treatment for cats.
Your Most Important Resource
Your first line of defense against fleas should be your veterinarian. It can be really complicated to find just the right flea treatment for cats (which you will see by the end of this post). Cats are very sensitive to oils and pesticides. If you cat already has fleas, it will be important to put together a plan to not only treat the cat, but your home, your vehicle, and your property as well. Each element of the plan requires different types of flea treatments. Your veterinarian can help you find all of the right products that will eliminate the fleas without eliminating your cat. It is worth every penny that you will pay for the office visit to get the right advice.
The Big Don’t in Flea Treatment for Cats
DO NOT, under any circumstances treat a cat with a product that is meant for dogs. Ever. Do not make the mistake of thinking that giving a cat a small dose of dog flea treatments will be okay. Be sure to read the package to make sure that the product you have chosen to use on your cat is intended for use with cats. Many cats have died after being treated with flea products that were intended for dogs. These products contain ingredients that are highly toxic to cats.
Always read the packaging and ingredient labels on a flea treatment for cats before using it. DO NOT give a cat a flea treatment that contains pyrethrins or pyrethroids. These are often found in pesticides and in flea products intended for dogs so you will have to check. Pyrethrins are pesticides derived from the flower of a pyrethrum plant (Chrysanthemum cinerariaefolium). Pyrethroids are synthetic versions of the pyrethins that have better sustainability in sunlight. According to the EPA, pyrethoids include the following:
Pyrethrum Flower Photo Credit: Amanda Slater via Flickr
- Allethrin stereoisomers
- Bifenthrin
- Beta-Cyfluthrin
- Cyfluthrin
- Cypermethrin
- Cyphenothrin
- Deltamethrin
- Esfenvalerate
- Fenpropathrin
- Tau-Fluvalinate
- Lambda-Cyhalothrin
- Gamma Cyhalothrin
- Imiprothrin
- 1RS cis-Permethrin
- Permethrin
- Prallethrin
- Resmethrin
- Sumithrin (d-phenothrin)
- Tefluthrin
- Tetramethrin
- Tralomethrin
- Zeta-Cypermethrin
If your cat ingests pyrethrins or pyrethroids or absorbs them through their skin, the results can be deadly. PetMD says that symptoms include “muscle tremors, incoordination, seizures, hypothermia, and death within hours if not treated.” Upon noticing any unusual symptoms after using a flea treatment for cats, call your veterinarian or emergency veterinarian immediately.
Natural Vs. Chemical
Lavender oil is helpful in preventing fleas. Photo Credit: Susan Rose via Flickr
Many cat owners are growing concerned about using any kind of chemical on their cat. The concern is understandable (see above). If you choose to use a holistic flea treatment for cats, be sure to include your holistic veterinarian in on your plans. Essential oils, vitamins, and other natural flea remedies can be very effective, but only if used properly and in proper doses. Cats can be very sensitive to these products too! Your holistic veterinarian can help you tailor a holistic flea treatment for cats that will be specific to your cat’s needs.
Be very careful about purchasing an over-the-counter flea treatment for cats that claims to be natural. There are plenty of wacky products out there that may be toxic for your cat even if they are labeled for cats (like products containing tea tree oil). It is important to note that just because something is found in nature, doesn’t make it safe to use. Arsenic can found naturally in fish, shellfish, and soil; Cyanide can be found naturally in apple seeds and peach pits. These are still extremely deadly substances even though the are found in nature.
There are a number of veterinarians and pesticide professionals that chemical flea treatments for cats are the only way to go. Even these professionals warn against using over-the-counter flea treatments for cats because of the lack of regulation on these products. They also feel that natural products can not eliminate fleas effectively. If you choose a chemical flea treatment, be sure to follow your veterinarian’s and the manufacturer’s instructions.
Do Your Research
Reading up on your chosen flea treatment for cats is crucial. Many legitimate flea prevention products have a wealth of information about the product listed on the company’s website. Looking up 3rd party reviews of the product is very helpful too. Between the product information from the company and your veterinarian’s advice, you need to find out the following information:
- Which stages of the flea life cycle are affected by this flea treatment for cats?
- Does this product also prevent/eliminate other parasites like ticks, mites, or mosquito?
- Is this product for use on your cat, on your home, on or vehicle interior, or in your yard?
- How will the use of this product affect other pets, children, or yourself when it is applied properly? Does it need to dry before anyone can touch it?
- What is the proper method for using this product? Internally with your cat? Externally with your cat? In the yard? Sprayed? Sprinkled? Applied with an eye dropper?
- What is the proper amount of the product to be used in your situation? Does it need to be diluted or mixed with something else?
- How long will the product be effective once applied? How often can it be reapplied effectively?
- What cautions or warnings are there with this flea treatment for cats? How will you know if it is making your cat sick?
- What will be the sign that you have eliminated your flea problem and can discontinue use of the product?
What do you do to keep your kitties flea free?
No fleas please!
Sources and Digging Deeper
These Natural Flea-Busters Help Your Pet Enjoy Summer More… -Healthy Pets at Mercola
Flea Control and Prevention – Drs Foster and Smith
Fleas and flea control in cats – International Cat Care
Types of Flea & Tick Control Products -PetMD
Flea Control in Cats -VCA Animal Hospitals
Flea and Tick Medicine Poisoning in Cats – PetMD
Pyrethroids and Pyrethrins – EPA
Great info! Hate those little buggers!
ღ husky hugz ღ frum our pack at Love is being owned by a husky!
Thank you! I hate fleas too. They are such a pain to deal with!
Great post, there are so many products out there that can harm our cats and yet they can still be sold. All our indoor cats had fleas last year, it was a nightmare. I think it was from the cat we took in the fall before, I used Frontline which is useless. Now, I am crossing my fingers and going without. I really don’t like using chemicals on them.
Thank you. I agree – there are a lot of very harmful products on the market. It stinks that you had to put up with fleas! They really are a pain. I haven’t had them with my cats (except a very small case when Manna was a baby), but I did deal with them back when I had dogs. Not fun at all. If you are going to use chemicals, the prescription ones from the vet are the way to go for sure. The stuff at the grocery store won’t kill enough of them. I would try different natural means first too. I hope you don’t have fleas this year!
guys….we use diatomaceous earth heer in de land oh trout; thanx for de grate info post two day ~~~ ♥
You are welcome! Diatomaceous earth sounds like some great stuff. If I ever have to deal with fleas, I will be giving that a try. I had to deal with fleas back in the day when I owned dogs, but my kitties have been very blessed not to have them.
I can second the benefits of DE. Works great and it’s safe to use regularly (borax can cause respiratory issues)
Thanks for a great resource.
You’re welcome 🙂 I hope that it helps.
Thanks for all this! It’s very important that humans be educated about flea products. So many cats suffer because they get the wrong product, the wrong dosage, or because the company puts out dangerous products to begin with.
You are welcome. You are so right. Humans don’t always know what they are getting in to when they use flea products on cats. Companies are not always as accountable as they should be for the problems that their products cause either. I hate hearing about kitties that get hurt from flea products.
Great information, and you told it : our most important resource is our vet. Fleas are such naughty little bugs ! Purrs
This is such important information! Especially about not using flea treatment for dogs on cats. So many people think it’s just fine to do that, and they don’t realize how dangerous it is. The head peep lost one of her childhood cats to pyrethrin toxicity, and we hope that no one ever has to go through a loss like that again.
I have fought fleas both chemically and naturally… both ways suck! Fleas just suck. Last year when we had them, I used diatomaceous earth, a flea comb, and a homemade spray made from vinegar, witch hazel, and lemon juice. It worked… I got rid of the fleas. But it took FOREVER and it was a TON of work. This year, we got them again. And I cheated and used Advantage topical treatment… it was much quicker, but also more costly. Plus, I was paranoid the whole time about the effects the chemicals may have on the cats. Like I said… fleas just suck!!!
Fleas are the worst!
Good advice! Fleas can be hard to get rid off.
My kitten caught a bad case of fleas after he decided to play out in the neighbor’s yard. I’m looking for some kind of medication to get rid of his fleas. It’s a good thing that I came across your tip to avoid using any kind of treatment that’s used for dogs. My dog used to have fleas, so I still have some of his old flea medication at home. I was considering using that on my kitten until you said that medications that are meant for dogs could be fatal to cats. I’m glad that you posted that, or else I wouldn’t have known to look for a cat flea treatment otherwise. Thanks for the tips!
I am so thankful that you didn’t use the dog product on your cat! There are many cats that die each year from that. The flea medications for cats are no more expensive or difficult to find than the ones for dogs. I suggest getting a prescription flea medication from your veterinarian rather than over-the-counter. They are a little more expensive, but they are far more effective and less likely to cause side effects. I’m really glad that you came by! Any time you need any cat tips, I will be more than glad to help.
I noticed recently that my cat has started scratching more than he usually does, so I’m thinking that he may have fleas. I’ve been looking for a good way to help rid him a fleas and help prevent against contracting them again, and the suggestion you made to do research will certainly help me make sure that I find him the best flea control for his situation. Once I’ve narrowed it down, I will likewise take your advice to read reviews from a third party. Hopefully this will help me narrow it down my function and by quality. Either way, thank you for sharing with me these clever ways to find the right flea control for my cat. They will make a huge difference.
I didn’t realize that dog and cat flea treatment was different. I have a dog, but my sister’s cat has fleas and she was asking me what to do. I’m glad I read this before giving her our flea treatment stuff!
Thanks for the tip to not use dog treatment agents for cats. I would have thought they could both tolerate similar products. I would have assumed this because they are both animals of similar size and fur. It makes sense, though, that cats would be more sensitive to certain things.
Fleas can be a nightmare, but if you get into a good routine of keeping up with the spot-on treatments every month and getting the cats wormed regularly, you will hopefully have to deal with less infestations.
It is an extremely important question on How to get rid of fleas on kittens, especially when they are young and new born. Since they cannot withstand the effect of fleas and ticks on them. Nice info.
I like how you emphasized the importance of consulting with your veterinarian before performing flea treatments for your cat. Like you said, certain treatments can actually harm your cat, so it’s important to ask your veterinarian for safe options. I also like your tip to do your own research on any given flea products so you can be well informed. Thanks for the article.