Best Flea and Tick Pest Control for Cats - Effective Flea Controls

Best Flea and Tick Pest Control for Cats - Effective Flea Controls

Fleas and ticks are parasites that feed on the cat's blood and are able to transmit various bacteria and parasites to it, which are responsible for many diseases. Flea and tick infestation is therefore a problem that should not be taken lightly!

For you and for your cat ...

Fortunately, there are many pest control solutions on the market for cats, some for curative use, others for preventive use, and still others combining the two actions. However, in the midst of the abundance of this offer, finding the best treatment can be problematic.

 

To help you find the ideal pest control treatment for your little feline, this article presents everything you need to know about this type of product, as well as a selection of the best pest control products on the market.

Why use an antiparasitic for your cat against fleas, ticks etc…?

While doing a thorough grooming on your cat will allow you to remove all the fleas attached to her body, this solution will not protect her against a future invasion of parasites and against the remaining eggs .

An antiparasitic treatment meanwhile, in addition to killing 100% of existing parasites, prevents any next invasion and spread of these parasites by sterilizing them (preventing them from laying and multiplying). This is the reason why a good pest control is the ideal solution to effectively fight against fleas and ticks in cats.

How to choose an antiparasitic to treat your animal?

You will find several types of antiparasitics on the market: pipettes, collars, sprays, shampoos and tablets. Unfortunately, not all are suitable for all cats and all situations.

So, to find the ideal parasiticide for your little feline, you must take into account the cat's lifestyle (indoor or outdoor), the nature of its coat (short or long), as well as the risk of infestation (environment not very dense in fleas or an environment conducive to their proliferation).

Antiparasitic pipettes

Still qualified as spot-on pipettes, antiparasitic pipettes are products used to treat cats against ticks and fleas. Their use is relatively simple, and their action varies from 1 to 3 months, depending on the formula of the manufacturing laboratory. It is applied behind the cat's neck, an area inaccessible to the cat when it licks itself, thus preventing any risk of poisoning.

Administration of an anti-flea and tick pipette on the cat

 

Frontline Anti-flea and tick combo cat

Available in a pack of 6 pipettes, Frontline cobo cat is effective against fleas, ticks and lice in cats. Indeed, this product kills fleas fixed on the cat within 24 hours. In addition, thanks to its formula enriched with IGR (Insect Growth Regulator), it considerably reduces the laying of fleas, as well as the formation of larvae and prevents the formation of cocoons. This pest control therefore stops the contamination of your home by flea eggs and larvae, preventing permanent re-infestations of your hairball. The Frontline combo also kills, within 48 hours, more than 90% of ticks attached to the animal, as well as all lice.

Information and advice for Frontline Combo

Precaution for use

 

Advantage 40 for cats 1 to 4 kg of Bayer Vétérinaire

Thanks to its active principle imidacloprid, this product specially designed for cats weighing 1 to 4 kg can prevent, treat and to prevent any re-infestation of your little feline by fleas. Like all antiparasitic pipettes, it is applied to the back of the tomcat's neck, directly to the skin. Once the hair on the nape of the neck has been removed, you just need to pour the entire 0.4 ml of the bottle on the cat's skin. Its action is persistent, and lasts 3 to 4 weeks.

Information and advice for Advantage 80 and 40

 

Advantage 80 for cats 4 kg and more from Bayer Vétérinaire

In the same formula as the Advantage 40, Bayer Vétérinaire's Advantage 80 is a product in a format suitable for the largest existing cats, weighing more than 4 kg. It has a triple action: not only does it eliminate all of the fleas installed on your cat, but in addition it acts as a repellent, preventing any re-infestation. In3rd place, Advantage 80 can also serve as allergic dermatitis treatment of your little feline. In addition, imidacloprid, its active principle, spreads only on the skin and without infiltrating the blood, which makes this product without side effects.

Particularly recommended for large cats who are used to going out and being around other animals, this product is effective for 4 weeks.

Information and advice for Advantage 80 and 40

Pest control

collars These are collars soaked in active products with prolonged release, which are put around the neck of your hairball, like a classic collar. They are effective against fleas and ticks, and their action lasts between 2, 7 and 8 months.

However, despite its long-lasting action, the use of the antiparasitic collar is especially recommended for preventive use, to protect cats living in an environment not or only slightly infested with parasites. Its use in a highly contaminated environment proves to be very ineffective.

 

Seresto anti-flea and tick collar for cats

Made up of a patented polymer matrix incorporating highly effective active ingredients such as imidacloprid and flumethrin, the Seresto collar is particularly effective against fleas and ticks. Indeed, once the collar is installed on the neck of your small feline, small amounts of these active ingredients are constantly diffused on the skin of the cat, which absorbs them. Imidacloprid protects your tomcat against adult larvae and fleas for 7-8 months, while flumethrin repels and kills ticks for 8 months.

Information and advice for the Seresto Bayer collar

Precaution for use with this anti-flea and tick collar

 

Natural Insect Repellent Collar - Cat, from Clément-Thekan laboratories

This collar has the particularity of being insecticide-free and containing only active ingredients of 100% natural origin. It effectively protects your cat against the main external parasites of the cat, including fleas, ticks, mosquitoes, chiggers, sandflies and many others. With a length of 60 cm, this water resistant collar, PVC and phthalate free, is intended for use on cats over 4 months old. It has a duration of action of 4 months, and it is recommended that you replace it every 2 months if your cat bathes frequently, or in the event of a strong parasitic invasion.

Antiparasitic

With a duration of action of about 1 month, spraysthe sprays are very simple and very quick to use. They are therefore very practical in the event of an invasion of fleas or ticks. All you have to do isspray the product all over your cat's body, and depending on the mark, 2 to 6 sprays per kilo. However, note that some cats do not like the noise the spray emits, as well as the smell of the product, and may become frightened, upset or even run away while you are applying the pest control.

 

Frontline Spray - 500 ml

The Frontline spray eliminates parasites from your cat's body and protects it from any invasion. Indeed, thanks to the Fipronil it contains, its active principle, it kills all the fleas in your little feline's body within 24 hours. It also eliminates 90% of ticks, as well as all lice within 48 hours. This product has a duration of action of 40 days to fight against fleas, and 2 weeks to fight against ticks.

Information and advice for Frontline Spray Cat

Precaution for use with this antiparasitic Spray

 

Fiprokil Spray - 500ml, from Laboratoires Clément-Thekan

This spray is indicated to fight or prevent infestations of fleas or ticks. Depending on the context and the level of infestation in your cat's environment, the Fiprokil spray has a persistent action of 6 weeks against fleas and 4 weeks against ticks.

Precaution for use with this antiparasitic

 

sprayTickPuss 2.5 mg Dogs and Cats Flea / tick spray - 250 ml

This product has been specially designed to treat infestations of your cat's body by fleas (Ctenocephalides spp) and ticks (Ixodes ricinus, Rhipicephalus sanguineus). Its insecticidal action against fleas can last up to 6 weeks. In addition, the TickPuss spray is also indicated in the treatment of Dermatitis due to Hypersensitivity to Flea Bites.

Precaution for use with this Antiparasitic Spray

Powders or antiparasitic shampoos

Nowadays, powders have almost disappeared from the market and are used very little. Containing an active principle of contact which causes the convulsion of the parasites and makes them fall from the skin of the cat, the powders are used at a frequency of 2 to 3 times per week to fight effectively against the infestations.

Antiparasitic shampoos on the other hand are used to kill all the fleas present on the cat's body at once, it is a cat shampoo that contains an insecticide. However, they have no residual action, and do not therefore do not protect against re-infestations.

 

TMT Tetramethrine Powder - 150g

TMT Tetramethrine Powder - 150g from Laboratoires Clément-Thekan is a treatment to be applied to your cat's body, to get rid of fleas, ticks and lice. Its active principle, Tetramethrin, is a contact insecticide belonging to the group of pyrethrins, which has a rapid convulsive action on parasites.

Precaution for use with this antiparasitic powder

 

Antiparasitic Powder Cat - 150 g, from Biocanina

This is an antiparasitic powder with tetramethrin (a molecule of the pyrethroid family), specially designed to rid cats of fleas , ticks and lice. In fact, in contact with the parasites, this powder blocks the transmission of nerve impulses, causing the insects to convulse, and makes them fall from the cat. For optimal effectiveness of the product, you must apply the powder respecting the dose of 1 gram of powder per kilogram of the cat.

Leave-in foamdogs and cats - 150 ml, by Biocanina

shampoo forWithout pesticides or chemical insecticides, this shampoo has been developed by Biocanina to eliminate the larvae and adult forms of fleas from the body of your little feline. Thanks to dimethicone, its active principle, this shampoo in contact with the parasites immobilizes them and makes them fall from the animal.

Using antiparasitic shampoo Antiparasitic

tablets Antiparasitic

tablets for cats are intended to eliminate fleas only, within a few hours of taking. In addition, some models have a residual action, that is to say they also protect the animal against any re-infestation, for a period of up to 1 month. The dosage is very simple: 1 tablet to be administered, preferably with a meal.

Be careful, flea tablets are not deworming, they do not act against worms and other internal parasites of cats. In this case, head to a suitable cat dewormer.

The tablet has many advantages over other anti-flea products, in particular by sparing you multiple constraints related to use (apply all over the body, do not bathe the animal, etc.). However, the antiparasitic tablets also have some drawbacks: it can be difficult to swallow the tablet to the cat, and some side effects (but temporary) can be felt by the tomcat, such as slight digestive disorders and sometimes loss of form.

 

Capstar 11.4 mg - anti-flea small dogs and cats - 6 tablets

This tablet is indicated to eliminate all the fleas installed on your cat. Indeed, with the action of its active principle (Nitenpyram), the Capstar 11.4 mg tablet has a visible effect on fleas 15 to 30 minutes after being ingested. 6 hours of time is sufficient to eliminate more than 95% of the fleas, and in all cases, all the fleas, without exception, are eliminated within 24 hours after administration of the product.

Note that this product is not suitable for cats under 4 weeks of age or weighing less than one kilogram. In addition, its action lasts only 24 hours, and it does not protect against potential reinfestation: this is why it can only be used as a curative and not preventive.

The veterinarian's opinion on cat fleas

How to choose the best protection for my cat?

In the midst of the endless array of pest control products for cats on offer, choosing the right protection for your little feline is no easy task. But, do not panic! To find yourself, you just have to keep in mind the following 3 main criteria : the effectiveness of the product, its composition, as well as its price.

Efficiency

It's a fact that everyone is looking for a product that is efficient, easy to use and has as few constraints as possible. And this is precisely the case with antiparasitic tablets which, apart from slight side effects and transient, present almost no constraints and eliminate 100% of the fleas present on the animal.

Composition

In all cases, whatever product you have opted for, it would be preferable for it to be as natural as possible (preferably organic), in order to limit potential side effects and impacts on the health of your little feline. .

Price

Finally, the price is one of the criteria that should not be neglected at all. It is not always the more expensive product that is the most effective or the healthiest. So when choosing a kitty pest control, go for the one with the best value for money. On the other hand, if your cat is covered by health insurance for catsinsurance, the price will be a secondary criterion for you insofar as the mutualcompany can pay for the drug.

Can fleas or ticks transmit diseases to cats?

Often carriers of bacteria and parasites, fleas can transmit diseases to cats, in addition to being the cause of violent allergic reactions.

For example, a flea carrying a particular bacteria (gram - Mycoplasma haemofelis or Mycoplasma haemominutum) can transmit a blood disease (feline hemobartonellosis) to your hairball, by biting it.

Fleas can also transmit tapeworms to your cat, a digestive parasite that can also be transmitted to humans. But, the most common health problem in cats related to flea bites is the allergic reaction which, with just one bite, can be complicated by Flea Bite Hypersensitivity Dermatitis (DHPP).

What are the dangers associated with fleas and ticks that cats can bring to humans?

By biting a cat, a flea carrying a parasite like the tapeworm will transmit it to the cat. As the tapeworm can also live in a human organism, the cat can in turn contaminate its owner, for example when the latter will maintain the litter box and will not wash his hands well. It is therefore imperative to deworm your cat infested with fleas, preventively if he goes outside.

When to deworm your cat with an external dewormer?

The best way to protect your cat is to give it a preventative pest control only if it goes outside.

Thus, during periods of risk (every month except in winter), it is recommended that you protect your little feline with an antiparasitic collar or any other product for preventive use.

If you ever discover a flea on your cat, it you will have to act quickly, because this flea has already had time to lay hundreds of eggs in your house and wherever your cat has been. So, in addition to treating your cat with a good external pest control product for curative and preventive use, you will also need to treat all your other animals, as well as your home and the cat's environment.

How to protect your cat preventively against fleas?

The best way to protect your little animal from a flea invasion is to administer a preventive antiparasitic treatment during periods of risk (periods when the climate is relatively hot).

Natural antiparasitics versus classic antiparasitics

It is clear that like you, you would like your cat to have the most effective and natural treatment, and with the fewest side effects possible. However, the natural products currently available on the market are unfortunately less effective than conventional antiparasitics.

Indeed, although being able to repel parasites, they do not have a persistent action like conventional antiparasitics. Natural antiparasitics are therefore better suited for use in addition to conventional preventive treatment.

The essential oil is not very effective, be careful!

Not everything that is good for humans is good for cats, and can even be very dangerous for cats ! Thus, despite all its benefits on the human body, the essential oil is not indicated for application to cats.

However, there are essential oil pest control products specially formulated for cats, but which remain effective for a very short time. In addition, it is dangerous to apply repetitive essential oil treatments on cats.

What do external cat dewormers protect against?

The pest control products available on the market have been developed to treat and protect your little animal from fleas, ticks and lice.

Fleas

From the Pulicidae family, the flea is an insect of adult size varying from 2 to 4 mm, settling on the cat in order to feed on its blood. This is the reason why it is called a parasite. The common flea species infesting cats is Ctenocephalides felis.

Ticks Ticks

are parasitic mites of many species, in this case cats. Usually very active in spring and fall, it attaches itself to the cat in order to consume its blood.

Lice and chiggers

Lice infesting cats are different from those of children. These are parasitic insects that cling to the base of a cat's hair and feed on its blood. Chiggers on the other hand, contrary to what you may think, are not pests only encountered in August. They are bright orange mites, which like to attach themselves to the face, ears, stomach and between the fingers of the cat.

How to detect the presence of fleas or ticks?

A cat infested with fleas or ticks will tend to scratch and lick excessively. But that doesn't always mean that a cat that doesn't scratch or lick itself too much isn't infested. In all cases.

The best way to detect the presence of fleas on your little feline is touse a fine comb.

If you find small black balls on your cat's coat, put them on a handkerchief and soak them in a little water. If halos of blood form on the handkerchief, then these black balls are flea excrement, confirming the presence of these parasites on your cat.

Once you have detected the presence of fleas or ticks you will need to deal with the problem, a solution for fleas and by removing ticks quickly, removing a tick is easy, follow this guide to remove ticks from cats.