How To Treat Fleas On A Cat

How To Treat Fleas On A Cat

Fleas are one of the most annoying parasites found in cats. Fleas suck the cat’s blood and cause considerable itching and skin irritation in the host. A number of products are available in the market to prevent flea bites, but they reduce flea populations only during the treatment period.

The goal of every pet owner is to create the best living conditions for their pets. Sometimes cat fleas can take over and cause problems in the home. It’s important to get rid of them as soon as possible, because in some cases they might be carrying other diseases that can affect humans and your pets. This article provides an overview of fleas and how you should treat fleas for cats effectively.

How To Treat Fleas On A Cat

Fleas can be a pain in the neck for both cats and their owners. They’re a common problem, but fortunately there are ways you can treat them at home. The first step to treating fleas is identifying where they’re coming from. Your cat’s fur can hold fleas for up to a week, so if your cat has been outside recently and has fur that smells like soil or grass, it’s likely that there are fleas living in it. You can also check your cat’s coat for live fleas by parting it into sections and combing through it with a fine-toothed comb.

If you find that your pet has fleas, you’ll need to treat them with a topical medication like Frontline or Advantage. These medications come in either sprays or drops, depending on what kind of animal you have (cats versus dogs). They may also come in different concentrations; consult with your veterinarian before applying any product. If you’re treating an indoor kitty, make sure you keep them inside while the medicine dries on their fur so they don’t ingest any of the chemicals in it accidentally!

Treating fleas on cats is a difficult task, but it’s not impossible. It’s just important to know what you’re doing.

It’s important to use a quality product and treat your cat in a way that makes sense for their breed and personality. If you have a particularly anxious cat, then you might want to try a different method than if you have a laid-back cat.

If your cat has fleas, there are some things that can be done to eliminate them from your pet’s fur and skin.

The first thing you should do is check with your vet to see if there are any other underlying health concerns that might be making the fleas worse. This can include anything from allergies or irritations from mites or flea bites themselves.

Once you’ve determined that this is just an issue with fleas, there are several things you can do.

How To Treat Fleas On A Cat

A cat who scratches, chews their skin, or seems restless could mean that they have fleas. You can ease their itch (and protect yourself) by knowing how to spot and destroy fleas on your pet and in your house.

Do a Flea Check

Before you spend money on flea treatments, find out if these pests have settled on your cat:

  • Watch for any signs of movement in their fur. If you spot tiny bugs bouncing off their coat, it’s time to fight fleas.
  • Comb your cat with a fine-toothed metal flea comb from head to tail several times a day. This will skim off adult fleas and their eggs and ease their itching.
  • Then, dip the comb in a mixture of warm to hot water and liquid dish detergent to kill the fleas.

How to Prevent Fleas

Your cat’s warm, furry coat and nourishing blood supply are a flea’s dream home. Protect your pet with a flea barrier to prevent these tiny pests from settling in. There are a few different types:

Products you put on your cat. Spot-on treatments are safer, more convenient, and more effective than traditional dusts, shampoos, and sprays. You can buy them from your vet or online. Ask your vet where on your cat to put the product, how much to apply, and how often to use it. If you’re not getting the treatment from your vet, read the product label first to make sure it’s safe for cats. Some common active ingredients and brands include:

  • Fipronil (Frontline Plus)
  • Imidacloprid (Advantage)
  • Selamectin (Stronghold/Revolution)
  • Fluralaner (Bravecto)

A flea collar with flumethrin and imidacloprid (Seresto) can also work well.

Medicines your cat eats. The pill nitenpyram (Capstar) kills adult fleas on your cat within 30 minutes. It doesn’t have any lasting effects, though. Spinosad (Comfortis) is a fast-acting chewable that starts killing fleas before they lay eggs. It provides a full month of flea protection to help prevent future hatchings.

Treat Stubborn Fleas

Fleas that stubbornly stick around despite treatment may call for more serious measures.

  • Clear the decks. Take all pets and family members out of the house, and then coat carpets and other surfaces with a flea spray. Sprays that work the best have the ingredient methoprene or pyriproxyfen. If you’re worried about chemicals in the house, try a natural citrus spray. Keep pets, kids, and everyone else away until all surfaces have dried.
  • Make sure all your pets get flea treatment. Any untreated pet can be a flea reservoir, and you’ll never get control of the flea situation. Until all of your pets are treated, fleas will win the battle.
  • Call a flea expert. If fleas are still around, you might need an exterminator to address the problem.

Even in large numbers, fleas are tiny and pretty easy to kill. After a few weeks of thorough cleaning, they should stop bugging your cat — and you. Although it can take up to 3 months to fully eradicate an infestation.

While commercial flea medications and treatments can certainly help tame a flea problem in your cat, there are also an array of do-it-yourself approaches that cat owners can take to banish the bugs. If you’ve already had a consultation with your veterinarian regarding your feline flea problem, here are some at-home remedies you can try that may help get rid of your cat’s flea problem for good.

Quick Tip

Before trying any of these at-home remedies on your cat, consult your veterinarian, who will know best which route you should take.

Cedar Chips

It’s a known fact that fleas hate the smell of cedar chips—and there’s a chance your cat may not be too fond of it, either. However, you can try spreading cedar chips around your cat’s bedding or outdoors in your garden. You can also apply cedar oil spray on your cat’s fur, as it is a safe, non-toxic essential oil, or even your cat’s collar to help keep the bugs at bay.

Lemons

One of the most effective natural flea killers is citric acid, which makes lemon juice a widely-recognized home remedy for treating fleas. You can spray your cat’s coat with a solution made by boiling a cut lemon or two (let the lemons steep for a few hours) and then draining the liquid before transferring it to a spray bottle. Work the solution gently into your car’s fur—just be sure to avoid his or her eyes and monitor your pet for redness or other signs of irritation—and repeat the treatment as often as needed until the fleas are gone entirely.

If your cat hates water—as most cats do—you can also try using a comb dipped into the solution and brushing the fleas out. If you’re concerned about any leftover fleas and flea eggs, add a cup of lemon juice to your laundry while washing your pet’s bedding to help exterminate any remaining bugs.

Clear spray bottle with slices of lemon for preventing fleas
The Spruce / Ana Cadena

Spices

One of the easiest things you can do for a flea-infested cat is to spice up their life with natural ingredients you might find in your kitchen. Because of a natural compound known as carvacrol, oregano oil can be very effective at removing fleas; start by mixing one teaspoon of oregano oil with three teaspoons of olive oil and apply small amounts of the solution to areas where fleas tend to congregate, like your cat’s ears, stomach, tail, and neck. Fleas also don’t particularly care for rosemary; try grinding the leaves into a powder and sprinkling it in the areas where your cat tends to hang out in your home.

If your cat won’t allow you to apply topical treatments to his or her fur, you can try mixing a small amount (less than a teaspoon) of cumin into your cat’s food. The spice will make your cat’s skin become very unappetizing to fleas.

If you don’t have any of these spices on hand, a little bit of table salt can also do the trick, as it helps dehydrate and kill the fleas on your cat. Better yet, it works to kill fleas and flea eggs that may be lurking on your carpet (just sprinkle it on), or when mixed with water, it can be used to treat hard surfaces.

List Of How To Treat Fleas On A Cat

ANGRY ORANGE Pet Odor Eliminator for Strong Odor - Citrus Deodorizer for Strong Dog Urine or Cat Pee Smells on Carpet, Furniture & Indoor Outdoor Floors - 24 Fluid Ounces - Puppy Supplies
Price : $19.97 ($19.97 / Count)
Features :

  • Powerful – A little goes a long way with the Angry Orange pet odor eliminator for home use. It’s a carpet deodorizer that targets strong, lingering smells at the source and destroys them.
  • Citrus Scent – Derived from fresh orange peels, our carpet cleaner for pets smells like heaven and works like hell on stubborn odors.
  • Ready to Use – This bottle of urine odor eliminator can be used directly on cat pee or dog waste. No mixing required!
  • Convenient – For best results, remove pets from area, clean excess mess, shake well & spray, let dry completely. Do not apply product directly to your pet or use in a diffuser. Cats & Birds may be sensitive to concentrated levels of certain ingredients.
  • Multipurpose – This pet carpet cleaner can also be used to eliminate odors from tile, couch upholstery, garbage cans, car interiors, and more.

Additional Info :

Rocco & Roxie Stain & Odor Eliminator for Strong Odor - Enzyme-Powered Pet Odor Eliminator for Home - Carpet Stain Remover for Cats and Dog Pee - Enzymatic Cat Urine Destroyer - Carpet Cleaner Spray
Price : $19.97 ($0.62 / Fl Oz)
Features :

  • CERTIFIED GENTLE AND SAFE Chlorine free and color safe. Safe to use around pets and children. No hazardous propellants, no residue left behind. So gentle it’s been Certified Safe for all carpets, earning the Seal of Approval by the trusted Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI)
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Additional Info :

Item Dimensions
Height 10 Inches
Width 2 Inches
Length 5 Inches
Weight 2 Pounds
FRONTLINE Plus for Cats and Kittens (1.5 pounds and over) Flea and Tick Treatment, 3 Doses
Price : $38.99
Features :

  • Waterproof flea and tick treatment for cats and kittens: Frontline Plus for Cats provides waterproof, fast-acting, long-lasting flea and tick treatment and control for your cat. This product is approved for use on cats and kittens 1.5 lbs and over.
  • Break the flea life cycle with frontline: Frontline flea and tick treatment for cats kills adult fleas plus flea eggs and larvae to stop existing infestations and prevent establishment of new infestations.
  • Kills fleas and ticks: Frontline flea and tick treatment for cats kills fleas, flea eggs, lice, and ticks. This flea and tick treatment kills ticks, including those that may transmit Lyme disease.
  • Trusted flea and tick protection for cats: Frontline Plus for Cats has been trusted by veterinarians for nearly 20 years. Made with 2 tough killing ingredients, fipronil and (S)-methoprene – one to kill adult fleas and ticks and the second to kill flea eggs and larvae – this fast-acting, long-lasting protection provides flea and tick control for cats and kittens 8 weeks and older.
  • Lasting flea and tick protection: Frontline’s long-lasting formula is stored in the oil glands of the cat’s skin to give non-stop flea and tick protection for a full 30 days. Frontline flea and tick treatment for cats works non-stop for a full 30 days. A 3-dose supply lasts for 3 months.

Additional Info :

Color Green
Item Dimensions
Height 0.5 Inches
Width 4.5 Inches
Length 6 Inches
Weight 0.07054792384 Pounds
CAPSTAR Oral Flea Treatment for Cats 2-25 lbs, Fast Acting, 6 Doses
Price : $36.99
Features :

  • FAST-ACTING FLEA TREATMENT: One oral flea tablet starts killing fleas within 30 minutes.
  • TACKLE FLEA INFESTATIONS FAST: Give Capstar oral flea treatment and watch dead fleas fall off your pet.
  • TREAT RE-INFESTATIONS FAST: If your pet gets re-invested with fleas, simply give another dose as often as once a day.
  • WITHOUT A VET PRESCRIPTION: Flea treatment without needing a veterinarian prescription, administer this cat flea tablet orally to kill adult fleas fast.
  • KILL ADULT FLEAS: Capstar oral flea treatment tablets (11.4 mg) are safe for cats and kittens from 2-25 lbs., four (4) weeks and older.

Additional Info :

Color Pink
Item Dimensions
Height 2.99 Inches
Width 0.79 Inches
Length 4.92 Inches
Weight 2.508E-5 Pounds
CAPACTION Fast-Acting Oral Flea Treatment for Cats (2-25 lbs), 6 Doses, 11.4 mg
Price : $24.99
Features :

  • FAST-ACTING: One oral flea tablet starts killing fleas within 30 minutes of administration.
  • SAFE TO USE: This oral flea medication is safe for kittens and cats from 2-25 lbs. 4 weeks and older, when used as directed.
  • TREAT RE-INFESTATIONS FAST: If your pet gets re-invested with fleas simply apply another dose as often as once a day. CapAction Flea Pills are even safe for use on pregnant or breeding cats.
  • EASY TO USE: Without the mess and rubbing off of a flea and tick topical treatment and without the need of a veterinarian prescription this cat flea tablet is administered orally to kill adult fleas fast.
  • KILL FLEAS EFFICIENTLY: CapAction flea treatment has 6 doses and kills adult fleas that may cause allergy dermatitis.

Additional Info :

Item Dimensions
Height 6 Inches
Width 5.5 Inches
Length 0.63 Inches
Weight 0.05 Pounds

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