Flea and Tick Products for Cats
Spot-ons like Frontline (tm), Revolution (tm)and Biospot (tm), sprays, powders. collars - all of these products protect your cat from fleas and ticks that are not only a nuisance but can cause other health problems in your pet. Read onfor pros and cons of each type of product and some recommendations.
Whichever product you choose, make certain to ONLY use a product INTENDED FOR CATS! Some flea and tick products made for dogs contain chemicals which can be harmful to your cat. Always read the label and follow the manufacturer's recommendations and your veterinarian's advice for use!
Flea and Tick Prevention for cats - an overview of the options
Spot-ons / Stripe-ons
There are two types of spot-on products - traditional products packaged to be applied to the skin (il.e. Biospot) and proprietary products like Revolution and Frontline.
Revolution
Revolution is a spot-on treatment that kills fleas and ear mites. It does also get into the bloodstream, where it kills hookworms and roundworms and prevents heartworm. Active ingredient is Selemectin.
Pros: Considered one of the safer products for cats. Make sure you get Revolution made for cats. NEVER use Revolution for dogs on a cat - its a different product.
Cons: Doesn't kill ticks. Some cats may have a reaction to it including diarrhea / vomiting, hair loss and skin sensitivity. Notify your vet if your cat experiences side effects.
Frontline/Frontline Plus
Pros: Specially formulated to stay in the skin layers - Frontline is very safe, very effective and convenient to use. It protects your cat for weeks yet it stays in the skin and does not get absorbed into the cat's system! Frontline Plus also kills flea eggs and larvae. Again, make sure you use the product intended for cats.
Cons: Aside from the price, a small percentage of animals may be sensitive to the product and have some irritation at the application site.
Many veterinarians carry and recommend Frontline to their clients because it's safe and it works!
Biospot for Cats and similar products
Pros: Protect against fleas, ticks and additional parasites and insects, convenient to use, slightly less expensive than Frontline.
Cons: Contains traditional pesticides. Not as long-lasting. Some pets may experience skin irritation.
Flea and Tick Sprays
Pros: Inexpensive, moderately effective.
Cons: Messy to use, not to mention being sprayed with smelly liquid is very distressing to most cats!
Flea and Tick Powders
Pros: An older method of preventing fleas and ticks, powders are relatively inexpensive.
Cons: Messy to use, not all THAT effective.
Flea and Tick Collars
Pros: Especially effective especially against ticks.
Cons: Some cats mey be sensitive to the chemicals and suffer allergic skin reactions. Consider alternatives if you have multiple pets who play by mouthing each other as ingesting the chemicals in the collar can be toxic.
Warning: Only use breakaway style flea and tick collars on cats!
Flea and Tick Shampoos
Pros: Good for removing an infestion of fleas from your pet
Cons: Won't prevent re-infestation.