10 Vet-Approved Flea Treatments for Your Cat

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Being a pet owner is no small responsibility. While people may think of cats as low-maintenance, there's still plenty of time, money and love that goes into caring for your feline family members. From researching the best cat harnesses and cat collars to staying on top of their vet appointments, there's plenty of work that goes into keeping your kitty healthy and happy. And while it's not the most fun part of cat ownership, researching the best flea treatments for cats might be part of your pet parent duties. Luckily, we've spoken to veterinarians and scoured hundreds of product reviews to find out which flea collars, topical treatments and oral medications are effective in killing fleas and preventing them from coming back.

The most important thing you can do when considering a flea treatment for your cat is to consult your veterinarian. Only your pet's vet will know exactly what makes sense for your animal, their health, and their lifestyle. "Talk to your vet to determine a safe and effective treatment that is appropriate for your cat. Many over-the-counter products, despite a label indicating they are safe for cats, can cause toxic reactions in some cats," says Dr. Erin Katribe, medical director at Best Friends Animal Society.

If you want to know more about the care and keeping of cats, be sure to check out our roundups of the best orange cat breeds, best outdoor cat houses, and the best pet adoption websites for when you're ready to bring a feline friend into your home.

Oral Flea Treatment for Cats

This fast-acting flea treatment for cats between two and 25 pounds has nearly 25,000 5-star ratings on Amazon from happy pet parents. "I am amazed, relieved, and happy that they actually worked and now my cats can be comfortable again," wrote one Amazon reviewer. "I recommend this product to anybody trying to help their pet be rid of fleas. I didn’t expect them to actually work, but they did."

Flea and Tick Cat Collar

This flea and tick collar has just two active ingredients: cedarwood oil and peppermint oil. It's designed to provide protection for up to four months and can be used on cats of all sizes. If your cat has sensitivities to other flea medications, it's worth asking your vet if this might be an effective option for your pet.

Flea & Tick Spot Treatment for Cats, over 1.5 lbs

This spot treatment for cats kills fleas, flea eggs, larvae, ticks and lice. It comes with an applicator that makes it easy to apply the topical gel directly to your cat's skin once a month. If you're not sure how to do so, Chewy has a helpful video on the product page to show you how it's done.

8 Month Flea & Tick Prevention Collar for Cats

The Seresto collar is a uniquely effective option because it repels fleas away rather than killing them upon contact like topical treatments do, explains Dr. Heather Brausa, a staff doctor at the Animal Medical Center in New York City.

The collar is also a long-lasting solution. "It’s effective for eight months against both fleas and ticks," Dr. Brausa says. Owners need to make sure to apply the collar in close contact with the skin to ensure maximum efficacy.

Topical Solution for Cats

With most cats, Dr. Brausa explains, topical treatments are much easier for the owners to administer when compared to oral medications. "Brovecto is a very good preventative as well," Dr. Brausa says. It's a topical treatment that works against both fleas and ticks that is reapplied every three months.

Plus Topical Solution

Revolution is another topical that's great for cats of almost all ages and sizes. "Revolution tends to be the one we use on teeny tiny animals, so that would be the one I would most commonly recommended in kittens," Dr. Brausa says.

Topical Solution

Advantage is a great all-around preventative, Dr. Brausa says, because it not only protects against fleas, but also covered ticks, heartworm, hookworm, and ear mites.

Plus Flea & Tick Spot Treatment

"Frontline Plus is another good one," Dr. Brausa says. After applying the topical preventative to your cat, it actively kills fleas, ticks, and lice for 30 days.

Chewable Tablet (6 Month Supply)

For owners that want to try out an oral preventative, Dr. Brausa recommends Comfortis. "Oral preventatives aren’t generally the easiest thing to give to cats but sometimes they work well or you have a cat that, for whatever reason, is more amenable to getting an oral medication or treatment," Dr. Brausa says. The pill is given once a month and can be used for both cats and dogs.

II Large Cat Vet-Recommended Flea Treatment & Prevention

For larger cats (over 9 pounds), this topical treatment might be a good option, especially if your cat doesn't like oral medication or flea collars. Ultimately, an important factor when choosing medication is what your cat prefers.

"Consider your cat's preferences and what is most convenient for you as the caregiver," Dr. Caos says.

What to look for when shopping for flea treatments for cats

According to Dr. Alejandro Caos, veterinarian at The Vets, every cat is an individual, and it's important to remember that what works well for one may not work well for another. Plus, taking into account your cat's health, age, and any known sensitivities or allergies when choosing a flea medication is important. That being said, here are some general things to look for, according to Dr. Caos:

✔️ Effectiveness: "One of the most crucial factors is the effectiveness of the flea medication. Look for products that have been proven to eliminate fleas and provide long-lasting protection," says Caos. "Read customer reviews and consult with your veterinarian to ensure the product is known for its effectiveness."

✔️ Safety: The safety of the flea medication is paramount, according to Caos. It's important to ensure that every product you choose is specifically formulated for cats and to follow the usage or application instructions and recommended dosage.

✔️ Broad-spectrum protection: "Look for a flea medication that offers broad-spectrum protection. This means it should not only target adult fleas but also kill flea eggs, larvae, and pupae," explains Caos. "By targeting various stages of the flea life cycle, you can effectively control and prevent infestations."

✔️ Ease of use: Caos suggests choosing a flea medication that is easy to apply or administer, noting that topical treatments are often easy to use.

FAQ

• Why are fleas dangerous?
  "Fleas in and of themselves are a bit of a nuisance. They cause bites which are itchy to both animals and people alike. They are also potential hosts for a number of different diseases and all of this stuff is very preventable with flea preventative," Dr. Brausa says. Dr. Katribe also notes fleas can cause anemia in animals in severe infections, which can be life-threatening to animals.

• How can you tell if your cat has fleas?
  One of the easiest ways to know if your cat has fleas is to look for them, explains Dr. Katribe. "Common signs of flea infestation include seeing live fleas on your cat; or in some cases, we see 'flea dirt' which looks like fine, black sand in the hair coat, often at the base of the hairs," Dr. Katribe says. "To examine for potential fleas, part the hairs on your cat’s coat near the base and look for fleas or 'flea dirt.' Flea dirt can be combed out with a flea comb. When placed on a paper towel and moistened, the black dirt will turn red, as flea dirt is actually flea excrement — digested blood."

• How can you prevent your cat from getting fleas?
  Though there are many different options for preventing fleas, Dr. Katribe explains that they're not all created equal. "Some over-the-counter products, despite being labeled for cats, can cause toxicity. We’re also discovering that flea populations in some areas appear to be resistant to some of the older product formulations," Dr. Katribe says. "To prevent fleas, I recommend a newer generation topical or oral flea prevention product. Combination products are also available that prevent other internal and external parasites. Discuss what options are best for your cat’s lifestyle with your veterinarian."

How We Chose the Best Flea Treatments For Cats

How did Woman's Day choose the best flea treatments for cats? We interviewed multiple veterinarians for insights and recommendations on different flea treatments, including flea collars, topical treatments, and oral preventatives. In addition to veterinarian recommendations, we also read dozens of product reviews from real pet owners to determine which products are truly effective.

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