There are many different types of flea treatment on the market and it can be confusing to know which one is best! There are many options you can use – tablets, spot on liquid, sprays and flea collars. Which is best? Well really it depends on you and your cat.
*Please make sure you read the instructions carefully to make sure that it is suitable for your cat/kitten as some products need a certain age/weight* NEVER use dog products on cats as they often contain permethrin which is toxic to cats
Flea Tablets
Flea tablets can be bought from the vet. They typically last four weeks and work pretty well. Most cats will eat them without problems as they are supposed to taste a bit meaty. You can buy flea tablets online, but be careful as some of these only kill the adult fleas and not the eggs and some only work for 24 hours, for example, Capster. Capster is available quite easily online but this only kills the adult fleas and only lasts for 24 hours. It’s great to get started on getting rid of fleas, but it won’t stop the infestation fully.
Spot on liquid
There are many different brands of spot on liquids. Some of the most well known are Frontline and Advantage. These both have different ingredients that work to kill fleas and stop the eggs hatching. To use a spot on liquid you should part the fur on the cat’s shoulders and drop the liquid on to the skin in a few places. Spot on liquids can be bought online, from the vet or in pet stores. Be careful of the ones you can buy from supermarkets as these normally contain herbal products and don’t necessarily work.
Sprays
Again, there are many brands of flea spray. I like using the spray on kittens as it is easier to administer. To use the spray, look at the instructions for how many sprays per kilogram of body weight. Spray over the cat’s body (don’t spray the face) and then gently rub in. This is also easier to use, in my opinion, on feral cats as you don’t need to hold them long to part the fur etc.
Collars
Flea collars vary in their reliability in my opinion. The problem is, many supermarkets sell them and they are made with herbal ingredients. There are collars out there such as Seresto, which work well. Collars are easy to apply, if you cat tolerates wearing them.