Anyone who owns a cat knows that this animal spends hours and hours licking and preening its fur and that this practice keeps it very clean.
However, its extreme hygiene is not enough to make it immune to parasite attacks. On the contrary, the possibility of being infested is higher than that of the dog precisely because its continuous self-cleaning operations make it much more difficult to detect the presence of parasites and fleas in particular.
Even if a cat lives outdoors or is free to go out whenever it wants, it is more exposed to risky environments and situations .
It would be a big mistake to think that an animal that spends its life exclusively within the home is safe; this is because parasites can enter undisturbed even inside the home without you noticing.
In addition to being particularly annoying, in fact, these tiny opportunistic and unwanted guests can also become dangerous for the cat's health , causing more or less serious illnesses.
Not only that. Fleas can also attack humans and an infestation would be really unpleasant and difficult for you to manage.
It is therefore essential to rely on specific products for cat fleas and other specific parasites to protect him and your home, keeping in mind the ever-valid saying " prevention is better than cure" .
In this article we will see:
- What parasites can cats have?
- Do indoor cats get fleas too?
- What are the best cat flea products?
- Best practices to protect your cat from fleas and ticks
- Which products best protect your cat from fleas, ticks and parasites?
What parasites can cats have?
Ectoparasites, or external enemies that nest in the cat's coat and attack the skin , feed on the cat's skin and blood and are therefore defined as haematophagous.
This category includes mites, fleas and ticks .
Their common denominator is that they cause severe itching, so if you see your cat scratching in an abnormal way, consider it a warning sign.
While these parasites are usually more of a nuisance than a danger for a healthy animal, they could also carry serious diseases .
By ingesting fleas during his daily grooming, your four-legged friend could, for example, develop tapeworm: a worm that attaches itself to the intestinal wall, causing diarrhea, vomiting and weight loss that can be potentially fatal in a puppy or a debilitated cat.
Furthermore, the presence of these unwanted guests leads the cat to scratch itself often, which causes skin lesions that, in turn, can be an easy entry point for fungi and bacteria.
A massive infestation, since we are talking about parasites that feed on blood, could be the cause of anemia .
Cat flea products are designed specifically to protect your pet from having to deal with more serious illnesses.
Do indoor cats get fleas too?
Let's reiterate a fundamental concept: indoor cats can get fleas and therefore need to be protected just like those that live outside.
These parasites can easily enter our homes because they can be transmitted via:
- Dirty laundry and shoes they cling to
- Doors and windows , especially if your home is on the ground floor and surrounded by vegetation. Consider that stray or infected animals as well as wild animals can contaminate the areas they pass through, including your garden, with flea eggs.
- Interaction with other animals that live with you or that come to visit you
Once the parasites have entered the house, they will not only insinuate themselves on your cat's skin and on his bed but also on carpets, curtains, rugs, blankets and every context in which the cat usually passes.
Fleas are able to reproduce and lay eggs when on a warm-blooded host (like your cat) after just 24 hours producing up to fifty eggs a day!
Under optimal conditions - that is, during the warmer periods of the year - the transformation from eggs to larvae, pupae and then adult fleas can occur in just fourteen days.
Therefore, especially in the summer months, it will be essential to protect your pet with specific products for cat fleas.
What are the best cat flea products?
As we have already mentioned, when it comes to parasites, it is important to act in advance by treating the feline with specific antiparasitics and not only in the summer period although the latter is the one most at risk.
As for fleas, you need to choose products that act not only on adult fleas but also on eggs, larvae and pupae.
Cat flea products are available in various formulations, particularly collars and spot-on pipettes .
Regardless of the method of administration, we are talking about devices that act both in the presence of parasites and in prevention .
Let's look at the main types and characteristics.
How does a flea collar for cats work?
Among the most effective and practical products for fleas in cats are collars, such as the Seresto collar : an extremely effective device to protect your cat from fleas and ticks .
Its particular and innovative combination of materials allows for the release of low doses of its active ingredients in a controlled manner, guaranteeing active protection for up to eight months .
This product works on two fronts:
- Kills fleas and ticks
- It acts as a tick repellent before they can bite, thus protecting the animal against the diseases that these parasites transmit.
Once you have applied the collar to your pet , the surrounding environment will also be protected from fleas at every stage of their development and from ticks for ten weeks.
Seresto, in addition to ensuring long-lasting protection, has the advantage of being easy to use like a collar , without the need to apply chemicals to the cat's skin and fur.
It is also odorless, waterproof and adaptable to the size of the cat because, once applied, you just need to cut off the excess to obtain the desired size.
If you have a growing cat, remember to periodically adjust the size of the collar and do not use it if your cat is less than ten weeks old .
Similar features but with less coverage that lasts up to four months is the Virbac Reading collar .
Where to apply spot on on cat
A spot-on flea treatment is a product for fleas and other parasites in the form of vials (or pipettes) that is applied directly to the animal's skin approximately every four weeks.
In general, regardless of the brand and type, the application method is always the same: you will have to part the hair until the skin is visible, place the tip of the pipette directly against the exposed skin and press gently a few times.
The operation should be repeated in two different points of the back , preferably at the base of the head and between the shoulder blades, taking care not to wet the coat excessively and not to reach points where the cat could lick itself easily.
Let's see the features of some of the best spot on products:
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Effipro duo spot on eliminates fleas and ticks while preventing future infestations in your home after application.
Used for the treatment and prevention of flea infestations, it protects against further infestations for five weeks.
It also acts on the multiplication of these tiny parasites by preventing the eggs from developing into adult fleas for twelve weeks.
This solution can also be used as part of the treatment to control flea allergy dermatitis (FAD) if diagnosed by your veterinarian. -
The spot on Combo antiparasitic is an insecticidal and acaricidal solution which, thanks to the combination of its two active ingredients , acts against ticks, lice, adult fleas, flea eggs and larvae , preventing the appearance of new parasites.
Combining the action of a fast-acting insecticide and an insect growth regulator, it protects the cat and its environment from the immature stages of fleas .
The duration of its protection is two weeks for ticks and four weeks for adult fleas.
Compared to other products seen so far, it is also effective in the treatment of lice. In particular, it eliminates chewing lice (which feed on debris from the animal's skin).
It can also be used on kittens from eight weeks of age and also during pregnancy and breastfeeding of the mother cat. Its rapid action allows to eliminate fleas within 24 hours and ticks within 48. -
Flevox spot on is a pipette active against fleas and ticks for a month specifically for adult and mature cats .
The insecticidal activity against new infestations by adult fleas persists for eight weeks . Fleas that settle subsequently are instead eliminated within 48 hours of application to the animal.
Remember that when using these vial solutions, you should avoid washing your cat for 48 hours after application so as not to remove the product before it can take effect.
Best practices to protect your cat from fleas and ticks
We have seen how using products for cat fleas and other parasites is the best way to prevent them or, if you are too late, cure them.
However, there are other best practices you should follow to protect your pet(s) and, by extension, your home and its inhabitants.
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Brush (you can use a flea comb ) and check your cat often so you can spot any unwanted guests. Ticks are more easily visible and if you spot one you can use a tick remover to eliminate it.
For fleas, a good indicator is the presence of small pepper-like spots on the fur, which could be the excrement of these parasites. - Take care of the hygiene of the environments in which the cat lives, especially carpets, rugs and blankets that it usually uses, as well as, obviously, its bed. For this purpose, you could use an environmental antiparasitic spray that eliminates fleas and their larvae for up to 6 months from the beds frequented by dogs and cats.
- Pay attention to your cat's behavior : if he starts to groom himself excessively, you notice redness or lesions on his skin, he loses weight, is particularly restless or avoids certain areas of the house, the problem could be fleas.
We remind you not to let your guard down even in the winter period and if your cat lives exclusively indoors because parasites tend to develop at a temperature between 18° C and 27° C and a humidity of about 75%. Conditions that, in the domestic environment, can easily be found even in the coldest months.
Which products best protect your cat from fleas, ticks and parasites?
We have seen what are the main parasites that can choose your cat as a host and how they can be, in addition to being annoying, also dangerous for his health and for yours.
We also examined the best solutions on the market both in terms of prevention and treatment. Prevention is obviously the smartest decision.
The choice between collars or spot-ons depends on your personal comfort and your expectations in terms of durability.
The fundamental thing, since we are still talking about medical-veterinary devices, is to choose products for cat fleas of extreme quality. Otherwise the damage to the cat's health could outweigh the benefits.
That's why it's best to turn to a reliable dealer who can offer you the best brands on the market.
Contact Millstore experts to request information and receive all the assistance you need to choose the most suitable antiparasitic for your four-legged friend.
