We all would like our cats to possess that ‘just walked out of a pet portrait‘ look, with shiny coat and bight eyes. But it’s an inescapable truth that our little heroes will, on occasion, pick up fleas. Spring is the time of year when they become most susceptible to infestations, but due to the milder winters we’re having, cats can be affected all year round with this problem. In some cats it can also become quite serious, causing an allergic reaction or transmitting disease.
It has been quoted that the ordinary home contains in the region of 20,000 flea eggs at any one time, which will grow into adult fleas in just a few weeks! Fleas increase numbers so readily, that just 200 fleas will become ten thousand in a matter of six months.
To stop it becoming a major problem it is important to treat your cat, though to prevent the fleas returning, the whole house should be treated and any areas that your cat comes in contact with. There are several products available for the treatment of fleas, but what are the ones to go for?
Types of treatment
The principal forms of remedy available for the treatment of cats are spot-on medicines, collars, ‘electric shock’ combs, sprays and tablets. The type of remedy you’ll choose will generally depend on your cat:
Collars impregnated with insecticide offer an easy way to treat your cat offering protection up to four weeks. If your cat usually wears a collar, this can be an effective option, but some cats (or owners) are not happy with collars on cats.
Spot-on treatments involve the owner placing some drops of the fluid directly onto the skin of the cat, usually at the back of the neck to stop the cat licking off the medicine. This gives a very effective treatment plus ongoing protection from fleas for up to 5 weeks, though it can be a two man job on some cats. One of the best is Frontline Spot-On but, like all of these medicines, you will need to make certain you get the correct version, as there are different formulas for cats and dogs. Cats might be poisoned by owners who inadvertantly apply a dog treatment to their cat!
Electronic combs are flea combs that also send a modest electric shock, enough to kill the fleas it comes in contact with, but that is harmless to your pet. The big plus point for these is that no chemicals are used, but you’ll need to be thorough with the comb and it can miss the eggs, so you’ll have to keep repeating the process for it to be effective. There is also a small buzzing noise when it “zaps” a flea that may put off a few cats.
Flea sprays are a relatively inexpensive way to treat fleas, but cats need to be over three months of age and be pretty tolerant of the ‘hissing’ noise. Your cat will also need to be placid enough to sit still while you make sure the job is done thoroughly.
Tablets will do the job quickly and effectively, however, not many of us are confident or adept enough at getting a cat to swallow a pill!
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