Best Flea and Tick Treatment For Cats
Fleas and Ticks are the infamous creatures among pet lovers. From Sydney to Perth these insects have made their presence felt and affected the health and well-being of our furry companions. These parasites tether to your cat when it is playing in the backyard, sitting on the couch, or performing any of its routine activities.
It is not more than a myth that indoor cats do not get flea and tick infection. In fact, it can catch the infestation from another infected animal in the house that frequently goes out. Once fleas and ticks get on your pet’s body, they are fed on blood and cause a variety of problems to their host. These pests not only infect dogs and cats but also transmit illness to the home and humans.
These blood-sucking parasites cause various illnesses in cats ranging from skin allergies to life-threatening blood less condition like anemia.
- Flea-Allergic Dermatitis: Flea saliva cause serious skin allergies to your cat. This results in intense itching, hair loss, rashes on the skin that may lead to bleeding if the itching is persistent.
- Tick-Borne Disease: Tick bite can give your cat various tick-borne diseases such as Lyme disease, Babesiosis, Tularemia, and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. The symptoms of tick-borne illness include weakness, loss of appetite, weight loss, and lethargy.
- Tapeworms: Cats are prone to internal infections. They catch tapeworms when ingesting a flea infected with tapeworm.
- Anemia: Both fleas and tick can lead to an anemic condition. The red blood cells are not developed in kittens hence excess blood loss in cats suffering with flea and tick bite results in anemia.
- Tularemia: Though this is a rare but found in cats, and it caused by a type of bacteria. The symptoms include abscesses, loss of appetite, enlarge lymph nodes.
TYPES OF FLEA AND TICK TREATMENTS
There are numerous flea and tick treatments available for cats. Veterinarians across Australia prefer different types of remedies to curb the infestations that include:
Oral Tablets/Chewables: It is one of the most preferred methods of flea and tick treatment among pet parents across the country. If your cat refuses to take such tablets directly by mouth, there are a few chewable tables that can be given by crushing them into your cat’s food.
Spot-On Treatments: These are easy to use liquid topical solutions that need to be applied on the cat’s skin between the shoulder blades at the base of the neck. The medicated liquid spreads quickly across the skin and coat. The product is available in plastic containers in a form of pipettes or vials. It is recommended not bathe your pet 24 hours before and post spot-on treatments to achieve the best results.
Collars: It is the most trouble-free and time saving flea and tick treatment for your cat. Due to their durable effectiveness, it can prove an ideal remedy to your cat if it is not suffering from existing illness. Some collars are limited to repelling fleas and ticks, whereas few of them both repel and treat.
The chemical ingredient of treatment collars is absorbed into sebaceous glands and rolls out in the cat’s skin. In contrast, the repellant collars eject a certain gas that caution fleas and ticks from biting the host. Treatment collars kill parasites before they bite the host, whereas fleas and ticks need to bite the animal in order to get killed when using the repellant collar.
Shampoo: Essentially, flea and tick shampoos eliminate parasites that are already on your pet’s body. It should be used in combination with water thoroughly on your cat’s coat. Massage your cat’s coat gently using the liquid until the coat is completely covered. Rinse and dry after massaging for a few minutes.
Sprays and Powders: In comparison to other forms of flea and tick treatments, these forms of treatments can be used more frequently. Both of them are applied directly to the pet’s body. There are a few sprays and powders designed to use in flea treatment of your home, bedding, or carpets to achieve relief from fleas and ticks.
TOP SELLERS
There are enough alternatives available to create a doubt in pet lovers’ mind living in Australia when it comes to the treatment of fleas and ticks in cats. It is hard to conclude that which treatment is best for your cat as the end result of a treatment depends on various circumstances such as pet breed, chemical composition of the treatment, weather, infestation rate, and so on.
Here is our pick of five most preferred, best-selling flea and tick treatments for cats in Australia:
- BRAVECTO SPOT-ON
Bravecto Spot-on is a powerful topical treatment of fleas and ticks for cats. It is the first choice of many pet parents in Australia.
Key Benefits:
- Long-lasting formula provides protection consistently for 3 months.
- Kills all existing fleas within 12 hours of application and destroys newly emerged fleas before they lay eggs.
- Breaks the flea life cycle.
- Provides protection against Paralytic ticks for 12 weeks.
- Safe to use on cats from 11 weeks of age and over 1.2 kg of body weight.
2- COMFORTIS
Comfortis is an oral beef-flavored chewable treatment for cats that provides protection against fleas and other flea-infested illnesses.
Key Benefits:
- Easy to use monthly treatment.
- Starts killing within 30 minutes of ingestion.
- Destroys 100% fleas within 4 hours of administration.
- Prevents Flea Allergy Dermatitis.
- Safe to use on 14 weeks and older age kittens.
3. REVOLUTION
Revolution is a broad spectrum monthly topical treatment that protects your cat from both internal and external parasites.
Key Benefits:
- Kills and prevents adult fleas, flea eggs, and larvae.
- Prevents heartworms in cats.
- Treats and controls gastro-intestinal worms such as roundworms and hookworms.
- Widely used for the treatment of sarcoptic mange.
- Safe to use on cats 8 weeks of age and older.
4. SERESTO COLLAR
Seresto collar is an advanced, easy to use and long-lasting treatment of fleas and ticks for cats.
Key Benefits:
- Provides protection against fleas and paralytic ticks for 8 months.
- Kills 98% fleas within 24 hours.
- Treats and controls flea allergy dermatitis.
- Kills fleas as soon as they come in contact with the cat’s skin so fleas do not need to bite the animal to be killed.
- Odorless easily fits on cats and adjustable for growing cats.
- Safe to use in kittens over 10 weeks of age.
5. ADVOCATE
Advocate is a monthly, easy to apply topical solution that protects your cat against heavy flea infestations along with different parasites.
Key Benefits:
- Effectively treat fleas for one month.
- Prevents heartworm infections caused by Dirofilaria immitis.
- Treats internal worms such as hookworms and roundworms.
- Controls ear mites and mange.
- Safe to use on kittens with 1 kg body weight and 9 weeks and older cats.
To conclude, regardless of the product type you use on your cat, it is recommended not to use dogs’ products on felines as it can cause serious illness to your pet. In fact, it may prove fatal in some cases. Refer to the product label before using any product.
