Flea Control for House Cats

Get Rid of Fleas,
and Learn How to Keep Them Off Your Cat!

I thought it might be interesting to learn a little about our nemesis (and our cat's)... the flea.

So what is a flea?

A flea is a wingless insect, generally brown in color with a flattened body.  It is smaller than a sesame seed.  (Please see our adult flea picture below.)

Cat fleas thrive in warm, humid environments making your home the perfect place for them to live.

Adult fleas spend most of their life living on their host, mating and feeding on the blood of animals.

So what does an adult flea look like?  Have a look at our flea picture below.

Adult Flea Picture

Females can lay up to 40 eggs per day and live about two weeks, so it doesn't take long for them to get out of hand.

It has been recorded that 10 fleas can multiply into over 250,000 within 30 days!  That's incredible!!!

The eggs fall to the ground where they mature and hatch into larvae, which feeds on the shed dead skin of the animal, and the adult flea droppings.

Approximately two weeks later, the larvae forms a pupa which can lie dormant in its cocoon for months or even years.  The young flea will emerge when it feels vibrations and senses carbon dioxide, which may indicate a host is nearby.

This young flea can wait up to eight weeks for a host to walk by.  And when one does, the immature flea will use its strong hind  legs to jump onto their prey... a passing cat or dog.

How do you know if your cat has fleas?

If your cat is scratching, or has irritated skin, they may have fleas. To check your cat, try one of the methods below.

Method 1 - Use a Flea Comb.

You can easily check for fleas by running a flea comb through your cat's fur (starting on the back on their neck, down their back, then to the tip of their tail).  A flea comb is a comb with teeth very close together. 

You will either see live fleas, or their excrement, which looks like fine ground pepper.

Method 2 - Rub Your Cat on a White Sheet of Paper.

Put some white paper on the floor, and rub their fur in all directions. If you see black specs on the paper which look like pepper, or fleas jumping, your cat is infected.

Method 3 - Gently Part Your Cat's Fur with Your Fingers and Have a Look.

Flea Control Treatments... Get Rid of Fleas and Protect Your Cat From Future Flea Infestations.

In the past, flea control was directed at the adult flea. This was not very effective because the pre-adult stages (larva) matured, and re-infected
the animal.

Today, more effective flea control products are available: Program, Advantage, Ovicollars and Frontline.

1) Ovicollar Flea Collars for Cats:

Ovicollars release an Insect Growth Regulator (IGR), which is a growth hormone unique to insects. This stops the immature bugs from developing into adults.

These pliable collars are effective for 11 months on cats (8 months on dogs). Ovicollars do not kill the adult bugs, but will prevent infestation by killing the young ones.

Ovicollar combined with Advantage works very nicely.

2) Advantage Flea Cat Medicine:

Advantage flea medicine is a topical flea adulticide available for both cats and dogs. It works by interfering with nerve transmission in the adult fleas.

One application is effective for approximately 30 days. Since it is packaged as a pre-measured dose, there is no need to fuss with measuring. You apply it to the body, and within 24 hours, 98-100% of the fleas will be dead. 

This product can be safely combined with Insect Growth Regulators (IGR), such as Ovicollars or Insect Development Inhibitors (IDI), such as 
Program to form a comprehensive flea management plan.

3) Program Flea Control for Cats: 

Program flea control is an Insect Development Inhibitor (IDI). Like Ovicollar, it acts by inhibiting immature fleas from developing into adults.

It is available in oral form, which lasts for 30 days, or in a longer acting injectable form (for cats), which lasts for 6 months.

4) Flea control shampoos, adulticide flea collars, sprays, mousses and powders are also available.

Please contact your veterinarian before purchasing any flea control products.  The species, age and health of your cat combined with the severity of the flea situation, all need to be taken into account. You can often get this information for free over the phone.  Certain products are unsafe for kittens, older cats, and pregnant cats.

Did you know you can buy the exact same pet medications online, as you do from your vet or pet store?

1-800-PetMeds, America's most trusted pet pharmacy, sells all the usual pet medications (prescription and non prescription) as your local store, but they provide you with the extra benefits of:

- Buying your product online from the convenience of your home.
- Having them delivered right to your door.
- Saving you time and money.

And they offer free delivery on all orders over $49.

Flea and Tick Treatments... Control and Prevention for Your Cat

Program Flea Control and Prevention for Your Cat

Program flea control (Lufenuron) does not kill the adult fleas, but instead Program suspensions prevent flea eggs and larvae from developing.  This breaks the flea life cycle at its base and effectively wipes out the flea population.  Program suspensions contain Lufenuron, which is an Insect Growth Regulator.  6 monthly oral doses.  Use Program to get rid of fleas by preventing the larvae from developing!

Advantage Flea Cat Medicine for Control and Prevention

Is your cat suffering from flea bites?  Kill fleas and larvae quickly with Advantage.

Advantage flea control for cats, stops them from biting within 3-5 minutes, kills 98-100% of them within 12 hours of application, and kills re-infesting fleas within two hours and lasts up to one month.  Advantage for cats kills fleas before they lay their eggs.  One flea treatment prevents further infestation for at least four weeks.  4 or 6 topical monthly flea treatments.  Kill fleas with Advantage flea cat medicine.

Frontline Top Spot Flea & Tick Control AND Flea & Tick Collars for Cats

Frontline Top Spot provides convenient and effective flea and tick control for cats and kittens.  FRONTLINE brand products are the #1 choice of veterinarians!  Frontline flea and tick control medicine is fast-acting and long-lasting and prevents re-infestations.  Convenient to use.  It kills all stages of 4 major ticks, including those that may carry Lyme disease.  Use on cats and kittens 12 weeks and older.  6 topical monthly flea and tick treatments.

Get rid of fleas and ticks with Frontline flea tick control medicine!  Kills fleas and larvae.

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