Kittens are extra sensitive so not all flea treatments are safe to use on baby cats. Our favorite overall flea treatment for cats—Revolution Plus Topical—is also available in a size appropriate for cats between 2.8 and 5.5 pounds. It can be used with kittens over the age of 8 weeks. Look for the gold box. Flea treatments for cats may come as shampoos, dips, sprays, bombs, powders, spot-ons, orals, collars, combs, and even injections. Some delivery methods are only appropriate for killing live fleas while others will help prevent a flea from being able to reproduce. Some flea treatments, like bombs, aren’t meant to be put on your cat at all, and are actually instead designed to be used in the environment where your cat lives. Lufenuron(injection or oral suspension) – itching, vomiting, and diarrhoea (less than 1 in 10,000 cats). Flumethrin/imidacloprid(flea collar) – temporary itchiness, redness and hair loss (less than 1 in 100 cats), eczema, inflammation and skin lesions (less than 1 in 1000 cats), change of food intake, drooling, vomiting, and diarrhoea (less than 1 in 1000 cats). Rust MK, Waggoner MM, Hinkle NC, Stansfield D, Barnett S. Efficacy and longevity of nitenpyram against adult cat fleas(Siphonaptera: pulicidae). J Med Entomol. 2003;40(5):678-681. doi:10.1603/0022-2585-40.5.678

It does require a prescription from your veterinarian, but is a safe and effective option for your young cat. Most cat owners that use preventatives use spot-ons because they are easy to use and last a good amount of time but if your cat will take a treat, oral products may be a good option, too. Collars are easy to place on a cat that will allow them but as previously discussed, concerns surround the use of flea collars. Fleas are so sneaky that they can even hitchhike into your home on your shoes and clothing. They can also be brought in by dogs or even jump through window screens. No matter how fleas get inside, no cat is immune to their ravages if they are not being treated for fleas. Best Options for Getting Rid of Fleas on Cats Nitenpyram (tablet) – hyperactivity, panting, excessive grooming, yowling, and itchiness lasting less than an hour (less than 1 in 10,000 animals treated), muscle tremors, wobbliness, and seizures (less than 1 in 10,000 animals treated). While you may be thinking that this isn’t a flea shampoo, the truth is that shampoos designed to kill fleas can be very dangerous to cats. Even shampoos labeled as “all-natural” often contain oils that can be toxic or harmful to cats and the traditional flea shampoos contain pyrethrins which can be extremely dangerous. Dawn Ultra dish detergent is safe for animals, as many people may already know from advertisements that show wildlife being bathed with the soap. It's effective in killing fleas, and also in getting your cat clean. As a bonus, many homes already have a bottle of it under the kitchen sink.If you’re thinking your cat can’t have fleas because they don’t go outside, you’ll be surprised to know that even indoor-only cats can get fleas. In fact, it often seems that you see just as many flea cases in indoor cats that are not on flea medication as you do on outdoor cats.

Even if you have hardwood floors, running the vacuum cleaner twice a week will help get rid of some of the flea eggs and larva. Likewise, throwing pet laundry through the washer and dryer a few times a week will also remove and kill some of these “fleas in waiting.” How Long Must You Treat Your Cat for Fleas? Credille, Kelly M. et al. Evaluation Of Hair Loss In Cats Occurring After Treatment With A Topical Flea Control Product. Veterinary Dermatology, vol 24, no. 6, pp. 602-e146, 2013, Wiley. doi:10.1111/vde.12075 These are some of the newest, “latest and greatest” products out on the market. Many of these products work extremely well, and as a rule, are applied monthly. It works within 24 hours, and the fleas do not even need to bite your cat to be killed. Topical ProductsNot all flea treatments work well with cats, especially because they are very sensitive to certain chemicals (including some often found in flea treatment shampoos). Using vetted, cat-specific treatments is key to maintaining you cat's health while getting rid of their flea problem. We evaluated products for reliability, safety, and ease of use. A flea comb can be used to try and catch a live flea but some cats will have fleas and you won’t see live ones because cats are such fastidious self-cleaners. Cats are much more sensitive to medications than some other species (such as dogs), so you should not assume that if you can use it on your dog, you can use it on your cat. Many cats have died from this misconception. Each product has its own pros and cons, so you should consult with a veterinarian who knows your cat’s medical history to find the best option for flea medication. Oral Flea Treatment Products From this information, the product with the least serious and least frequent side effects is likely the lotilaner tablets, with the lufenuron injection coming a close second. However, there are a couple of things to consider here:

Some products are easier to use than others. Shampoos, sprays, dips, bombs, powders, and combs take more effort and planning to use while spot-ons, orals, collars, and injections may be easier to administer. Fortunately, treatments for fleas in cats have improved significantly, and there are a lot of options available. Use Only Flea Treatments That Are Made for Cats

Best Options for Getting Rid of Fleas on Cats

Some people prefer oral products for cats because there is no residual medication left on your cat’s coat. Spinosad(tablet) – temporary vomiting in the first 48 hours (less than 1 in 10 cats), diarrhoea and inappetence (less than 1 in 10 cats), lethargy, incoordination and drooling (less than 1 in 100 cats), seizures (less than 1 in 1000). CAPSTAR tablets start killing fleas in 30 minutes and achieve greater than 90 percent effectiveness within six hours. In addition to its fast-acting effectiveness, one of the big advantages to CAPSTAR Fast-Acting Oral Fela Treatment for Cats is that its dosing doesn't change depending on your cat's size, as is the case with a lot of topical treatments. Instead, CAPSTAR will work for any cat or kitten more than two pounds and over four weeks old. The active ingredient in CAPSTAR—nitenpyram—has been extensively studied and found to be both safe and effective (in most cases, even more effective than CAPSTAR's 90 percent claim). Side effects are rare, but you should monitor your cat for 24 hours after dosing, watching out for symptoms like hyperactivity, panting, lethargy, itching, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, salivation, seizures, and pupil dilation. Injectable flea preventatives are usually only administered by veterinarians so taking your cat to the vet is all that is required of you for that option.