Cat Flea ControlCat flea control is important, especially if your cat is allergic to fleas. If you have a cat that goes outside or comes in contact with a dog or other animal that goes out, you may find yourself with the itchy problem of fleas. Cats with allergies to fleas can scratch the affected area until their fur falls out and their skin bleeds. Obviously you do not want your pet to suffer like that! But fleas are not just a matter of itching. If flea infestation is prolonged, your cat can become anemic or suffer from other health problems. So what can you do to control fleas? Flea control is important whether your cat is allergic or not, but if your cat is allergic to fleas, it is especially important to prevent her from becoming a host in the first place. Don’t wait until she starts scratching to treat her. Interestingly, most fleas hatch in carpets and furniture, not on your cat! From there, they look for something fleshy to eat, and they end up on the animal. In order to control fleas, you need to treat both your pets and the environment around them. First, be sure to keep carpets vacuumed and furniture clean. If you know that fleas have infested your home, you can use flea bombs to get rid of them. The next step is to treat your cat so the fleas will stay away. There are a number of methods of cat flea control, including flea collars, topical and oral medications, flea powders and flea dips. It is best to ask your veterinarian for a safe product to give your cat. If your cat already has fleas, you can use a flea shampoo to get rid of them in the short term, and then give her medication to control and prevent them from coming back. Flea baths can also soothe itchy red skin from flea bites. There is also topical flea bite medication to control pain and inflammation. If your cat has developed an infection from flea bites, your veterinarian can prescribe an antibiotic to treat it. Many people decide to use flea collars to prevent fleas. While flea collars are easy to use and somewhat effective, cats sometimes develop an allergic reaction to the collars themselves. Flea collars are really an older form of flea control that has become more or less outdated now that safer, more effective remedies are available. Flea powders and flea dips are often more effective than collars, for example. However, they are often inconvenient to administer, making it difficult for many people to use them properly. A better method of cat flea control may be to give your cat a topical or oral medication that is administered once a month, such as Advantage flea control for cats or Frontline Plus for cats. Advantage is applied to your cat’s coat in a small dot that disperses as the cat moves around. It works by destroying fleas’ nervous systems so they can no longer function. Frontline Plus is also a topical medication that kills fleas and also destroys eggs and larvae. If you use one of these products, be sure to use the type made specifically for cats as there are also Advantage and Frontline products for dogs. In fact, it is best to purchase these products through your veterinarian, who can help you determine which product is the best choice for you cat flea control problem.
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