Flea and ticks are an annoying part of the summer months.

Cats love to play around in the sun come spring and summer. While it is amazing to watch your cat play in the grass and enjoy the beautiful weather, disease-ridden fleas and ticks can be attacking your cat during this time outside.

These pests bring along a lot of diseases and are extremely hard to get rid of.

Fleas and ticks are irritating, and, sometimes painful for our furry friends as well. They are easy to contract but really hard to eradicate. These small, wingless parasites survive by drinking the host’s blood and make your feline friend miserable.

In this blog post, I will share some information about the best flea and tick treatments available to buy on the market along with some additional information that you need to know about the problem.

So, without further ado, let’s jump right it!

Let’s begin.

Different Types of Flea and Tick Treatments on the Market

Finding an effective and easy to use treatments should be the goal when looking for the best flea and tick treatments for cats. All the medicines that are available on the market work by attacking the fleas’ nervous system fatally.

While all the medicines do the exact same thing, there are several different options available on the market. These include:

• Spot-ons treatments come in a small bottle. They have a concentrated liquid which you apply to the back of your cat’s neck. Within 24-48 hours, the medication works by dissipating into the natural oils on your cat’s skin. This kills the fleas and prevents new generations from developing for 30-45 days

• Oral chews and tablets basically contain insecticides that transfer to your cat’s bloodstream within the hour. When a flea bites your furry friend, it gets exposed to the insecticide and dies. These tablets work faster than any other method but the effects last for only 24 hours.
  These medicines treat an ongoing infestation, they aren’t a good preventative measure

• Collars also contain insecticides which either absorb into your cat’s fat layer and kill the fleas or repel the fleas.The effects of a collar last from anywhere from 6 weeks upto 12 weeks

• Shampoos work well when trying to kill adult fleas quickly. However, the effects only last for about 24 house—like oral tablets. This is used only when necessary or if the animal has a severe infestation because of its potency

• Sprays work by lingering on your cat’s skin and have a function similar to spot-on treatments. However, they are comparatively more diluted and you need to apply the medicine on your cat’s body at least once a week

There are a lot of different options to choose from when looking into buying the best flea and tick treatments for your cat. Tablets, spot-ons, and collars are the most preferred treatments as they are easy to use, quick, and painless.

However, shampoos and sprays, on the other hand, aren’t so much.

They are quite messy and you need to keep applying them after a certain period of time, which may not be feasible for some users.

Ultimately, it is up to you to choose the course of treatment you feel is the best for your furry friend.

Harmful Side Effects of Flea and Tick Medicines: What to Avoid

For a treatment to be effective, it is important to use a pesticide to kill the bugs. The Environmental Protection Agency should approve the pesticides used in the flea medicine.

However, this doesn’t mean that the pesticides can’t cause serious harm to your feline friend’s health and yours if you mishandle them. So, it is a good idea to steer clear of topical treatments. Always wash your hands after applying it.

Another thing that most pet owners don’t realize is that the weight as well as the dosage matter. Different doses of medicine are required by different-sized cats so, make sure that you read the label and give your cat the right dose for his weight range.

Now, let’s look at some ingredients that you should steer clear of according to credible sources such as the National Center for Biotechnology Information and the National Pesticide Information Center.

Tetrachlorvinphos

The Humane Society as well as the EPA both inform that the side effects of overexposure to Tetrachlorvinphos include dizziness, nausea, and confusion. In some rare cases, the drug can even be fatal.

Pyrethroids

According to the Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registration, humans that are exposed to these ingredients can have side effects including burning, stinging, itching, numbness, or tingling.   

If you own a cat, you should avoid using any medicine that contains pyrethrin. It is perfectly safe for dogs as well as humans but, it is known to cause seizures in kitties.

Final Words: Best Flea and Tick Treatments for Cats

Ticks, fleas, and other parasites can be painful for your furry friend as they feed on your cat’s blood. They may be small in size but they bring with them several different diseases.

So, it is better to keep them off of your cat for good.

In this blog post, I shared some of the best flea and tick treatments for cats. These treatment options are safe, effective, and easy to use.

Did you find the right treatment for your cat? Let us know in the comments…