A pet parent guide to cat flea treatment

Updated 02/11/2023

All pet parents know cat caring goes paw-in-paw with cat flea treatment. As purr-fect as our feline friends are, flea killer for cats is almost as important to purr-chase as their daily food supply. Fleas are a real pain in the fluff and can cause your kitty to become unwell and can cause nasty flea infestations, leading to flea bites for your family. 

If you’re a cat carer to an indoor-only cat, I’m afraid this is just as relevant to you. According to PetMD, vets are just as likely to prescribe flea killers for cats who live inside, as well as those who roam around the garden. Fleas are sneaky and are a sore spot for both two-legged and four-legged creatures. We humans can unknowingly bring them into our homes on our shoes or clothes. Your other pets, such as dogs, can also bring home pesky fleas to infect your kitty. A fun flea fact, they can jump a height of 5 inches and a distance of 8 inches, that’s 200 times their body size! This means they can easily hitchhike on our coats or jeans without us even knowing it.

The Internet is an amazing tool, but when it comes to flea treatment for cats there can be an overwhelming amount of choice. To help you feline fanatics out, we have a list of some of the best cat flea treatment options available to help deal with flea control and how to stop them from feasting on your feline in the first place.

As always, please consult your vet before purchasing any new flea treatment or flea preventatives. They will be able to confirm what is cat-safe and which are the most effective flea fighters around. An example of this would be using flea treatment for dogs on your cat. This can cause overdose of flea treatment and toxic signs that can even lead to death. It used to be quite common to use part of a dog flea treatment on your cat, but this is no longer recommended. 

What are fleas and what is flea dirt?

Other than being gross, fleas are one of the most common types of parasites found on dogs and cats. Often, when we talk about fleas, we’re referring to a specific species called ‘cat fleas’ which can be found on many different mammals. Ew. They may be small, but they are very difficult to eradicate once they’ve made a home on your feline’s fur or in your carpets.

So, what is flea dirt? We’re afraid to say, it's actual flea poop. Yeah. They look like small clusters of little black specks between the fur follicles on your cat’s skin. Your vet will be able to tell you straight away if any black dots found on your feline are just dirt or flea dirt. If you want to check at home, comb the dirt onto a kitchen paper towel and add some water. The dirt will give off a brown red color and this indicates digested blood, and confirms that you have a flea problem in your cat. 

If you think your cat has fleas or flea dirt, contact your vet immediately. Fleas are disease carriers and can also complete the lifecycle of other smaller parasites to your cat, like tapeworms. A serious flea infestation can cause skin irritations, allergic reactions, anemia due to blood loss, and even Lyme disease which is deadly. While most flea burdens can be treated without complication, if you have a very young or very old kitten and notice fleas, get help straight away to avoid them becoming unwell. 

Flea treatment for cats

There is a whole host (excuse the pun) of flea-preventative products available. Before you purchase anything, always have a chat with your vet. They will be able to recommend cat flea treatments and advise whether any suggestions you’ve heard of are safe, as well as worthwhile.

With the help of great, verified sources like PetMD and the American Veterinary Medical Association, we’ve created a list of some of the best flea treatments for cats and how to kill adult fleas.

Topical medicines

The most popular flea killers for cats are topical medicines or medications that can be applied topically. When we say a medicine that needs to be applied topically, this just means directly onto the skin. Frontline and Revolution Plus are amongst the favorite brands in the US and with vets. These only need to be applied once a month on the back of your kitty’s neck, ideally where their scruff is.

Oral flea medication for cats

This is an edible, chewable version of flea treatment. Oral tablets can be given to your cat once a month - bearing in mind that every cat has their preference on how they take pills. The most well-known brand on the market is Comfortis which can be used by both purr-babies and bark babies over 14 weeks old.

Cat shampoos

Your vet may prescribe special cat shampoo if the flea infestation is particularly bad or it’s caused your cat to have an allergic reaction. Talk to your vet, they may suggest Advantage products as a cat-safe option. This company also has preventative products for your home, like carpet and furniture sprays which are also harmless to pets. When bathing a cat, always dry them completely and do not submerge their head under the water, as they can drown.

Flea prevention for cats

How do we stop our feline friends from becoming infected in the first place? Flea prevention for cats can start when they are 8-week-old fur nuggets. Some of these parasite preventatives can be used in your home even before you become a cat carer…

Flea collars

Flea collars are a famous flea preventative, particularly for our outdoor explorers. Seresto provides a sleek and discreet collar design which not only kills adult fleas but also their eggs and ticks! Cats must be over 10 weeks old before they can first wear one of these, however, once they’re able to, these cool cat collars can last for up to 8 months. Seresto collars also have a fantastic quick release mechanism, so if your cat ever becomes stuck, the collar will break to prevent your cat suffering an injury.  Although many are non-prescription purchases, do check with your vet before buying any flea collars for your cats. 

Topical flea prevention

The beauty of Bravecto and Revolution Plus is that they are prevention products and actively kill adult fleas. Vets often like to make sure their patients have a decent supply of topical medicines at home, just in case a sneaky flea investigation pops out of nowhere. It's important to use the flea treatment regularly at the recommended dosing intervals, as even a day without protection can be enough for a flea invasion to start. 

Please remember that every cat is different and medicines applied topically may not be the best solution for your cat. This might be because they have a history of skin irritations or allergies, or if additional flea control is needed. When applying a topical flea treatment, remember to part the hair and apply directly to the skin for best absorption of the product. 

Never use more than one topical flea treatment or a combination of an oral and topical flea treatment at the same time without direct communication from a veterinarian to do so. Overdose of flea treatment can cause your cat to become very unwell quickly, and is difficult to treat. 

Oral flea medication for cats

As with flea treatment that is applied topically, oral flea medication can also act as a flea preventative for cats. Always check with your vet as well as the product instructions to check that the tablet is to prevent fleas in all life stages, not just adults. Some products like Capstar only treat adult fleas, and this will not prevent a flea infestation long term in your cat..

Avoid this type of product prevention if you know your cat has a sensitive stomach, is very resistant to taking pills, or vomits regularly and may bring the tablet back up without you noticing. 

Carpet cleaner

For those of us with carpets or rugs in our homes, carpet cleaner isn’t wholly unfamiliar to us. However, the usual stuff you use for Spring cleaning won’t be enough to kill adult fleas or their eggs.

To make sure you’re using an effective flea killer which is pet-safe, see if your local vet practice is selling any recommended products. Advantage products are often found at many pet hospitals as they contain active ingredients for both killing and keeping away fleas.

Otherwise, SENTRY HOME Household Flea and Tick Spray is a cheap and cheerful alternative at under $20 that is an effective flea treatment for the home.

Natural flea preventatives

Alongside a preventative flea treatment, regularly hoovering and cleaning your home is an easy step to ensure you’re keeping those flipping fleas at bay - this will help remove and kill any flea eggs that may have snuck in from outdoor shoes or clothing.

Avoid using essential oils for flea treatment such as aloe vera. This is an ineffective form of flea prevention and some essential oils are toxic to cats if applied directly to the skin.

Are there any side effects from any of these preventative products or treatments?

Preventative products and flea treatments for cats that are vet-certified shouldn’t cause any side effects in your cat. However, this can never be guaranteed. If you know your feline is susceptible to skin or food allergies, decide with your vet which medication for cat fleas is best for your kitty.

In line with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) guidelines, side effects or symptoms of an allergy to flea treatment may be shown in:

• Skin irritation
• Skin redness
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Trembling
• Depressed appearance
• Seizures

If your cat is displaying any of these problems, go to the vet immediately. Be sure to contact the US EPA after treatment to alert them of any products which could be harmful to future felines.

Meet our veterinary expert, Corinne

This article has been checked by veterinarian Corinne Wigfall BVMBVS(Hons) BVMedSci(Hons). Corinne is originally from Wales and moved to New Zealand after graduating university. She started her career with a university based equine internship and moved onto mixed and small animal practice. Currently she splits her time between online tele triage and working in an after hours vet clinic.