A cat with flea infestation.
Flea Control is probably one of the most important things people need as cat owners, whether they have indoor or outdoor cats. What would happen if people never gave their cats flea-prevention medications? Having to pick fleas off a pet is not the best occupation around.
Methods[]
So, unless cat owners want to have to pick big, bloodsucking bugs off their cats all the time, they should invest in some sort of flea control, whether it is a collar, drops, a bath, or a natural repellent.
Products[]
Frontline Top Spot and Advantage are two of the best products. All products have pros and cons, so...
- Advantage: Kills fleas, and works for 30 days, while if they have a problem with ticks, the preferred product is Frontline Top Spot, which is deadly to both fleas and ticks and also stays for 30 days.
- Frontline Top Spot: Kills both fleas and ticks, has hardly any smell, and the cat owner only has to apply a small amount, but it leaves an oily residue on the back of the cat's neck. It does not keep fleas from returning to your cat, but it kills them as soon as they come along. The owner also cannot bathe their cat two days before and after they apply the product.
Advantage doesn't kill ticks, so it is ideal if the cat owner lives in a place where ticks are no problem. It kills the fleas quickly and is easy to apply.
Risks[]
Both products are toxic to humans, so keep children away from the spot of application for a couple of days. Advantage also requires a veterinarian's prescription and is fairly expensive. It also can cause health problems for the owner's little friend. Nearly all the reviews on Epinions.com and Amazon.com stated that 90% of the people were pleased with the products, with minor problems with the price.
Collars[]
As for all those flea collars, it has been found that the Hartz 2 in 1 Cat Flea & Tick Collar works the best. It is inexpensive and is supposed to last up to five months. It also comes in many colors, so you can have a fashionable kitty! It may cause health problems for the pet and needs to be kept away from children. Be warned, flea collars also rub the fur off your cats' necks.
Natural[]
If the cat owner is an all-natural person, they can try an all-natural remedy: Vacuum and sprinkle dried pennyroyal under throw rugs, into the carpet, and the cat's favorite spots. Three to four days later vacuum again and reapply pennyroyal. After each vacuuming, they need to either burn the bag or tie it up in a plastic bag and throw it away. Afterward, they should give their kitty a warm bath, rinse Fluffy with hot pennyroyal tea, or rinse with an herbal repellant. Dry with a towel, comb with a flea brush, and if the cat will allow it, vacuum him/her off. Afterward, make a cloth tube, closed in at one end. Pour just enough dried pennyroyal into the open end to fill it three-fourths of the way up, and sew the open end up loosely. Fasten around the kitty's neck. If they have an outdoor cat it is best to fasten the bag on with elastic. Replenish every three or four days. If the owner's problem is really bad, they can put drops of pennyroyal oil on the back of the cat's legs and neck.
They can also get garlic pills for their cat to take internally, which will keep the fleas off.
Eggs[]
Cat owners need to take precautions to keep the eggs off their cats, or they will have a recurring flea problem.
A) Wash all bedding and spray down all the cat's favorite spots with some repellant.
B) Vacuum every day and throw away the used vacuum bags as soon as possible (never put flea collars or repellant in the bag, as the heat may release toxic fumes.)
C) Steam-clean the carpet if possible to kill any eggs the vacuum may have missed.
D) Use some yard repellant and spray in the yard.