Tips For Using Flea Repellent For Cats
Flea repellent for cats has an important role to play in controlling the flea population. Fleas transmit Lyme disease, mountain spotted fever, and tapeworms. Cats scratch open sores that can become infected. Exploding populations will annoy and bite humans. There are products to repel pests from the yard and home as well as products safe for use on pets.
Comb your cat daily with a flea comb. If possible, wash with a gentle shampoo to kill adult fleas. Wash pet bedding and vacuum weekly. Treat all the pets, not just the itchy ones. Use flea collars, spray repellents for topicals to discourage re-infestation. Remember that wildlife can re-infest an area. A well heated home can host fleas year round.
Some flea collars use pesticides. Repellent collars use herbal citrus scents to repel. They don't protect the body but inhibit the pests from feeding. Some cats will be bothered by chemicals in the collar. They'll scratch sores and/or lose hair. Collars containing Permethrin, Arnitraz, or Organophosphates are toxic to felines.
Sprays can contain pesticides. Many also contain insect development inhibitors (IDI) or insect growth regulators (IGR) that keep larvae from developing into adults. Repellents use herbal citrus scents that are harmless and pleasant smelling. They're safe for kittens, elderly, and sick pets that can't tolerate toxic chemicals.
Spot Ons, also called topicals, are a liquid squeezed on to the back of the neck. The product spreads on its own throughout the fur. They're odorless and easy to apply. Some kill only adults, some kill larvae and eggs. Some even control intestinal worms, heartworm, whipworm, and lice. The more it does, the more toxic chemicals are required. Natural non-toxic spot ons using natural geranium and peppermint are available. They're a preventative but won't kill a current infestation.
Less well known but totally non toxic choices are the ultrasonic tag and the repellent flea and tick tag. The ultrasonic tag uses ultrasonic sound waves to repel pests without harming or annoying people and pets. The repellent tag creates an electromagnetic barrier around your pet. It takes a few weeks to build to full effectiveness.
Even a usually safe product can cause an allergic reaction in a sensitive pet. Many cats are irritated by citrus, pennyroyal, or tea tree oil. Another word of caution - cats are not small dogs. Many chemicals and repellents safe for dogs are toxic to cats. Pyrethrin is used in many cat products but the concentrated form used in some dog repellents is toxic to felines. Permethrin and essential oils are safe for canines, toxic to felines. Only use products formulated and labeled for felines on your felines.
Young, sickly, and elderly felines are favorite victims for an exploding flea infestation. Get advice from your vet before using toxic chemicals on this population. Extra care must be taken when using chemicals around infants and asthmatics as well. Better to keep the problem under control with non-toxic flea repellent for cats.
Comb your cat daily with a flea comb. If possible, wash with a gentle shampoo to kill adult fleas. Wash pet bedding and vacuum weekly. Treat all the pets, not just the itchy ones. Use flea collars, spray repellents for topicals to discourage re-infestation. Remember that wildlife can re-infest an area. A well heated home can host fleas year round.
Some flea collars use pesticides. Repellent collars use herbal citrus scents to repel. They don't protect the body but inhibit the pests from feeding. Some cats will be bothered by chemicals in the collar. They'll scratch sores and/or lose hair. Collars containing Permethrin, Arnitraz, or Organophosphates are toxic to felines.
Sprays can contain pesticides. Many also contain insect development inhibitors (IDI) or insect growth regulators (IGR) that keep larvae from developing into adults. Repellents use herbal citrus scents that are harmless and pleasant smelling. They're safe for kittens, elderly, and sick pets that can't tolerate toxic chemicals.
Spot Ons, also called topicals, are a liquid squeezed on to the back of the neck. The product spreads on its own throughout the fur. They're odorless and easy to apply. Some kill only adults, some kill larvae and eggs. Some even control intestinal worms, heartworm, whipworm, and lice. The more it does, the more toxic chemicals are required. Natural non-toxic spot ons using natural geranium and peppermint are available. They're a preventative but won't kill a current infestation.
Less well known but totally non toxic choices are the ultrasonic tag and the repellent flea and tick tag. The ultrasonic tag uses ultrasonic sound waves to repel pests without harming or annoying people and pets. The repellent tag creates an electromagnetic barrier around your pet. It takes a few weeks to build to full effectiveness.
Even a usually safe product can cause an allergic reaction in a sensitive pet. Many cats are irritated by citrus, pennyroyal, or tea tree oil. Another word of caution - cats are not small dogs. Many chemicals and repellents safe for dogs are toxic to cats. Pyrethrin is used in many cat products but the concentrated form used in some dog repellents is toxic to felines. Permethrin and essential oils are safe for canines, toxic to felines. Only use products formulated and labeled for felines on your felines.
Young, sickly, and elderly felines are favorite victims for an exploding flea infestation. Get advice from your vet before using toxic chemicals on this population. Extra care must be taken when using chemicals around infants and asthmatics as well. Better to keep the problem under control with non-toxic flea repellent for cats.
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