Flea & Tick

Many cat flea treatments, including topical products like Flea Spot Treatments for cats and oral prescriptions, are available. Of course, you should never use dog flea products on cats because they contain potentially dangerous chemicals that may be toxic to cats. Flea collars are also popular, but if your cat doesn't like having an additional collar around their neck, they may try to bite at it, which could be dangerous since collars contain chemicals. 

There are several over-the-counter flea medicines for cats available without a prescription. However, they're generally used for preventive care rather than treatment and don’t work as well as prescription products. The best way to eliminate fleas on your cat and protect them is to get a prescription from a vet. Luckily, you don't have to hop in the car and take your cat to an anxiety-inducing vet visit to get their medicine. Instead, you can use Dutch's telemedicine for pets and talk to one of our vets, who can prescribe flea and tick medicine for cats from the comfort of your own home. 

What's the best non-prescription flea medicine?

Dutch offers several flea and tick medicines for cats that don't require a prescription, including the following:

• Capstar Flea Oral Treatment: Capstar is a tablet that contains Nitenpyram to eliminate fleas in cats and dogs. The formula begins working in as little as 30 minutes and is more than 90% effective at eliminating adult fleas to reduce itchiness and discomfort. Capstar is a short-acting flea prevention that only lasts 48 hours.
• Cheristin Flea Spot Treatment: If you're looking for a spot treatment, Cheristin is a good option because it is specially formulated for cats and can remove fleas quickly. This treatment also works for an entire month. 

Of course, many non-prescription flea medicines for cats aren't designed to eliminate larvae and eggs, but they can immediately reduce your pet's discomfort. Still, you should have your pet diagnosed and treated by a vet, as prescription flea medicine for cats is more effective. 

In general, flea pills are considered better than drops, which are topicals. Fleas reproduce quickly, so by the time you treat them, there are eggs and larvae living on your cat. Fleas can also be resistant to topicals, but some cats may have reactions to pills. There's no best flea treatment for cats because every cat is different. What works for your cat will depend on several factors, including their health, age, and side effects they've experienced in the past. 

Fleas are preventable, especially on indoor cats that don't spend time outside. Fleas can enter your home in several ways, especially on your shoes or clothing or if you leave your doors and windows open. The best way to prevent fleas on cats is to use preventive products. Many of the best flea medicines for cats you can use to treat fleas on cats also protect them for thirty days. You should use flea prevention year-round to prevent fleas from causing itching and hair loss that affects your pet's quality of life.