Protect Your Cat's Health With Cat Flea Treatment

Cats groom themselves so frequently that the need for flea medicine for your cat may not be noticed until you see bare spots in his fur. If you feel bumps when petting your cat, fleas are the likely cause.

On white or light colored felines the fleas can easily be seen scurrying around. On dark fur you may need a fine toothed flea comb to see the tiny black dots commonly referred to as flea dirt. This is actually flea excrement - a clear indication your animal has a flea problem.

Unchecked flea infestations can cause feline anemia which can be fatal in kittens. If your cat has been heavily infested with fleas, pale gums can be signal of anemia caused by loss of blood. A more serious type of feline anemia is caused by a microorganism transmitted by fleas. This severe form of anemia may require antibiotics and steroids. In the most serious cases, blood transfusions may be recommended by your veterinarian.

Tapeworm is a common consequence of fleas on cats. Kittens are prone to worms and are often dewormed routinely. Older cats may exhibit dull coat, weight loss and appear lethargic when tapeworms are present. For the owner, the appearance of small white specks around the anus are a clear symptom of tapeworm. Your veterinarian can provide a small pill that will effectively kill tapeworms. Controlling fleas on your pet will prevent tapeworms in the future.

Fleas will make your cat itchy and uncomfortable and can lead to further skin problems and infections. Topical flea treatments such as Advantage, Frontline and Revolution can totally eliminate the flea problem for cat owners.

The first veterinary approved spot on flea product was Advantage and it remains popular today. It is safe for cats and for kittens over 6 weeks of age and is also an inexpensive flea treatment for cats.

A cat flea treatment that also kills ticks and lice is Frontline Plus for Cats. A spray version may be less expensive for owners of multiple cats but the spot on product is easier to apply and remains the most popular.

The introduction of Revolution provided a medication that would control fleas but also some ticks and ear mites and provide protection against heartworm. Revolution is a systemic product that remains in the cat's bloodstream and some animals will have an allergic reaction to it. This flea prevention medication is available only through a veterinarian and provides complete parasite control as it also prevents hookworm and roundworm.

Cat flea treatments are available from your vet but can be found at competitive prices on reputable pet med sites online as well. The products are time dated and may be copied by unscrupulous importers so ordering form a reliable source is the key to obtaining the best pet meds.

Cat flea treatments remain in force for a month and kill new fleas as they hatch. These parasites live their entire life cycle on your cat's body and the flea meds break the life cycle.

Interrupting the flea life cycle requires also killing fleas in the cat's environment. Wash pet bedding in hot water and use a flea killing commercial spray on furniture and carpeting to kill fleas that may drop from your cat. Frequent vacuuming removes flea eggs and dead fleas from rugs and carpets.