An effective remedy for ticks and fleas is selected individually. How to protect a cat, each owner decides for himself. Often this decision is the choice of the lesser evil: fleas and ticks are dangerous, but protective drugs also have some toxic effect. How to make the best choice? First of all, let's say a few words about why cats need protection from ticks and fleas. Many people think that there is nothing wrong with bites. Well, it’s scratched - and what’s next? And then the most interesting part.
The article is part of the section Ticks in cats and dogs
- There can be an allergic reaction to a flea or tick bite. Sometimes this reaction is only mild itching, and sometimes dermatitis, an inflammatory skin disease, can develop. This is a very painful condition that is not always easy to overcome.
- Fleas and ticks can reward their victims with infections and worms. The types of dangerous parasites and infections that ticks and fleas infect vary depending on who is bitten. Some diseases develop in cats, others in dogs, and others in humans. It is these infections and parasites that are the main problem, not fleas and ticks themselves.
- Extensive flea bites can cause death in young kittens, as well as poor weight gain and anemia in growing animals.
- Ticks and fleas, having fed on the cat's blood, can spread to another family member, for example, to your child. Therefore, by protecting your cat from ticks and fleas, you are protecting your entire family.
Many people think that cats that stay indoors and never go out do not need protection. In fact, fleas are everywhere, even on the twentieth floor. Ticks can be brought into the house on clothing. Therefore, it is a mistake to believe that if a cat does not leave the house, it is completely protected. However, if you do not live in an apartment on the first floor and there are no fleas in your apartment, nor in your neighbors, nor on the landing, that is, everything is clean everywhere, then, indeed, you can try to do without protective equipment. At least in the cold season. But if there is even the slightest doubt (you have been bitten by a flea somewhere, your neighbors have a cat who goes outside, you also have a dog in the house, there are other risk factors), then it is better to protect the cat.
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Tick and flea repellent for cats: varieties
Tick and flea protection for cats can be achieved in different ways. Anti-flea products differ in the method of application and the active substance. Some active ingredients are components of collars, sprays, and shampoos, and some are available, for example, only in tablet form. We'll talk about this below. First, let's talk about methods of applying active substances to an animal.
Anti-tick shampoo for cats
Flea and tick shampoo is one of the most common products aimed at eliminating flea infestations. When attacked by fleas after treatment with shampoo, the parasites fall off the fur themselves. The remaining ones are combed out with a special comb. But flea shampoos are often extremely toxic. Sometimes their use leads to the death of the animal. Therefore, veterinarians advise, even with severe flea infestation, to use drops on the withers rather than shampoos.
Let's talk separately about the so-called natural anti-flea shampoos. If they are indeed made only from harmless plants that repel fleas, then such products are ineffective. It’s worse when unscrupulous manufacturers add poisons to shampoos and don’t list them in the ingredients. The owners, who do not know that there is poison inside, calmly use the shampoo, after which the cats die. Such cases are known. Don't fall victim to unscrupulous manufacturers! Don't believe everyone who writes that the shampoo is natural.
Drops on the withers
Drops on the withers are a very convenient remedy for existing infection, and also as a preventive measure. Drops are sold in pipettes: one pipette per treatment. One package sells 1-3 pipettes.
Treatment with drops should last for a month, but during the tick season, if the cat walks outside, it is better to apply drops once every 3 weeks, because every day the processing becomes weaker. And usually protection against ticks wears off faster than against fleas.
The drops are applied to the withers so that the cat does not reach the treated area with its tongue and does not ingest the poison. The first few hours after application, you need to monitor the behavior and condition of the animal, trying not to let it lick itself and paying attention to the occurrence of strange behavior (lethargy, itching, suffocation and other similar reactions may indicate individual sensitivity).
REVIEW OF DROPS
Sprays
The spray is not the most convenient remedy, but it is very effective if you go to the countryside or into the forest, and also if the cat is already being bitten by parasites. At the same time, sprays are a rather toxic way of applying poison to an animal, because These are aerosols that fly in the air in the form of fine dust, entering the respiratory tract. And if the spray also has an unpleasant odor, then this is a serious problem. Sprays can and should be used if there is a high risk of infection, but you should be careful with them and strictly follow the instructions.
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SPRAY REVIEW
Collars
Collars are the most common flea and tick protection option and one of the safest, but therein lies the catch. Owners do not always use collars correctly, and therefore prevention is often ineffective. If you use the collar correctly, you can achieve a good effect.
REVIEW OF COLLARS
Injections
Internal remedies for pets include tablets and injections against parasites. Tablets are produced for dogs. Sometimes veterinarians prescribe them for cats, but you should be aware that the most popular anti-tick and anti-flea tablets available for sale today in the CIS countries are not certified for use on cats.
But there are injections for cats. Toxic substances are introduced into the body in microdoses using injections. In fact, it is the same as a tablet. Typically, such drugs combine insecticidal and anthelmintic effects. Used strictly as prescribed by a veterinarian, because quite toxic. These drugs include “Ivermek”, “Eprimek”, “Lufenuron”.
Once again, we note that these substances are toxic, so they are not the first choice drugs. And they are used when extensive infection already exists, and not to prevent it. Most often, cats are treated for fleas and ticks using less harmful methods.
Essential oil for ticks and fleas
Many people, when solving the problem of what to apply to a cat against ticks and fleas so that it is not toxic but helps, try to use folk remedies. For example, apply essential oils (eucalyptus, mint, cloves, etc.) to the cat’s skin or sprinkle with vanilla. The effectiveness of such remedies is questionable. As a rule, insects are not afraid of natural preparations. The only exception is margosa extract, which is part of the Beafar collar and spray. But it often allows ticks to pass through and also smells unpleasant.
How to treat bedding, carpets, furniture?
It is convenient to use sprays and aerosols to treat the room. Use a spray bottle to spray the cat's bed, corners of the room and all places where the cat could leave fleas. Bedding and clothes are thoroughly washed at the highest temperatures; if the fabric allows, they are boiled.
In a cat's house or box, you can put a sachet with aromatic herbs that repel insects: wormwood, geranium, lavender. If the cat was bathed in a decoction of wormwood or hellebore water, then you can wash the floors and walls with these liquids, and wash home rugs in them. Essential oils of geranium, eucalyptus, cedar, and lemon repel ectoparasites. You can spray the corners of rooms and furniture with them.
Tick and flea preparations for cats: active ingredients
When answering the question of how to treat a cat against ticks and fleas, the owner should familiarize himself with the active ingredients of the shampoo, collar, drops and other products. It is the active substance and its dose that determine the effectiveness of the product and at the same time safety for the animal.
Depending on the principle of action, the following types of drugs are distinguished.
- Contact: active ingredients kill the parasite on contact, absorbed through the paws.
- Systemic: the parasite must bite the victim, suck in some blood with poison, and then die.
- Intestinal: the active substance kills the parasite by entering its intestines. This also requires a bite.
Yes, no matter how scary it may sound, in some cases a bite is required for protection. This is not very good. Therefore, many manufacturers combine contact and systemic substances in one product so that the parasite is likely to die from contact with the skin or fur of an animal, but if it does not die, then the bite would finish it off.
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Please also note that substances against external parasites are insecticidal (against insects and ticks), acaricidal (against ticks) and insecticidal (against fleas, lice and other insects). Ticks are not insects, but arthropods of the arachnid class. Therefore, it is useless to expect an anti-mite effect when using an insecticidal agent.
Now let's talk about specific active ingredients and their groups.
Phenylpyrazoles
Substances: fipronil and pyriprole.
Action: effective against fleas and ticks, acting through contact, that is, before the bite. They are not repellents. They are almost not absorbed into the bloodstream of cats and dogs through the skin, but are distributed throughout the fatty lubricant. Ticks and fleas do not have resistance to them.
Toxicity: fipronil is considered one of the most low-toxic and safe drugs. Sometimes side effects appear: hyperactivity of the animal, redness on the skin.
Pyrethroids
Substances: permethrin, flumethrin, phenothrin, deltamethrin, cyphenothrin, cypermethrin.
Action: contact and contact-intestinal, repellent properties. These substances accumulate in the fatty lubricant on the skin, and are almost not absorbed into the bloodstream of cats and dogs. Ticks and insects often develop resistance to drugs in this group.
Toxicity: Permethrin is extremely toxic to cats. The consequences are up to and including death. Therefore, permethrin should never be used on cats under any circumstances, despite the fact that it is officially approved for use in cats. Also, it cannot be used on a dog if there is a cat in the house.
Isoxazolines
Substances: fluralaner and afoxolaner.
Action: high efficiency, resistance in parasites rarely develops. The mode of action is systemic, that is, after the bite.
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Toxicity: low (for mammals).
Carbamates
Substance: propoxur, sevin.
Action: contact, repellent, average effectiveness, high probability of resistance in fleas and ticks.
Toxicity: low.
Neonicotinoids
Substances: imidacloprid.
Action: contact and intestinal. It works against fleas and other insects, resistance does not develop to it, this is a new generation drug. The action is systemic (when it enters the blood of an insect) and contact (when it comes into contact with the legs).
Organophosphorus compounds
Substances: tetrachlorvinphos and diazinon.
Action: act upon contact with the legs of an insect; they do not have repellent properties. Resistance of fleas and ticks to these drugs often develops. Efficiency is average.
Toxicity: quite high, because These substances are partially absorbed through the skin, some of which enter the bloodstream of cats and dogs.
Amidines
Substances: amitraz.
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Action: contact and repellent. Effective against ixodid, scabies and demodectic mites.
Toxicity: often causes allergic reactions and produces a sedative (inhibiting) effect. Extremely toxic for cats and not recommended for use.
Repellents
Repellents should repel ticks and fleas from the animal. There are natural repellents. These are, for example, essential oils, vanilla, margosa extract. But few people believe in their effectiveness. If a tick or flea does not land on an animal treated with repellent, it is most likely just luck. The use of natural repellents is recommended only for kittens for whom the use of stronger substances is not possible.
Insectoacaricides with additional repellent properties are another matter. Their main mission is not to scare away, but still to kill the parasite. Such means are quite effective.
Which substance is better?
The best anti-tick drug for cats is the one that is suitable specifically for your animal. After all, there are allergic reactions even to safe substances.
Generally speaking, we strongly discourage the use of permethrin and amitraz for cats. The use of tetrachlorvinphos and diazinon is questionable (since they are partially absorbed into the bloodstream and at the same time are not effective enough).
If you really can’t decide which protection to choose, contact your veterinarian. But do not trust the choice of product to pet store sellers, because... their competence in most cases leaves much to be desired.
And remember: even using relatively safe drugs, you need to monitor the animal throughout the day. If depression, itching, vomiting, or any other negative reactions are observed, the use of the drug will have to be abandoned and the negative reaction eliminated. This is done with the help of antiallergic drugs, as well as thoroughly washing the drug off the animal. In severe cases, immediate contact with a veterinarian is indicated.
What are the dangers of blood-sucking ixodid parasites for cats?
Bloodsuckers of the ixodic family, in addition to piroplasmosis, which does not threaten cats, actually transmit a lot of vector-borne diseases - about 200 forms! Ticks are carriers and distributors of various pathogens, which, when they pierce the skin layer with tick saliva, enter the victim’s body:
- pathogenic bacteria;
- dangerous viruses;
- parasitic rickettsia;
- harmful protozoa;
- helminths that undermine health.
In addition to these misfortunes, ixodid bloodsuckers are dangerous for cats by transmitting dermatobiasis, a dangerous infection caused by the penetration of gadfly larvae under the skin and causing severe suppuration. Any antibiotic is powerless against such subcutaneous abscesses - the pathogen is removed only surgically, cutting out along with the infiltrate. And then numerous, difficult to heal cuts remain along with scars that disfigure the pet.
But even with piroplasmosis, not everything is smooth for cats! In recent years, there have been cases of registration of cats in which Babesia, the causative agent of this deadly infection for animals, was detected in their blood. And although this is isolated data, it doesn’t hurt to be wary. This infection is not difficult to treat, and you can choose an effective drug, the main thing is to recognize the disease in the first 2 - 3 days, otherwise irreversible processes begin.
You should not miss the toxicity of the saliva of some ticks for cats, which sometimes causes specific poisoning:
- stiffness of the cat’s movements due to pain in muscles and joints;
- lethargy and refusal to feed;
- vomiting and stool disorders;
- increased body temperature in a cat;
- the appearance of a rash with or without itching;
- inappropriate pet behavior.
In many cats, mite saliva causes allergy attacks, which manifest themselves differently in each cat, from swelling and shortness of breath to dermatitis and even the appearance of bald spots. To neutralize allergic manifestations, any antihistamine is used, and in the presence of complications, symptomatic therapy is added.
Treating cats for ticks and fleas
Treating a cat for ticks and fleas varies depending on whether it is prevention or treatment.
Preventative treatment
Preventive protection of cats from ticks and fleas involves applying the substance to the fur and skin before the bite, and in advance, and not an hour before a walk. Each product states how far in advance to apply. Follow the instructions strictly!
Before using drops or spray, you can do a tolerance test. Place one drop on the withers and wait 40 minutes. If there is no negative reaction, full treatment can be carried out.
However, no matter what effective drug you choose, you need to understand that there is no guaranteed protection. No one can guarantee that a cat treated according to all the rules will not be bitten or infected with anything. This is especially true for ticks. Many parasites have managed to adapt to poisons. They are not even afraid of repellents.
Therefore, owners sometimes prefer to insure themselves not with one means, but with two at once. This option is considered quite toxic. Cats, as a rule, do not need it. However, in the countryside, in the village and in the forest, and also if the cat is on a walk, double protection may be required. Then, if one remedy doesn't work, another will.
The following combinations are common:
- collar + spray (for cats and dogs);
- drops + collar (for cats and dogs);
- drops + spray (for cats and dogs);
- tablet + collar (for dogs);
- tablet + drops or spray (for dogs).
When choosing a pair, you need to pay attention to the fact that the active substance in the drugs is not duplicated, otherwise an overdose will result. You can combine, for example, so that one substance is contact, and the second is systemic, or one kills parasites, and the second repels them.
It is also worth paying attention to the order of use. For example, if you are going to use drops and a collar, then the drops are applied first, and after about a week, when they are completely distributed throughout the body or absorbed into the blood (depending on the substance), the collar is put on. If you use a collar and spray, then first put on the collar, and then spray it with the spray 1-2 times a week or just before walks. We recommend reading this article on anti-tick treatment for dogs and cats to understand the basics.
However, there are times when two means, and powerful ones at that, “break through” at once. So, recently our reader’s dog suffered from the most expensive Foresto collar paired with expensive pills. It got so bad that the animal was not only bitten, but also infected with a dangerous infection. This doesn't mean the products are bad. It’s just that no product provides 100% protection.
Therapeutic treatment
When treating cats for fleas, sprays and drops are usually used. Shampoos can be too toxic, and collars are not effective enough once an infection has already occurred. Read more about flea removal here.
If a cat is bitten by a tick, you should pull it out immediately. But you can’t just pull: this way, with a high degree of probability, you will only get the body, and the head will remain under the skin. You need to pull it out, twisting it a little. You can buy a special tool for this. Or, if in doubt, take the cat to the veterinarian to have the tick removed by a veterinarian. The bite site is then treated with an antiseptic, for example, chlorhexidine. Next, the condition of the animal must be monitored. If you feel unwell, be sure to contact a veterinarian.
Routes of infection
The most common route of infection with cat scabies is contact. The microscopic tick can easily jump from one infected animal to another. Moreover, it is absolutely not necessary to contact sick relatives. A cat can become infected from a dog, from another cat, or from birds - domestic or wild. Pigeons are especially prone to scabies.
This can happen anywhere: during a walk, at a veterinarian’s appointment, at an exhibition, on public transport. Small kittens often become infected from their sick mother during the period of cohabitation and feeding.
The second common route of transmission of parasites is through animal care items. You can pick up a tick from someone else's comb, brush, or bedding. The third is housekeeping clothes and shoes. A person can bring ticks into the house on their clothes or shoes.
Who is at risk
Most often people become infected with scabies:
- Animals with weakened immune systems.
- Exhausted cats.
- Pets in shelters and stray cats.
Dog tick repellent for cats - is it possible?
Sometimes owners who have a cat and a dog in their house are interested in the question: Are dog tick medications suitable for cats? They don't always fit. For example, dogs tolerate permethrin normally, while cats can die from it. The dosage also varies.
To avoid mistakes, we recommend adhering to the following rule: if the instructions for the drug say that use is permitted for both dogs and cats, then this drug can be used. If there is no “for cats” label in the instructions, then it’s not worth the risk.
Diagnostics
In order for the treatment of scabies in cats to be effective and not protracted, it is important to make an accurate and quick diagnosis - at the first alarming symptoms, you need to show your pet to a veterinarian.
Usually the doctor makes a diagnosis based on anamnesis and visual examination of the animal. A scraping is then taken to confirm the diagnosis of feline mange caused by Notoedris cati. A microscopic examination is carried out.
Important!
There are many diseases that have similar symptoms to scabies (eczema, dermatitis, allergies). Accurate identification of the causative agent of the pathology will help prescribe the correct treatment.
How to protect a cat from ticks and fleas in the country and in the forest?
In the countryside, in the forest and in the fields, the risk of tick bites is increased. Ticks do not jump on victims from trees and bushes, but lie in wait in the grass. Where there is a lot of grass and it is tall, the risk is greatest. Therefore, before going into the forest or field with a cat, you must:
- treat it with insectoacaricidal agents;
- don’t let him walk alone;
- if possible, do not walk in the grass;
- Inspect after the walk.
At the dacha, it’s easier to cope with the task of protecting a cat from ticks. This is your territory and you can not only treat the cat, but also the area. The area is treated with special insectoacaricidal agents in compliance with safety precautions. Of course, at this time and immediately after treatment, animals and children cannot be released onto the site, because processing substances are toxic.
Also, to minimize the risk of tick bites, there is no need to grow tall grass in your summer cottage. If you have weeds, water them. If you have lawns, cut them short. Grooming and chemical treatment of the area, as well as a protective product for the cat, will help protect the animal and your family from bloodsuckers.
Features of protection of pregnant females and kittens
For pregnant and lactating females, kittens, and weakened animals, there are special products of all types. These are drops (Clandestine Junior), and sprays (Fiprist), and shampoos (Clandestine). Each of them is designed for a specific age of the animal, but kittens under 2 weeks old cannot be treated with any means. At an older age, if the kitten has not yet been weaned from its mother, after treatment it must be isolated from the female for some time in order to avoid licking the drug.
Anti-tick and flea treatment for cats and kittens: which is better?
Each owner makes his own decision regarding which product to use. The following must be taken into account.
- Age of the animal. In the instructions for the drug you need to look at the age at which it can be used. By breaking the rules, you can kill the animal.
- Availability of individual reaction. If the animal has already had a negative reaction to some active substance, it can no longer be used. Then you need to choose a drug based on another substance.
- The health status of the animal. If your pet has diseases of the liver and other internal organs, it is better to consult with your veterinarian about the use of this or that remedy. And it is better to opt for drugs that do not penetrate the blood, but spread only through the fatty lubricant of the skin.
- The smell of the drug. Some anti-flea and tick products stink, and animals, having a heightened sense of smell, suffer. Sometimes their owners suffer along with them. As a rule, the torment goes away within a few hours, when the drug wears off a little and the animal gets used to it. But there are times when the animal absolutely cannot come to terms with the strong smell. Then it is better to purchase a less odorous product.
- The one you will protect from. Most products are effective against fleas, ticks, lice, lice and mosquitoes. But there are drugs that act only against insects or only against ticks. Choose what you need.
- Accustoming parasites to drugs. Over time, ticks and fleas adapt to the poisons that people poison them with. If many pet owners in your area are reporting problems with a particular drug, it might make sense to take a closer look at another. And pay attention to new generation substances: parasites do not yet have resistance to them.
Whatever you choose, still inspect the animal for uninvited guests after each walk. It is easier to detect the parasite on light-colored cats. If the animal is dark in color, you need to feel it with your hands, and also examine the hottest places where ticks bite most often - the armpits, stomach, groin, near the ears, on the neck. If a tick is found, it must be removed immediately, because He often rewards his victim with infections only at the very end of the meal.
It is also necessary to remember that if the animal is unwell within half a month after a walk, when contacting a veterinarian, be sure to say that you recently walked with the cat. Sometimes the symptoms of the disease do not appear immediately.
Many owners ask how to treat a cat or dog with this in order to live in peace and not worry about bites? We always answer this: to live calmly, you need to take sedatives, and antiparasitic drugs do not reduce the level of anxiety. The owner, knowing about the threat, can only take preventive measures and hope for the best. We wish your cat to keep his tail straight, and for you to be calm but vigilant.
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Symptoms
Scabies in cats is manifested by severe itching, as a result of which the animal becomes restless.
The disease initially affects the head area, including around the ears and neck. Penetrating into the deep layers of the skin, the mite digs passages there in which females lay eggs. All this causes severe irritation and itching in the cat.
The animal shakes its head, constantly itches, scratches and scratches appear, and then the hair on the affected areas falls out and dark crusts (scabs) can be clearly seen.
Typically, hair loss begins at the edges of the ears and gradually moves to the forehead and neck. In advanced cases, the lesion spreads throughout the animal's body.
Prevention measures
To prevent a cat from becoming infected with fleas, preventive measures are needed:
- regularly carry out wet cleaning, thoroughly vacuum furniture and carpets;
- treat animal bedding and toys with disinfectants;
- limit the interaction of cats with street animals;
- periodically bathe the cat with a special shampoo;
- You can place herbs near the pet’s place: wormwood, sage, chamomile;
- use a collar or drops for preventive purposes in the summer, when the pet is taken to the countryside or into nature.
Fleas on cats are a common and unpleasant occurrence. But don’t panic, they are easy to get rid of with the help of special means. If you use them according to the instructions and follow the advice of the veterinarian, your pet will be healthy.
