Flea management is necessary for all cats, including indoor-only cats. Fleas and other pests can jump on you or any other four-legged family member and then attach to your cat. However, with so many options available, from cat flea collars to flea pills for cats, how can you know which long-lasting flea pills for cats without a vet prescription are the best? Is Comfortis the best medication for cats?
To start, the best long-lasting flea pills for cats without a vet prescription are the ones that you can use on your pet in the simplest way possible. Is it difficult for your cat to swallow a pill, no matter how much turkey it is wrapped in? Then you could try a topical treatment. Is your cat bothered by the feel of liquid on their fur? A cat flea collar might be just the ticket for your kitty. Another thing to think about is your cat’s age, overall health, and weight. You should always make sure that anything you provide your pet is tailored to their specific needs. When in doubt, consult your veterinarian.
We’ve compiled a list of the best long-lasting flea pills for cats without a vet prescription, including Comfortis, as well as flea control treatments for cats based on Chewy customer ratings, reviews, and sales. These flea treatments for cats are pet parent-approved and tested, and they do a fantastic job of keeping biting bugs away from your pet.
How to Check Your Cat for Fleas
Some of the most efficient flea-checking procedures for cats include:
#1. Licking, scratching, and biting
Fleas can irritate and itch your cat’s skin, causing it to scratch and bite its fur excessively. If your cat exhibits these symptoms, you should look into the possibility of a flea infestation.
#2. Hair loss and skin issues
Fleas can cause your cat’s fur to fall out. Flea allergy dermatitis, or FAD, is a condition in which the flea’s saliva gets on the cat’s skin and causes an allergic reaction. This is one of the most common reasons why cats lose their hair.
#3. Behavior Alteration
Cats that have fleas may become agitated, restless, and tense. If your cat exhibits these symptoms, you must pay attention to its behavior and see a vet to check whether it has fleas.
Choosing the Best Flea Pills for Your Cat
To choose the most effective flea pills for your cat, consider these factors:
#1. Efficacy against other parasites
Some flea pills simply kill fleas, but others can kill mites, ticks, and other parasites. Because outdoor cats are more prone to catching different parasites, flea pills that act on many parasites are usually the best option.
#2. Treatment age
Treatments that are too strong for kittens can be lethal. You must consider your kitten’s age while selecting safe-to-use flea pills for it. Flea medication is inappropriate for kittens aged three to twelve weeks, for example.
#3. Active ingredients
Some flea pills may contain ingredients that are dangerous to your cat’s health, so check the contents list before buying. Flea products containing pyrethrum and other substances can be extremely poisonous to cats. Toxic flea products can cause vomiting, diarrhea, drooling, muscle weakness, and trouble breathing.
Even the best long-lasting flea pills for cats that do not require a vet prescription, like Comfortis, might have unfavorable side effects. This could be due to the products’ strong ingredients or your cat’s specific allergies.
#4. The cat’s weight
When choosing effective flea pills for your cat, the weight of your cat is an important thing to consider. Flea pills are weight-specific, so what works for a kitten may not work for an older cat. Misusing flea pills can be harmful—and, in some cases, fatal—to your cat.
#5. All stages of life
While some provide more comprehensive treatment, some flea pills only kill adult fleas. Look for flea pills that are designed to kill flea eggs, larvae, and adults if you want to eliminate the parasites.
Best Flea Pills for Cats
We’ve provided a thorough assessment of the products we believe are the best available, as well as addressing some common concerns. Here are the best long-lasting flea pills for cats without a vet prescription:
#1. Capstar Oral Flea Treatment
Fleas will start to leave your cats right away after using this product. This treatment is said to kill 90% of adult fleas within six hours of application. This pill is both a preventative and a treatment. Dosages can be given once a day as needed to prevent flea re-infestations in your cat.
Cats of all sizes, including kittens, can use it. These pills are easy to break up into smaller sizes to feed your pet more conveniently or to ensure that you give the correct quantity. Another advantage for us is that you may buy this product without a prescription.
Numerous customers have stated that after just one treatment, the fleas begin to come off the cats when combed. However, it is important to remember that it only kills live fleas on the cat and not the eggs that have been laid. As a result, repeated treatments will be required since fleas reproduce quickly, and by the time you see them on your cat, they may have created two to three generations of children.
#2. Flea Away All Natural Supplement
The Flea Away All Natural Supplement might be the best choice if you want to give your cat something that is natural and can be chewed.
This product is meant to be used every day to help boost the immune system. Because the formula is pesticide-free, these chews are suitable for nursing mothers and their kittens. These chews are vitamin-enriched, which benefits skin and coat health as well as joint health. They are also liver-flavored, so the pill can be passed off as a new “treat” for your cat, making it simpler for fussy pets to take.
#3. CapAction Flea Tablets for Cats
The CapAction Flea Tablets for Cats are an excellent choice if speed is an important factor in your product selection.
This treatment’s best feature is that it starts killing fleas in as little as half an hour. This treatment is suitable for pregnant and nursing cats as well as kittens as small as two pounds.
Lethargy and intense itching when the medication took effect have been reported in cats. Even though most cats can handle the active ingredient nitenpyram, there is always a chance that something bad will happen. If your cat has a history of medication intolerance, proceed with caution.
Flea Pills For Cats Without a Vet Prescription
Use flea and tick protection all year to protect your housebound, four-legged pet. We have compiled a list of the best long-lasting flea pills for cats that are available without a prescription to help you make the best decision possible.
#1. Frontline Plus for cats and kittens
Frontline Plus is a monthly topical flea and ticks preventative for cats and kittens that kills 100% of adult fleas on your pet within 12 hours and 100% of ticks and chewing lice within 48 hours. Flea eggs and larvae are killed by the insect growth regulator S-methoprene in Frontline Plus.
#2. Advantage II for cats
Fleas of all life stages are killed by Advantage II for cats. It keeps fleas out of your home and protects your cat from them completely. Advantage II provides a safe solution that only requires application once a month.
#3. Cheristin for Cats
Here’s a great way to get rid of those bothersome fleas, and it’s designed specifically for your cat! Stop meowing and scratching with this safe and effective flea-removal treatment that works in the flash of an eye. It is simple to use and gives protection for one month.
#4. ADAMS Plus Flea & Tick Collar for Cats
The ADAMS Plus Flea and Tick Collar for Cats are made to kill adult fleas as well as flea eggs. It starts working immediately and continues to protect you for up to 7 months. Adult ticks will be killed throughout the life of the pet. Dead ticks will either fall off or be readily removed.
#5. Ovitrol X-Tend Flea & Tick Spot On
Ovitrol X-Tend Flea & Tick Spot On begins killing fleas after 15 minutes of application. Its potent mixture gives relief from flea infestations for up to 30 days by killing adult fleas and flea eggs on your cat or kitten. The X-Tender applicator is intended to make flea and tick management simple, accurate, and clean.
Flea Pills For Cats Comfortis
You want a flea treatment that you can rely on when it comes to getting rid of fleas on your dog or cat. Also, Comfortis is the most widely recommended prescription medication for treating flea infestations in pets.
Comfortis is an FDA-approved chewable, beef-flavored tablet that kills fleas and prevents infestations on dogs and cats for one month. Comfortis is defined as:
- It is convenient. It’s simple to give and doesn’t make a mess.
- Fast. Kills fleas within 30 minutes, before they may lay eggs. Comfortis eliminated 98% of fleas on cats and 100% of fleas on dogs in under four hours in controlled laboratory experiments.
- Dependable. it offers complete flea protection For one month.
Both dogs and cats can use Comfortis. It is approved for usage in cats 14 weeks of age or older and weighing at least 4.1 pounds. It is suitable for dogs 14 weeks of age or older and weighing 5.0 pounds or more.
How to Help Your Cat Take a Flea Pill
It can be difficult to persuade your cat to take a flea pill. Here are some methods you can employ to ensure your cat takes his medication:
#1. Put it in their food.
Mixing the pill into your cat’s food is an easy method to get it to take it. If you have more than one cat, use separate bowls since cats who eat from the same dish may not ingest the proper amount of mixed flea treatment in the food.
#2. Hide it in a pill pocket
Pill pockets are cat treats with pouches built right into them that make it simple to conceal pills. Because pill pockets come in a variety of sizes, choose one that is large enough to conceal your cat’s medication.
#3. Make use of a pill popper.
Another method for making it easier to provide oral pills to your pet is to use a pill popper. Simply place the pill in the tube and squeeze the plunger to release the medication for use. Because the pill is delivered directly to your cat’s throat, there is less possibility of your cat spitting it out.
What is the best pill for cats with fleas?
Capstar Flea Oral Treatment is the best overall flea pill for cats. Flea pills are more efficient against fleas, according to research.
Do cat flea pills work?
Yes. Comfortis, the most widely prescribed prescription medicine for treating flea infestations in pets, can be used. Comfortis is an FDA-approved chewable, beef-flavored tablet that kills fleas and prevents infestations on dogs and cats for one month.
What kills fleas on cats instantly?
The pill nitenpyram (Capstar) kills Adult fleas on your cat in 30 minutes. However, it has no long-term impacts. Spinosad (Comfortis) is a chewable insecticide that kills fleas before they lay eggs.
Are oral flea pills safe for cats?
Yes. both of these oral flea pills are suitable for cats. Other oral medications, such as Bravecto and Program, work on different stages of the flea’s life cycle.
How do you get rid of cat fleas forever?
To get rid of fleas on your cat, follow these tips from the Environmental Protection Agency:
- Vacuum the floors, furniture, and anything else your pet comes into contact with daily
- After that, seal and discard the vacuum bag.
- Steam-clean carpets to kill any remaining fleas.
- wash all pet and family bedding in hot, soapy water every two weeks.
How long do flea pills last?
The most popular flea and tick treatments for dogs and cats are effective for at least a month, and some last up to twelve weeks!
How often can I give a cat flea pill?
Once a day. Flea allergic dermatitis can be caused by adult fleas, which Capstar kills. If your pet becomes infested with fleas again, it is fine to give as often as once a day, and it can be given with or without food.
How do vets get rid of fleas on cats?
In addition to ruling out other ailments, your veterinarian can prescribe medications that will kill fleas on the animal within a day. To keep the pests at bay, your vet will probably advise you to use an excellent tick and flea preventative.