This article gives you a practical idea about cat-flea-collars. If you are looking for a perfect flea-collar for your cat, below listed are our suggestions, our recommended flea collars and a few other FAQs like how budget-friendly are they? What are the difficulties you may face? Whether they are safe for your pets?
In a nutshell:
All are answered. You will have to choose the perfect one for your cat. Along with that, you should also know how to remove fleas from your cats too.
Two main insecticides used in these collars are imidacloprid and flumethrin. Imidacloprid affects the nervous system of the fleas and flumethrin slowly gets absorbed in the cat’s skin and when fleas suck blood from it, the toxicant goes inside their body and kills them.
Fleas that are already residing in the cat’s fur get killed within 24 hours and the new ones trying to jump on them die within 2 hours.
It is a hassle-free collar, as you don’t need sprays, drops or other liquid insecticides to apply on your cats and it lasts up to 8 months.
The collar has a unique feature called ‘auto release’ i.e. it loosens and tightens according to the condition of the neck of the cat by not choking the animal. Yes, it is a bit expensive than the other products available in the market but besides fleas, it kills ticks and lice too, it is water-resistant and does not smell of insecticides.
Less expensive flea-collars are also available in the market but they use essential oils that contain various extracts from plants which may be harmful to your cat. Seresto is a known brand and they do not use essential oils.
If you are in a rush and you are looking for immediate treatment for your cat, listed below are our recommended 5 best cat-flea-collars.
Giving a bath to a cat is a difficult job. But it is necessary to give your cat baths even if it is infected by fleas. Some cats really hate water. In that case, you have to look for an alternative solution to get rid of the fleas from their skin. Collars come as a great help here.
Other than flea collars, the ‘spot on’ drops also come handy. Most pet owners prefer collars to spot on drops because they are less expensive and some cats are allergic to topical spot-on products.
Check this video which shows you how safe are flea collars on your pet:
When cats are infected by fleas it is quite an uncomfortable and painful situation for them to handle. The continuous irritation of the skin due to flea bites makes them scratch it with their nails which cause bruises. Your cat can suffer otherwise too.
Infestations caused by ectoparasites are prickly and uncomfortable. Fleas are ectoparasites. They attack the external surface of your cat and feed on their blood. In the process, your pet cat can end up suffering from anemia, cat flu or FAD (Flea Allergy Dermatitis).
A FAD is a common disease for pets when they are infected by fleas. During flea biting, the germ gets injected into the cat’s body through the saliva of the flea. Parasites like tapeworms can also form from flea infestation.
Flea infestations on cats are a regular problem. You have to be alert so that the problem does not take a serious turn. Use a cat-flea-comb; check the bath-water for dead fleas. Study your cat carefully and notice whether it is licking or biting too much or not.
If yes, it has been infected. Fleas leave flecks of dark-colored digested blood on the skins of cats. After bathing, brush your cat with a white towel and you can see the crumbs. Since they are dried; if you put water on the flecks you will see them turning to red.
Flea infestation on your pet is a serious problem and you should act instantly. Cat-flea-collars are a good remedy for flea infestation and cheaper comparing to other flea treatments. But you must understand the seriousness of the problem and act accordingly.
There are basically 2 types of flea collars depending on their functional differences. One is used for treating the fleas and other for repelling them.
The flea-collar consists of a mixture of solid insecticides along with a chemical compound called resin. After the collar is tied on the cat’s neck this mixture seeps into the cat’s skin and fur. Depending on the potential of the insecticide, the flea either dies when it bites the cat or when it comes in contact with the mixture.
The liquid insecticide releases gas which repels the fleas. This treatment does not kill the fleas.
There are various insecticides that are used in cat-flea-collars. Deltamethrin, Amitraz, Pyriproxifen, Propoxur, etc are the common ones. Imidacloprid and fipronil are two examples of insecticides that kill adult fleas. Pyriproxyfen and S-methoprene are the usual Insect Growth Regulators (IGR) to restrict flea eggs and larvae to reproduce hence ending the life cycle of the fleas.
Some cat-flea-collars combine insecticides with IGR so that flea bites and flea growths both get restricted at the same time. Some cat-flea-collars are that effective that they are capable of killing adult fleas in 24 hours and can sustain for 8 months. They are as effectual as the liquid treatments for fleas without the messy ambiance.
A flea-collar may lose its efficacy if it gets wet a lot of times in a week. Though at the pack most of the collars are termed ‘water-resistant’ there is a limit to resistance too! Your cat might enjoy playing with water (which is not the usual case anyway). During the time you give a bath to your cat, take out the collar, put it in a plastic bag and when later your cat is dry again put it on.
The usefulness of the flea-collar also depends on your cat rather than the insecticides in the collar, capable of killing adult fleas, eggs, larvae, and pupae. If the potential of the IGR along with the function of insecticides reduce due to drenching of water, flea eggs will fall in your carpets and upholsteries and larvae and pupae will make their ways to your pets.
A female flea lays averagely 50 eggs in a day. Most of them fall on the ground. Adult fleas comprise 5% of the total population while eggs add 50%, larvae add 35% and 10% are pupae. Cat-flea-collars are important to get rid of fleas from your pet. But to eradicate the fleas’ population, first, your household should be taken care of.
Click here and access our exterminator search tool- instantly get free quotes from the authentic house of exterminators in your local area.
Get FREE QuotesProcess Takes About 30 Seconds
The best way to remove fleas from your house so that they don’t infect your cats anymore is to follow the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) method. Whether to apply a flea-collar for your cat or to opt for other techniques, they will guide you properly. They specialize in various techniques, methods, and procedures to kill or sterilize fleas from your pets, your house indoors and outdoors.
But first, you should have thorough knowledge about the life cycle of a flea so that while using IPM you get to know which product to use on which areas of infestation, be it on adult fleas, eggs, larvae or pupae. Before buying a pesticide read the label on it carefully. Some products may say that it is a ‘repellent’.
Well, this particular product will remove the fleas that are accessible. Do not be that desperate to apply all kinds of products on your pets, at home or outdoor. Insecticides at the end of the day are poisonous and are capable of killing pests. The environment may turn out to be lethal for your pet. You can consult a veterinarian who can suggest you the best technique to apply.
Use a vacuum cleaner. Larvae hiding in carpets, upholsteries, and cracks of your house when hatch, live on new flea eggs and flea dirt. Use a vacuum cleaner to suck all eggs and flea dirt from the nooks and corners of your house and larvae die without food.
A vacuum cleaner is also essential before any home-made treatments as spraying or exploding a fogger. If you use a vacuum cleaner closely, you will see that it generates heat and vibration together, which helps pupae to hatch.
A chemical contact treatment on the fleas works effectively during this time. Get rid of the vacuum cleaner bag and trash it far away from your home so that the surviving fleas don’t return to your home.
Some people who are over enthusiastic cut semi-used flea collars and put them inside the vacuum bag also so that the little bit of insecticide left in the collars too can kill the pests.
Obviously they are safe for cats; otherwise, you will not put them on your feline friends’ neck. But some products come with safety precautions stating words like: ‘Keep out of children.’ That means certain pesticides in them are harmful to humans on contact.
Please wash your hands after you have tied a flea collar on your pet. Children love their pets but once the pet is affected, take proper measures so that any the toxic ingredients at the collar do not hamper your children’s health.
As mentioned earlier, study your pet carefully. A lot of hair-fall? Raw painful spots on the skin? Red circles around the neck? Immediately stop using the product. Get the collar out of its neck. Consult a vet instantly! You should take some time after you put the collar on the cat.
There will be some initial discomfort as the poor animal is not used to have a collar on its neck. Ignore those reactions tactfully by caressing and cuddling the cat to and fro. You will notice that if your cat has infected by fleas the type of discomfort changes.
They will keep on scratching their skins because of irritations caused by flea bites. Keep notice that the collar does not stifle your pet’s neck. Select a collar that has a flexible release apparatus.
Using cat-flea-collars on your cats is a reliable solution for removing fleas from your cat. Here are some of our recommended products:
Why you should choose this?
The prime insecticides used in this collar are imidacloprid and flumethrin which are capable to kill the fleas already infested in your cat’s skin in 24 hours. Fleas that target your pet and jump on them get killed within 2 hours.
No essential oils are used in the collar and hence safe for your cat. Some cats are allergic to essential oils. Your cat’s skin remains as it is, not getting wet by using ampoules, drops or sprays.
Click here and access our exterminator search tool- instantly get free quotes from the authentic house of exterminators in your local area.
Get FREE QuotesProcess Takes About 30 Seconds
Why you should choose this?
You might find the Bayer Seresto Collar a bit expensive. In that case, we suggest you use Adam’s Plus Flea Collar. Both the products kill fleas, larvae, and pupae. The main insecticides used in Seresto Collars are imidacloprid and flumethrin which are less harmful than Tetrachlorvinphos (TCVP), the insecticide used in Adam’s Plus Flea Collars.
Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is trying hard so that the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) bans this product as this particular insecticide is harmful to the environment. The decision is obviously yours, whether you want a cheaper collar for your cats at the expense of their health or not.
Click here and access our exterminator search tool- instantly get free quotes from the authentic house of exterminators in your local area.
Get FREE QuotesProcess Takes About 30 Seconds
Why you should choose this?
Hartz Flea Collars have similarities with Adam’s Plus Flea Collars. Both use the same insecticides as ingredients in which Tetrachlorvinphos, comprising 14.55% kill adult fleas and S-Methoprene, comprising 1.02% kill eggs, larvae, and pupae. The decision is again yours. You will have to decide between and price and the health condition of your cat.
Click here and access our exterminator search tool- instantly get free quotes from the authentic house of exterminators in your local area.
Get FREE QuotesProcess Takes About 30 Seconds
Why you should choose this?
If you along with your cat have sensitive skin, this is the perfect product for you. This product has biological ingredients that repel fleas and ticks from your cat. Natural Pet & Flea Collar is perfect for preventing fleas to come near to your cats and killing them. But for a serious flea infestation, you may have to opt for other products.
Click here and access our exterminator search tool- instantly get free quotes from the authentic house of exterminators in your local area.
Get FREE QuotesProcess Takes About 30 Seconds
Several cat-flea-collars are available in the market but we would like to stick to our recommended best product which is Bayer Seresto Cat Collar. Why such business? Let us put the true facts in front of you. A ‘spot-on’ treatment may be the perfect method of eradicating fleas from your cat.
A Bayer Seresto Cat Collar’s function is equivalent to it. Putting sprays, liquid insecticides on the skins of your cats may irritate them and a natural reaction to that is licking. This may affect their health and a serious illness may take place too.
On the other side, the fleas do not need to bite them to get infected, they get killed on contact. Imidacloprid and flumethrin as the major ingredient is discharged slowly but continuously from the collar and spread from head to toe and tail of the cat. This product is generally recommended by the vets.
If you are looking for other measures for cat-flea treatment, type in at our search tool and get free quotes. But it is always a better idea to contact a pest control company and ask for remedies from a professional pest exterminator.
Click here and access our exterminator search tool- instantly get free quotes from the authentic house of exterminators in your local area.
Get FREE QuotesProcess Takes About 30 Seconds
Image Source: amazon.com