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Why Cat Flea Powder Has Fallen Into Disuse

Cats > Flea and Ticks > Why Cat Flea Powder Has Fallen Into Disuse

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Using cat flea power has fallen into disuse because it cannot completely eradicate fleas by itself, it may be toxic to your cat's health and new non-toxic products are proving safer and more effective. Essentially, traditional cat flea powders containing pesticides cannot kill all fleas present during an active infestation, thereby providing only temporary relief until new fleas begin to hatch and reproduce.

Cat Flea Powder Disadvantages

Cat flea powders with pesticides are a quick fix, but ultimately an ineffective one, for these reasons:

Cat flea powder cannot be administered evenly on the coat, allowing some fleas to remain unharmed on your cat.
Cat flea powder has no residual effects, so fleas return to your cat's coat fast (sometimes even the next day).
Cat flea powder pesticides cannot penetrate flea cocoons fallen to the ground, so fleas continue to hatch and reproduce.

Generally speaking, to be effective, any flea control must be comprehensive, consisting of treating all pets in the household, as well as treating indoor and outdoor areas. Cat flea powders simply cannot do the job alone.

Risks to Using Flea Powder

Infused with pesticides, traditional cat flea powder may indeed immediately kill a large number of fleas. However, cat flea powder creates a cloud of toxic chemicals that you and your cat breathe with each application. Be alert to these signs of pesticide overdose in your cat:

Vomiting
Diarrhea
Respiratory problems
Shaking
Seizures

New, Non-Toxic Alternatives to Flea Powder

Research has yielded a new generation of flea control: oral and topical products that interfere with the life cycle of fleas but contain no pesticides. Ask your vet about the array of non-toxic flea powder alternatives on the market today.

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