Fleas can be extremely annoying irritants to you and your cat. If your cat is infested with them, she is itching and scratching constantly. Likewise, the fleas could be jumping off of her and onto you. The good news is that there is flea shampoo for cats that can help take care of this problem.
How Does Flea Shampoo Work?
Flea shampoos are medicated shampoos that use chemicals to kill off the fleas on your cat's body. Some flea shampoos will also kill off ticks and flea eggs, as well. The chemicals are very strong and are made to interrupt the life cycle of the adult flea and its eggs. If your cat is heavily infested with fleas, giving them a good flea bath should cure them of at least 99% of all fleas. Keep in mind that the shampoo needs to be rubbed and worked into every inch of your cat's body to be effective. Because that can sometimes be difficult to do with cats, you may still see the remnants of a flea or two. Flea shampoos do not have any residual effect. That means that there is no long-term flea killing power. It will destroy the fleas and any eggs currently nesting in your cat's fur, but after the bath is over, it's open season again.
Is Flea Shampoo Safe for My Cat?
Although some opinions on this may be mixed, in general, flea shampoos are safe for your cat. The biggest concern most pet owners have about medicated flea shampoo is the large amount of chemicals used in it. However, in order for a flea shampoo to be effective, it has to contain certain chemicals that will instantly stop the life cycle of the flea or tick. Because flea shampoos have such a high concentration of chemicals, they are not suitable to be used on kittens younger than 12 weeks of age. If your cat is over the age of 12 weeks but under age of 1 year old, you will want to choose a flea shampoo specially formulated for kittens.
What Types of Flea Shampoos Are Available?
There are many viable options for flea shampoo. However, you may want to consider price, effectiveness, brand name and public review when searching for the appropriate flea shampoo for your cat. Additionally, all flea shampoos can be bought over-the-counter, so you will have ample opportunity to seek out the best treatment for your cat. Here are some of the most commonly used flea shampoos for cats:
- Bio Spot Flea and Tick Shampoo for Cats
- Four Paws Magic Coat Flea and Tick Shampoo for Cats and Kittens
- Hartz Ultraguard Rid Flea and Tick Cat Shampoo
- Natural Chemistry De Flea Pet Shampoo for Cats
Now that you know how flea shampoos work and some of the options available to you, you are ready to choose one that will rid your cat of his fleas.