Seresto™ Flea and Tick Control collar for cats

It's an innovative collar that is clinically proven to provide 7-8 months of flea and tick protection for your cat. With Seresto, one collar is all it takes to give you peace of mind for 7-8 months.

Compared to other tick and flea collars, the Seresto Flea and Tick Control collar uses innovative technology that enables it to release controlled doses of the active ingredients over a long period of time. The ingredients are transferred to your cat’s skin and coat, and spread across their entire body, keeping them protected from fleas for 7-8 months and from ticks for 8 months. Clinically proven to kill fleas and actively repel and kill ticks through contact, so no bite is required for it to work².

No, you don't need a prescription to buy the Seresto Flea and Tick control collar. The collar used to be a prescription-only product meaning it was only available from licensed vets, but now it is freely available without a prescription. This has made the process of protecting your furry friend even easier. But it is important to make sure you are getting a genuine Seresto Flea and Tick Control collar – that’s why we recommend you purchase from your local vet practice, or a high street pet retailer  or agricultural store where you can speak with an SQP in store. If you are buying online, we recommend using one of our official partners.

There are two: imidacloprid, which kills adult fleas and flea larvae; and flumethrin, which repels and kills all life stages of ticks. Both ingredients act through contact without the need for parasites to bite¹.

In the Seresto cat collar, there is 12.5g of imidacloprid and 0.56g of flumethrin.

If you have only just put the Seresto collar on your cat, it can take up to 48 hours for Seresto to kill fleas already on your cat. Once your cat has worn the collar for at least 48 hours, any new fleas jumping onto your cat should be killed within 24 hours. 

If your cat is already suffering from a flea infestation before you apply Seresto, you can use a quick-acting flea treatment too, such as Capstar: flea tablets that start killing fleas within 30 minutes and can be used in combination with Seresto. Used together, Capstar will provide quick relief by killing live fleas, and Seresto will prevent re-infestation occurring for 7-8 months.

If there is an existing tick already attached to your cat before the collar is applied, it can take 48 hours for it to be killed. We’d recommend removing any ticks that are already attached to your pets before you use Seresto. Learn how to remove ticks from cats to make sure you remove them safely.

If your cat has been wearing Seresto for over 48 hours, new ticks will be actively repelled and killed.

With a Seresto Flea and Tick Control collar, your cat is protected against fleas and ticks for 7-8 months. You should replace the collar after this time to ensure your cat is continually protected.

Not at all. The collar is odourless, which means you don't have to put up with any of the unpleasant smells you may associate with other flea and tick collars.

There may be a few reasons why your Seresto collar may not be working for your cat. It’s important to check you have purchased a genuine collar, check that it fits correctly and ensure is worn continuously by your pet.

If you have questions about the efficacy of the collars or are still concerned, please contact our technical services team on 01256 353 131.

Although your cat is wearing a Seresto collar, ticks may still get onto their coat when they brush past them. The active ingredients work through contact, so ticks need to initially latch on to the pet to become exposed to them. Once the ticks come into contact with the active ingredients, the product acts to repel and kill them.

Attachment of individual ticks can occur occasionally, especially in animals that live in areas with very high tick burdens. However, the vast majority of ticks will be repelled and killed before they are able to bite. 

 If the collar does get dirty, you can simply wipe it down carefully with a moist cloth.

A small amount of mud or dirt on the outer surface of the collar would not be expected to affect the efficacy of the Seresto collar for your cat.  However, any mud that creates a barrier between the collar and your cat’s coat may impact the collar's ability to work.

The collar’s active ingredients are bound within the collar matrix, rather than all being on the surface of the collar, so your cat shouldn’t come to harm if it licks the collar.

Chewing of the collar should still be avoided to prevent higher doses of the active ingredients being released. It’s possible that mild gastrointestinal signs (e.g. loose stool) may occur if the collar is chewed or swallowed; speak with your vet if you are concerned.

If your cat manages to get her own collar into her mouth it’s likely that it is applied too loosely. As a guide, you should only be able to fit two fingers between the collar and your cat’s neck.

If you need to remove the Seresto collar from your cat to replace it, squeeze the outer sides of the buckle at the same time as pulling from the other end or side of the collar.

Some may find it just as easy to cut the collar off with scissors before applying a new collar.

Seresto is a product that works to protect your cats against fleas and ticks. Although mites are within the same family as ticks, Seresto is not indicated to kill ear mites in cats.

Mild reactions at the site where the collar has been fitted such as scratching, redness and hair loss can occur occasionally, though they are not common. These symptoms usually disappear within one to two weeks, without the need to remove the collar, as your cat gets used to wearing it. In some cases, temporary collar removal may be recommended until the symptoms have disappeared. In rare cases in cats, allergic reactions including allergic contact dermatitis can occur. In this case, collar removal is recommended. Please consult your vet if you have any concerns.

Pets wearing the collar should not be allowed to sleep in the same bed as their owners, especially children.

The Seresto Flea and Tick Control collar contains a special ‘polymer matrix’ within the collar and this keeps the largest amount of active substances within the collar so that there is a low amount on the outside. However, do not allow children to play with the collar, or to put it in their mouth.

No. It's important to put a new collar on without any delay so that your cat is continually protected.

No, and no. The Seresto Flea and Tick Control collar doesn’t work that way. Simply put the collar around your cat’s neck and make sure you adjust it properly for 7–8 months of protection against fleas and ticks. 

Absolutely. The Seresto Flea and Tick Control cat collar can be worn alongside your cat´s usual collar without compromising its efficacy, provided the Seresto collar is still in contact with the animal’s coat. 

Studies with either flumethrin or imidacloprid in other mammals have not produced any adverse effects on fertility or reproduction. However, the safety of Seresto has not been established in pregnant and lactating cats.

In the absence of appropriate data, the Seresto collar for cats should not be used in pregnant and lactating queens.

This hasn’t been tested and it might have an impact on the level of protection your cat receives. Therefore we don't recommend this. To provide the optimum level of flea and tick protection with the collar, it should be worn continuously and replaced every eight months.  However, if you’ve removed the collar only temporarily (e.g. during grooming), you can reapply it without any problems.

Used collars or any remnants should be disposed of in accordance with local requirements. The product should not be disposed of in water courses.

The collar can be used on kittens aged ten weeks and older.

As kittens grow at different rates, we recommend frequent checks of the collar and readjustment if necessary. Watch the video above to see how to fit your Seresto Flea and Tick Control collar properly, and always follow the guidance provided.

The Seresto Flea and Tick Control cat collar is water-resistant and does not need to be removed when a cat gets wet or is bathed. The active ingredients are contained in the collar matrix and will not be released into water if your cat gets wet. They spread through the lipid layer of the cat’s skin and hair and even if this lipid layer containing some of the ingredients is partially washed off by bathing, Seresto will quickly replenish the active ingredients and the pet will be protected again.

However, prolonged, intense exposure to water or extensive shampooing should be avoided as the duration of activity may be reduced. Studies show that monthly shampooing or water immersion does not significantly shorten the eight months’ efficacy duration for ticks after redistribution of the active substances in the coat whereas the product’s flea efficacy gradually decreased, starting in the fifth month.