Not sure which option for tick or flea control is best for your cat?
Take our short quiz below to see which options for stress-free tick and flea control would suit you and your cat. Then speak to your vet about the different options they have available.
Not sure how to ask your vet about the other options available for tick and flea control?
Here are some useful questions to ask your vet at your cat's next visit - just screenshot these to take them with you:
My cat lives indoors and does not go out; do I still need to treat them for ticks and fleas?
My cat tries to escape when I try to treat for ticks and fleas. Are there other options?
What treatment options are available to treat my cat for ticks and fleas?
Is there a different way to treat my cat for ticks and fleas other than collars or spot-ons?
Are there tablet options for tick and flea treatments that can be given to my cat at home?
What treatment option might be less stressful or disruptive for my cat?
You can Download our full Vet Questions Guide here, or you can save the image below to your camera roll.
Treating ticks and fleas on cats
Does your cat run and hide when it is tick and flea treatment time?
This doesn't have to be stressful or disruptive for you or your cat!
Make treatment hassle and stress-free by asking for newer options that many vets are recommending.
Ticks and fleas can be treated using tablets, collars or spot-ons.
TabletsNewer tablets are designed specifically for cats so can be easy to give; this means they may just be eaten by your cat, but you may want to hide it in their favourite treat.
Flea CollarsThese can vary in how they work; they can kill fleas, and repel and kill ticks, through contact without the need for them to bite your pet1. Just put it on your cat like a normal collar for long term protection.
Spot onsSpot on treatments contain a small amount of liquid that is applied to your cat’s skin once a month. Many pet owners find them convenient as they are simple to apply.
Would your cat prefer a tablet?
Why is it so important to protect your cat against fleas and ticks?
Ticks and fleas can be irritating for your pet as these tiny parasites hide in their fur and feed on their blood. The bites can be irritating and make pets itch, but in some cases they also spread nasty diseases. Therefore regular flea and tick protection is important to keep pets healthy and prevent infestations in your home.
There are actually more than 2,000 different species of flea in the world but the most abundant and widespread is the cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis2.
Although cat fleas and dog fleas are two different species, they both feed on dogs and cats, and can leap as high as 50cm.
A single female cat flea can lay up to 50 eggs per day3, and its full life cycle – from egg, to larvae, to pupae, to adult – can take place in a matter of weeks.
Most fleas live for two to three weeks before being groomed out by their host, but the maximum recorded life of a flea is 160 days!
Fleas breed rapidly in the warmth and humidity of late summer - but with modern central heating, fleas on cats (and dogs) can survive and thrive even in winter.
Fleas are expert hitchhikers and can easily be carried into the home on humans, animals (such as other pets including dogs and outdoor cats, or rodents), clothing and bags.
Is treating your cat for ticks or fleas difficult?
Take our quiz to see which option your cat may prefer
Brought to you by Elanco, makers of Credelio™
- Mehlhorn et al. Parasitol Res (2001) 87:198-207. Information is regarding mode of action and is not intended to relate to speed to kill or to imply parasites can be completely stopped from biting
- Lance A. Durden, Nancy C. Hinkle, Fleas (Siphonaptera) in Medical and Veterinary Entomology (Third Edition), 2019
- ESCCAP