It can’t be licked off by other animals or washed away by rain, but the downside is that some cats can react badly or become hyperactive, meaning it’s best to stay with them during treatment. Get rid of unwanted pests with these quick and effective Johnson's Flea Tablets for Cats and Kittens. Comb your cat’s fur while they’re on a clean, pale surface and see if you can spot any fleas or small black specks, which may be flea faecal matter. Once resident on your cat, fleas can cause anything from irritating skin conditions to anaemia so a good prevention strategy – as well as an effective cure – is key. It’s impregnated with permethrin, so won’t be suitable for every cat, but will keep most flea-free, especially around the neck.

While it’s not suitable for very young kittens, it’s safe for pregnant and nursing cats, plus this pack comes with an ebook detailing everything you need to know about keeping fleas and ticks at bay.Flea collars are low maintenance and affordable – they’re often effective for up to four months before needing to be replaced. Depending on the product, some sprays can be effective for only a few days afterwards, while others can last for months. It will kill fleas in 24 hours, ticks in 48 and even biting lice – as well as making sure they don’t come back. It is worth noting that while this chemical is considered safe as part of a cat collar, it must not be used as a spot-on treatment. This can quickly become more costly when compared to other methods, so this is best used as a short-term solution.

This design has a few other good things going for it: a bell to alert potential prey to your cat’s whereabouts, an elasticated strip so your cat can wriggle out of it if it gets caught, and a soft velvet coating to keep kitty comfy. These brilliant tablets are suitable for cats and kittens from four weeks of age weighing up to 11kg and will ensure both your home and furry friends are happy and healthy. They use lufenuron to prevent and control an infestation, stopping eggs from developing and hatching once the chemical is in the body of adult fleas through a bite.

This won’t affect adult fleas, so another treatment will need to be used in conjunction if your cat is already infested. It works both by dehydrating the fleas’ exoskeletons and blocking their respiratory system, while also dehydrating eggs and larvae to prevent further infestation, leaving behind a protective film to repel additional parasites. While it requires a trip to the vets every six months and there’s a low chance of side effects, these injections are great for cats with flea allergic dermatitis or other skin problems that make conventional solutions tricky.

Spot-on treatments are more expensive than collars and need to be used more regularly but, unlike a collar, a cat can’t remove them and they’re weather-proof, making them one of the most effective flea treatments on the market. A fine-toothed flea comb is a handy tool for investigating, although it won’t get rid of them completely. If you’ve mastered the art of giving your cat pills or hiding them in food, oral flea tablets will kill fleas quickly (starting in as little as 15 minutes), but won’t get rid of the eggs. Spot-ons are topical liquid drops that are applied to the back of a cat’s neck, usually under the collar, which either kill fleas (this can be as rapidly as within 24 hours) or prevent the eggs from developing.There are no contraindications with this product and it is safe to use with other flea and worming treatments, leaves no residue on their coat or in the home. Insecticide sprays or foams are spritzed directly onto the roots of a cat’s fur and skin, killing fleas on contact.

The pipettes are easily applied too: simply squeeze onto the base of your pet’s skull and just above the shoulder blades, let it dry and you’re good to go. Head to your vet to find out about long-term prevention of fleas via prescription-only injections, which work by interrupting the flea lifecycle at the egg and larval stage. A room fogger or household flea spray (such as Indorex) used on bedding, floors and along skirting, followed by thorough vacuuming, should effectively evict any unwelcome houseguests. It can be used alongside other flea treatments and starts killing fleas in as little as 15 minutes, getting rid of them all in 24 hours.This is partly because fleas and their eggs can survive up to six months without being on your pet but also because cats’ lifestyles of exploring every interesting leaf pile or shed means they will often come into contact with them. As well as chemical sprays, there are plant-based alternatives, but these may need multiple applications for maximum benefit. At the most affordable end of the market, flea collars can cost as little as a few pounds every four months, but aren’t the best solution for every cat. However, some cats will have too many fleas for a collar to get rid of them all, so they’re often better used as a preventative method.