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What's the best flea & lice treatment for cats if Frontline isn't working?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Male | neutered | 5 lbs

Hello. What is the best fleas and lice treatment for cat on the market at the moment? I use Frontline Plus all the time but lately start to feel that it doesn't work like how it used to. I also saw a lot of negative reviews on Amazon saying the same thing. Please help.

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Jenna Beyer, DVM, MBA, cVMA

Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist

Published on November 30th, 2018

Lice are not terribly common in cats. I don't really feel like Frontline or fipronil products work very well anymore. I prefer products like Revolution or Bravecto. Seresto collars also offer great protection.

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Ann Dion, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on October 20th, 2018
Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.
Often the drugs that are used for lice and fleas will kill the adults, but not the eggs, and you have to wait for the eggs to hatch in order to kill them off, and the drug kills the adults before they are able to lay more eggs.
The spot-ons tend to work better than the collars in my experience, and both Seresto and Frontline are good products, just be very careful to not use dog products on your cat as they can be very toxic.

Grooming is going to help significantly, and if you are unable to bath and groom, and if the hair is very matted and dirty, some people will go to the vet, have their animal sedated and shaved/clipped. It sounds like this might be a good option for you at this stage.

I hope that helps! Best of luck with them!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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My cat still has lice after shampoo. How do I treat it effectively?

I would recommend putting a topical flea medication such as Frontline, Advantage, or Revolution on Marmalate - all of these should be effective against lice as well. You should be able to get these from your vet, or order them online if you prefer - just make sure to get the correct size for your cat's weight.

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Since both Sentry and Frontline use the same active ingredient (fipronil) it is unlikely that you will see better protection switching to the Frontline. You will need to choose a product with a different ingredient, like Advantage or Revolution or a Seresto collar. If you choose to use another topical, I would recommend bathing your kitty today to remove any remnants of the Sentry, and wait 3 days to apply the next topical. It is important to wait after bathing so that the natural body oils have time to coat the skin to ensure adequate absorption. You do not need to wait or bathe to use a Seresto collar.

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Updated on September 23rd, 2025

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