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My long-haired cat has fleas. How do I get rid of them safely?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Male | unneutered | 8 lbs

How do i get rid of fleas on a long hair cat

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Jenny, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on October 9th, 2017

They make several topicals such Frontline and Advantage that last for 1 month and do not require a prescription and can be purchased from a vet or a pet store. They make a topical called Bravecto that will last for 3 months or a tablet called comfortis that will last for 1 month but do require a prescription. Typically a flea problem is more of a problem in the environment than the pet so you may want to look in to treating the environment also

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Juliana, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on June 20th, 2018
There are several great flea preventatives available for cats! Most preventatives are given monthly. Some of the most effective Topical options include revolution, and Bravecto (Bravecto is actually only applied every 3 months). One oral medication that works very well is Comfortis. All of These medications are sold through your veterinary office. The best topical flea medication options available over the counter are Cheristin, Advantage, and Frontline. These are all applied monthly. hope this helps!!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA
Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer
Published on June 26th, 2018
Hi there. You can get a topical product called Bravecto from your veterinarian, which lasts three months. Other than that, all of the currently available flea/tick products for cats need to be applied monthly.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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Related Questions

My senior cats have resistant fleas. What new treatments are safe?

Bravecto is a good topical that last for 3 months but is a prescription. The change in duration helps control the environment and get ahead of the life cycle. The majority of a flea problem comes from the environment so it is essential to treat that area also. You may also look in to a Seresto collar that is not a prescription and it can last up to 8 months.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

New cat has fleas. How long to get rid of them? Should I quarantine?

Unfortunately fleas only hop on the body of your pet when they want to feed, then they hop off again and stay in your pet's environment. So you need to treat all pets in the household as well as the environment (which contains the fleas, their eggs and larvae). Flea treatment: Get some flea medication such as a Flea spray or a spot on from a pet shop or your veterinarian and apply monthly Flea products: Spot-ons and/or chews Advantage, Advantage Multi (Advocate in the UK) Frontline (ticks as well) Bravecto spot on (ticks as well) - for cats, in tablet form for dogs Simparica, Nexgard Revolution (stronghold in the UK) Tablets: comfortis (will only kill fleas once) Collar: Seresto (ticks as well)

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Cat has fleas, sensitive skin. Can I get a long-lasting flea pill OTC?

I am so sorry that your pet Tori has fleas. Unfortunately you can't get a flea pill that will last without seeing a veterinarian. These are not sold over the counter. You will have to take Tori in to your local vet to get a prescription for safe use of the pill options. I would recommend Comfortis for cats to handle your flea problem. Also she may not be sensitive to all of the topical flea products. However for the good quality topicals (Revolution, Bravecto) she will still require a vet visit first. You should also consider using a flea fogger (from Lowe's or Home Depot) in your home to treat the environment. Best of luck with your flea issues. Take care.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My cat has stubborn fleas. How can I finally get rid of them?

I would recommend either Revolution or Comfortis for flea prevention. If he has a really heavy flea load then you can first give a Capstar, which will get rid of the fleas within 1 hr and then follow up with a flea preventative for long term control. I hope you are able to get rid of these pesky pests. Best wishes with Axel. Take care.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My cats still have fleas after a year. How can I get rid of them?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I certainly understand your frustration. There are 2 products that I particularly like in these cases where different therapies have failed to help. I like Bravecto as a preventative and Capstar to be used concurrently as needed for fleas. Capstar is crucial because it can help kill a lot of fleas at once and it can be used as often as once daily to effect. Also, it is important to vacuum the house and all things that have contact with them frequently. Try this for 1-3 months and if does not make a difference, they may have another type of allergy such as a food allergy or environmental allergy. This is likely going to help. Good luck and have a good night!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

My cats still have fleas after treatment. What should I do next?

If you used a topical preventative and applied it soon after bathing, it won't have been as effective as it should be. These produce use the oils in the skin to spread. When you bathe a pet, these oils are stripped and you have to wait for them to build up again. Typically, it recommended to apply a topical 3 days before or 3 days after a bath or getting wet. It should then be used monthly for at least 3 consecutive months, preferably year round. You should also treat the environment, since most fleas live off of the pet and only hop on for feeding. Vacuum everywhere the cats have been. Discard of the bag or empty the canister outdoors immediately after. Wash all bedding in the hottest water allowable by fabric and dry in the dryer. Use a cat safe area treatment to prevent reinfestation. An oral preventative, such as CapStar, can be given to quickly kill any adult fleas on the cats. Get it from your vet or from the local Petco.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My cat has fleas and bloody scabs. What's the safest treatment?

Hi Alan. I prefer topical like Advantage multi or revolution for cats because they tend to last longer and be more effective. There are also medications available orally like cap star and comfort is for felines! Hope this helps!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

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