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Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Original poster

Flea treatments - are the pills as effective as the spot-ons?

22 replies

Sunshine49 · 28/05/2018 08:37

Hello everyone! I'm taking my two young cats to the vets in the next week or two for a check-up. I've been using the Advantage spot-on for flea prevention but find it really hard to get the nozzle under the fur, as they're both quite nervous cats and squirm and run away from me when I try to apply it. As a result most of it just ends up on their fur and they end up with a greasy mark that they spend the next 24 hours trying to lick off!

As a result I'm hoping to ask the vet for an oral form of flea prevention treatment, but was wondering - are these just as effective as the spot-ons? I know there's an injection as well, but our vets don't offer it as they say it's not as effective (although I'm sure I've read good things about it on here Hmm)

Thanks!

OP posts:
viccat · 28/05/2018 10:17

The only tablet I now of is Capstar and it's only a one-off treatment, designed to kill any fleas that are on the cat at that moment. It doesn't offer the ongoing protection spot-ons offer.

dementedpixie · 28/05/2018 10:51

Flea treating is often a 2 person job - 1 to hold and the other to part the fur to apply the treatment

Original poster
Sunshine49 · 28/05/2018 11:38

Thanks everyone - I just roped in DH and between the two of us, we managed to hold each cat, part the hair on their necks and squeeze the Advantage on! It has now seeped onto their fur a bit though, so they have the usual greasy mark and are trying to lick themselves. Also my shy tortie girl just backed away when I tried to give her a Dreamie, which is not like her Sad Hope I haven't lost her trust!

Do people find that Advantage is an effective treatment for fleas?

OP posts:
Ollivander84 · 28/05/2018 11:54

Will they be stroked while they're asleep? If so then move the hair, ruffle it, part it in different places, stroke around that area. Keep doing it every day. Then when you need to flea treat just sit down with them while they're asleep, part hair and shove it on speedily. If you time it right they will wake up and do a horrified look as the last drop hits the skin Wink

dementedpixie · 28/05/2018 12:31

It's common to get the greasy mark so I wouldn't worry about that. Get them used to the fur on their neck being ruffled too.

Original poster
Sunshine49 · 28/05/2018 13:47

Good tips - thanks both!

OP posts:
sparklepops123 · 28/05/2018 14:12

We use tablets have found them to be a lot more effective than spot ons and our youngest cat used to go crazy with the spot on like it was really irritating

Original poster
Sunshine49 · 28/05/2018 16:01

Thanks Sparklepops! Do you get them from the vet? Also, how often do they need to be administered?

OP posts:
sparklepops123 · 28/05/2018 16:23

Can buy from supermarket think about £8 for 3 tablets, once a month. My cats been free flea since using

dementedpixie · 28/05/2018 16:30

I wouldn't trust supermarket treatments. It's not Bob Martin is it? I would use a vet treatment over an over the counter one

Wolfiefan · 28/05/2018 16:31

Don't buy flea treatment from a supermarket. Ineffective and sometimes dangerous.
Spot on. Advocate here. Remember a separate wormer too.

EmmaSwann · 28/05/2018 16:36

Broadline is the best. It also treats ticks and is a wormer.

If you have a flea problem, treat the environment with indorex.

Don't use products from the supermarket- they are not safe and they're not effective.

Wolfiefan · 28/05/2018 16:39

Broadline has the active ingredient of Frontline as one of its main components. Wouldn't use it. And it doesn't treat all worms.

viccat · 28/05/2018 16:55

Tablets of any kind are only ever a one-off treatment, they do not provide ongoing protection. The spot-on flea treatment remains active in the skin for up to a month. Nothing stops fleas from getting onto a cat outdoors so you may still see live fleas every now and then, but on a cat treated with an effective spot-on the fleas will die.

Advocate and Stronghold from the vet's are the best, if you must buy elsewhere then Advantage from Pet's At Home but it needs to be dispensed by staff (no prescription though), it's not available off the shelf. Anything else is ineffective at best.

Lonecatwithkitten · 28/05/2018 17:09

Comfortis is a prescription only tablet flea treatment for cats and dogs that continues killing fleas for one month. It is not hugely popular in either dogs or cats because it only kills fleas ( most of the other products either kill some worms and/tick) and in cat owners tablet medications are not particularly popular. It is really good at controlling flea problems in indoor cats.

Weedsnseeds1 · 29/05/2018 22:58

Try Bravecto. Still a spot on but lasts 3 months, not one.

Wolfiefan · 29/05/2018 23:00

I wouldn't use Bravecto. Too many reports of serious side effects and it lasts so long. You can't get it out of their system once administered.

Ollivander84 · 29/05/2018 23:10

Balls. Just used bravecto for the first time tonight...

Wolfiefan · 29/05/2018 23:16

Ollivander LOTS of people use it with no adverse reactions at all. I turned it down as my dog tends to the allergic and the cats are fine on advocate.

Ollivander84 · 29/05/2018 23:18

Ahh ok. Sensitive neurotic boy has decided to start reacting to his usual flea treatment after 2.5 years Confused and the fur on his neck fell out. He's been to the vets tonight for his steroid jab and they suggested bravecto

Wolfiefan · 29/05/2018 23:20

Ouch. That sounds sore. Here's hoping this works better for him.

Weedsnseeds1 · 31/05/2018 15:25

I think the reported issues with Bravecto were for dog version, not cat. I've been using it for 2 years now, no problems. Has the added advantage that I'm not having to remove ticks every week either!

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