Getting Rid Of Cat Fleas

Are you seeing tiny, quick creatures that scurry through your cat's fur, and causing painful itching - so bad that kitty may scratch herself raw in seeking relief? If you are, then chances are, your cat has fleas.

Getting rid of cat fleas may be a daunting task. Many have failed in their attempts to so. If you are one of them, read on where this article will discuss the various means of getting rid of cat fleas and which is the best cat fleas treatment available.

First of all, how to tell if your cat has fleas? Are there any signs and symptoms? Here is how you can do a "cat fleas check".

Put your cat over a large piece of white paper and then using a comb, comb through its fur starting from the head to the tail. Did you see any reddish brown specks that look like pepper scattered on the paper? Now, sprinkle some water over it. If you see stains of blood spreading out, then these are what we call flea dirt (which are actually flea excretes) and yes, there are fleas on your cat!

So how to treat cat fleas? Here are some options available

1. Flea combs
Flea combs are readily available from any pet stores and it's your first line of defense against the cat fleas. Though it cannot remove all fleas simply by combing your cat's fur, it can serve to reduce the fleas' population as well as keeping your cat's fur matt free from all the licking, biting and scratching caused by the fleas.

2. Flea shampoos
Like the flea combs, the use of flea shampoos is also a popular choice among pet owners. Shampoo served to kill the adult fleas on your cat's body and wash away the nasty flea dirt and larvae. However, take note that flea shampoo are only effective for a day or less. They leave little residual chemical on the animal when properly used and hence this not a long term flea control for your cat

3. Flea collars.
The use of flea collars in removing fleas on cats is controversial. They might serve to keep fleas off the neck, but not the rest of the body. As such, most cat owners has reported that it's useless and it is harsh on the neck causing breakouts and balding around the neck after use.

4. Flea powder
These products have become almost obsolete nowadays as it has proven to be too messy to be used, causing respiratory distress to both the cat and the person using it. Some have even been reported to be toxic too.

5. Topical flea treatment
Use of topical flea treatment for cats is by far the best option available now. Not only is it convenient to use, where only a once monthly application is needed, it is also effective in killing off all fleas within a short period of time.

There are many brands of topical flea treatment available in the market and each differs in their action against fleas. Check out the chapter on "Flea Medicine" which elaborate on the different types of topical flea treatment available, its effectiveness and side effects, how to use them and how to choose one suitable for the age and weight of your cat

In Part 2 of this article - "Flea Treatment For Pets", you will be find out the correct way to comb your cat to remove fleas, the correct way to give your cat a bath with flea shampoo and much more details on choosing the right anti-flea product for your cat.

Ann owns an animal shelter housing 150 dogs and cats. Understanding the difficulty and frustration of pet owners in getting rid of fleas, she has publish a website on "Flea Control" with the purpose of helping people especially pet owners solve this problem completely.