As you may have learned from past experience it can be tough to bathe a cat. Before you begin, it is important to know how to use cat flea shampoo properly. You should also understand that cat flea shampoos are not intended for long-term control. You can give your cat a bath, completely free it of fleas, and then find a week later that the little devils are back.
What cat flea shampoos are available?
There are many, many cat flea shampoos available. However, before you use any of them, you should talk with your veterinarian. Only your vet can tell you which cat flea shampoo would be best for your cat, given its age and general condition.
Here are some of the more popular cat flea shampoo products.
Doctors Foster and Smith Advanced Formula Flea and Tick Shampoo for Cats
Drs. Foster and Smith says that you can fight the problem of fleas and ticks with this shampoo, which was
developed by their veterinarians. It contains Pyrethrin, a natural insecticide. The product is a rich-lathering
shampoo formula that cleans and conditions your cat's coat. It also helps kill ticks, which can cause Lyme disease,
as well as other diseases. It is for cats over 12 weeks of age.
Cost: $5.59
Bio Spot® Flea & Tick Shampoo for Cats & Kittens
Bio Spot Flea & Tick Shampoo is a pleasantly scented shampoo with coat conditioners. It kills fleas and ticks
on contact. It has both Pyrethrin and an insect growth regulator (IGR) to kill the insects and prevent a re-infestation
for up to 28 days. Plus, the Bio Spot product is enriched with oatmeal, coconut extract, lanolin and aloe to
help give your cat a healthy coat. This shampoo is for cats and kittens 12 weeks of age or older.
Cost: 7.99 – 12 oz.
Hartz UlraGuard Flea & Tick Shampoo
The Hartz Mountain Company says that this product will provide your cat with immediate relief from fleas
and ticks. It is a conditioning shampoo that will also leave your cat smelling fresh and clean.
Cost: $11.95
Adams™ Plus Flea & Tick Shampoo for Dogs, Puppies, Cats & Kittens
Adams™ Plus Flea & Tick Shampoo contains an insect growth regulator (IGR), which kills brown dog ticks, American
dog ticks and lice, as well as fleas. It also kills flea eggs for up to four weeks and breaks the flea's lifecycle
so that flea eggs cannot hatch. It is for use on cats and kittens 12 weeks of age or older.
Cost: $15.44
Lambert Kay Fresh 'N Clean Flea & Tick Shampoo for Cats & Dogs
This Lambert product has a dual action that is said to kill fleas and ticks fast. It includes the popular
Fresh and Clean fragrance as an added bonus. Lambert Kay Fresh 'N Clean kills with a botanically derived Pyrethrin
insecticide. It also helps keep your cat smelling fresh and clean for weeks. While this shampoo will not kill
flea eggs, it will weaken the fleas once the eggs hatch. It is safe for use cats over 12 weeks of age.
Cost: $34.99, one gallon
Adams™ Flea & Tick Shampoo with D-Limonene
Adams™ Flea & Tick Shampoo with D-Limonene is said by its manufacturer to be an effective flea and tick killer,
and a superior grooming product. Its formula contains the active ingredient D-Limonene, which is a pleasant,
citrus-scented insecticide. The product also has cleansing agents, lanolin and special conditioners.
Cost: $15.47
Sentry Natural Defense Flea and Tick Shampoo for Cats and Kittens
Natural Defense has a proven ability to kill adult flea and ticks. It also provides a fresh, spice scent.
The product is all natural and contains ingredients such as peppermint oil, clove oil, Cedar oil, and cinnamon
oil. Sentry says the product will kill and repel fleas and ticks, and that is it is veterinarian tested.
Cost: $12.57
Natural Chemistry™ De Flea Pet Shampoo
The manufacturer of this product says it kills fleas on contact and is also effective for ticks and lice.
It can be used on very young and nursing cats. It is also said to be the only EPA-registered product that is
safe for use in conjunction with spot-on type products. De Flea Pet Shampoo can be used with cats and kittens
but should not be used on kittens less than two weeks old.
Cost: $9.68.
Hartz 2 in 1 Rid Flea Cat Shampoo
This Hartz product kills fleas and ticks. It is a gentle shampoo that has been formulated especially for
cats to condition their coats and leave them soft and manageable. It has a special fragrance that will overcome
cat odors. In addition to killing fleas, it will kill lice and ticks, including the deer tick, which may carry
Lyme disease.
Cost: $7.49
ZODIAC FleaTrol Flea and Tick Shampoo
Zodiac Flea-Trol shampoo contains natural Pyrethrin for a quick kill of fleas, ticks and lice. Zodiac says
that it is rich in coconut oil, pH balanced and alcohol free. Flea-Trol will enhance the luster and groom ability
of your cat's coat without irritating its sensitive skin.
Cost: $4.69
How To Shampoo Your Cat
If you have never shampooed or bathed your cat, here are some tips.
First, run about two to three inches of body-temperature water into your sink. You might also want to put some kind of rubber mat at the bottom of the sink so that your cat will not slip and slide.
Second, be sure to test the water on your wrist much as you would milk from a baby bottle. You should not be able to feel either heat or cold -- in other words it should be at your body’s temperature.
Next, put a capful of the shampoo into a mug of warm water and mix well. This is to keep from shocking your cat’s warm flesh with cold cat flea shampoo.
Pick up your cat and lower her gently but quickly into the water. You should talk calmly to her all the while. You might find it helpful to have another human helper available at this point.
Give your cat a few minutes to relax, then turn on your spray and test the temperature of the water. Put it up against your cat's entire body, taking care not to splash her face.
When your cat is well soaked, pour the diluted cat flea shampoo over its entire body, again staying away from the head. Next, massage the cat flea shampoo gently into your cat’s fur for several minutes. Then rinse your cat well using body-temperature water. Give her several healing strokes with your hand to slick away excess water. Be sure to rinse her several times.
Take a clean, moist sponge and wipe down the back of her head and her muzzle, again making sure that you avoid her eyes, ears and mouth.
Finally, use a large bath towel to lift your cat out of the sink and pat her down. Blot up as much water as possible. You might want to repeat this step, using another clean towel. Then leave the cat alone as she will continue the drying process by itself.
How Effective Is Cat Flea shampoo?
Despite their claims to the contrary, cat flea shampoo is not considered to be as effective as other alternative cat flea treatments. Again, as noted above, they are often effective only for a short amount of time. While some of the cat flea shampoos claim that they will keep your cat from being re-infested for up to 28 days, you should probably be skeptical of these claims. Most veterinarians today will recommend cat flea treatments such as pills and spot-on medicines as being more effective than a cat flea shampoo.
Advantages And Disadvantages Of Cat Flea Shampoo
There are two distinct advantages to cat flea shampoo. First, they are relatively inexpensive. Second, shampooing your cat can be a good bonding experience for the two of you -- assuming that your cat will permit you to shampoo it.
The major disadvantage, as indicated above, is that cat flea shampoo is usually effective only for a short period of time and most of them will not keep your cat from becoming re-infested.
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