In order to permanently overcome blood-sucking parasites in a cat, which bring her a lot of discomfort, you must first of all follow the basic rules for preventing infection. For cats isolated in an apartment, preventing the appearance of fleas is not so difficult. You just need to periodically use special drops or shampoos. For animals that have access to the outdoors, there are other methods, and one of them is a flea collar for cats.
Find out how to determine if a cat has fleas >>>,
How does a flea collar work?
The insecticides contained in the insect collar ensure its effective operation.
Typically, the active ingredients are diazinon and permethrin. Both active components belong to different classes, but have the same effect on parasites. After the nerve impulse function is disrupted, the parasites die from paralysis.
Most manufacturers use exclusively natural substances for production. For example, Beaphar uses margosa extract as an active ingredient.
Thanks to their natural composition, even small kittens can wear them. There were no cases of allergic reactions from wearing flea and tick products.
The lifespan of collars varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. In most cases, the products are most effective in the first 60 days. Manufacturers from America and Germany produce products that effectively rid pets of fleas and ticks for 6 months.
Be that as it may, it should be remembered that during the highest tick activity (in May and September), the collar should be changed every 30-40 days to achieve maximum effectiveness. In addition to fleas and ticks, collars paralyze lice and lice.
People used to use a piece of flannel fabric to protect cats from ticks. It was first placed in a container with essential oils of eucalyptus, lavender and rosemary. After drying, the ribbon was tied around the cat's neck.
Advantages
Collars provide reliable protection in the fight against parasites. especially suitable for cats that periodically or constantly visit the street. For pregnant, lactating purrs and tiny babies, it is necessary to select appropriate collars.
The active components have a negative effect on the nervous system of parasites. The activity of cutaneous mites is reduced. This gives the cat the opportunity to shake off the insect from the skin before it is sucked on. In addition, collars worn on animals enable the catching service to distinguish between domestic and stray pets.
Possible negative consequences
Some collars cannot guarantee 100% protection against insect bites, so experts recommend initial treatment with special drops before putting on the collar. They are not able to completely destroy flea eggs, however, already hatched specimens are removed from the pet.
How effective the collar is can be understood only after 5-6 days of use. Throughout this period, it is necessary to systematically examine the animal for insects on the surface of the skin.
The degree of protection is usually influenced by:
- age category of the pet;
- individual characteristics of the animal;
- blood composition;
- degree of immune protection;
- temperature regime;
- degree of air humidity.
Experts do not recommend using collars for animals that lead an active lifestyle. Frequently crossing fences and jumping from tree branches can lead to disastrous consequences due to a collar worn around the neck.
The disadvantages of flea products include:
- risk of an allergic reaction;
- loss of fur, which is located under the collar;
- pronounced aroma (especially often observed in budget models);
- low degree of effectiveness with a large number of eggs and insect larvae.
also a possibility of the cat being poisoned by the collar. That is why it is so important when choosing to pay attention to:
- recommended age of the pet;
- cost (you should not purchase the cheapest options);
- availability of product quality certificates.
After purchasing the product, you should carefully follow all safety precautions. It should be remembered that when the product gets wet, its service life is reduced.
Where do animal fleas come from and why are they dangerous?
You can detect insects by examining the cat's skin under the fur.
If you notice that the cat has suddenly become restless, often itches, or bites itself with its teeth, part the fur and you will probably find flea bites, their excrement, or even the parasites themselves. The cat flea feeds on blood, bites through the skin of the animal, easily penetrates the fur and moves along it by jumping. Within a couple of days after moving to a new host, the insect is ready to lay eggs, and just a week later, offspring appear from them. The larvae feed on the excrement of their parents, as well as worm eggs, if the cat has them. The larvae then pupate and soon develop into an adult flea and the cycle repeats. Flea eggs are non-sticky, easily fall off the animal's fur, and can be found anywhere in the house.
Physical discomfort for a cat is caused not only by the insect bites themselves, but also by the itching that occurs due to flea saliva penetrating into the blood. The substances contained in this secretion can cause skin dermatitis and severe allergic reactions. Infections that cause serious diseases enter the cat’s body with the insect’s saliva. Considering that flea larvae feed on worm eggs, a cat can become infected with these parasites, which continue to develop inside the adult. If an “infected” flea is accidentally swallowed, the roundworm cystodes penetrate the intestines and actively develop there.
Flea infestation of a pregnant cat is especially dangerous, because the parasites spread to kittens. Weak immunity does not allow babies to fight blood-sucking insects; kittens grow poorly and suffer from anemia. Fortunately, science does not stand still, and today there are many means of preventing infection and combating existing fleas. Let's talk in more detail about flea collars for cats and kittens.
How to use
According to the instructions for use:
- Carefully unpack the packaging.
- Remove the product from it.
- Carefully place the collar around the neck without causing pain to the pet.
- We check that the product does not squeeze the neck, but sits quite tightly.
If experts recommend wearing the collar only a couple of hours a day, it is necessary to wrap it in plastic each time it is removed from the neck. This will maintain its effectiveness.
Precautionary measures
When wearing, you should not use a large number of additional insecticidal components.
This can lead to pronounced intoxication of the body or provoke the occurrence of an allergic rash. In cases where your pet experiences severe itching when wearing it or its fur falls out in clumps, you should urgently purchase a collar of a different brand . In this case, the cause could be an allergic reaction to the active substances of the device.
The cat's owner may also . In this situation, it is more advisable to remove the collar from the cat at night in order to at least slightly alleviate the unpleasant symptoms.
Which collar is better to choose?
Collars are truly effective and safest for our pets. However, this applies only to high-quality devices whose manufacturers have been tested by time.
When choosing flea and tick collars for your cat, you need to pay attention to:
- Integrity of packaging material. It is very important that the packaging is tightly packed in a foil container. If this convention was ignored by the owner of the animal, then the degree of protection against insects is significantly reduced.
- The category for which the product was released. Under no circumstances should you purchase products intended for dogs. Also, adult pets, kittens and pregnant cats require a special category of collar.
- Lifetime.
It is undesirable to contain amitraz, organic phosphates or permethrin in the composition of the drug.
Collars for cats are divided according to their composition:
- Natural appearance - the basis is components of plant origin. These substances do not pose any danger to animals. Individual intolerance may occur. The service life of such products is too short.
- Toxic variety - the basis of this category are chemical insecticides. The shelf life is quite long, the effectiveness of the devices is high. However, they pose a risk when used on small kittens.
Review of the most popular flea collars
Specialty stores offer a wide selection of flea and tick collars for cats. Below is a list of the most popular brands. You can also find the answer to the question of how much the product costs.
The following collars have maximum effectiveness in the fight against fleas and ticks: Hartz, Bolfo, Beaphar, Bars, Doctor Zoo.
Hartz is an American made product. Fleas, lice eaters and ticks die almost instantly. The effectiveness of the device is at a high level even when wet. It is not recommended to wear collars on kittens under 3 months of age. The average price of products is 510-550 rubles.
Bolfo is an anti-parasite collar designed for cats and small breed dogs. Products go on sale for a variety of weight categories of pets. Even in contact with water it is effective. The service life is about 75 days if the goal is to protect the cat from ticks and almost 4 months when fighting fleas. The cost of the collar is 200-240 rubles.
Beaphar is a Dutch-made product aimed at protecting cats and kittens from insects. Quite a high degree of efficiency and absolute environmental friendliness. The main component used to repel fleas is a substance of plant origin. Collars are used even for small kittens (from 6 weeks) . The price of the collar is 300-340 rubles.
The leopard is a domestically produced device that repels fleas and ticks from the furry purr. The only drawback is the fact that its effectiveness is high only in dry weather. The cost of the collar is 50-60 rubles.
Doctor Zoo is a budget category of anti-parasite collars. Can be used for both cats and small dogs. The product is most effective for 30-40 days. The average price is 30-35 rubles.
Popular questions
Pet owners have a huge number of questions regarding insecticides for fleas.
To make a choice, consider the most popular of them:
- What flea treatment is suitable for small puppies and kittens so as not to endanger their health? – Each owner has the right to decide for himself which insecticide to choose. However, it is better to use a collar or drops that have acceptable age restrictions for puppies and kittens;
- Are flea drops allowed for pregnant and lactating animals? – They are allowed if the owner strictly follows the instructions for use. Exceeding the dosage of the product can harm your pet and its future offspring.
When faced with the appearance of fleas on a pet, it is necessary to take immediate action. Parasites can multiply very quickly, and it will be more difficult to remove them.
When selecting an insecticide, you need to take into account their advantages and disadvantages. In order to no longer encounter the appearance of fleas, preventive measures are carried out by putting a repellent collar on the animal.
Is it possible to do it yourself?
Many cat owners are interested in whether it is possible to make a flea collar with their own hands. Does it help? Experts still do not advise experimenting in this case and spraying insecticides on ordinary collars. An animal can easily get toxic skin damage.
Dermatitis or an allergic reaction will soon appear. During production at the plant, a certain volume of an insecticidal-acaricidal substance is sprayed onto a polymer tape. This allows the product to gradually release and protect the pet. Unfortunately, it is impossible to achieve this effect at home.
