The best drops against fleas and ticks for cats: rating

Update date: 02/14/2021 14:36:52 11833 Share:

Author of the article: Astafieva Ekaterina Alekseevna

*Review of the best according to the editors of simplerule.ru. About the selection criteria. This material is subjective in nature, does not constitute advertising and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before purchasing, consultation with a specialist is required.

Flea drops are insecticidal preparations designed to kill harmful parasites. Products can be purchased at specialized animal stores or veterinary pharmacies. When choosing flea drops for cats, pay attention to the composition, because all substances used to kill insects have approximately the same mechanism of action. To help consumers make the right choice, experts from the online magazine Simplerules conducted market analysis, comparative tests, and studied customer reviews. The information obtained during the test allowed us to compile a rating of the best flea drops, including 11 nominees.

How do tick and flea drops work?

How drops against ticks and insects work depends on their main substance. Most often, insectoacaricidal preparations for the withers against ixodid ticks and fleas, that is, containing poisons, are on sale. Unfortunately, it is problematic to effectively protect an animal from parasites using another method, for example, using natural repellents. However, in some cases it is necessary to use natural products (for pregnant and lactating females, weakened animals and kittens with puppies).

Repellent drops are designed to repel insects with their unpleasant odor. Most often, fleas and ticks do not like the smells of geranium, mint, lavender, eucalyptus, and citrus. Despite the fact that most classical veterinarians are skeptical about such repellers, there are veterinarians who consider this the safest protection and at the same time quite effective.

Insectoacaricidal drops for ticks and fleas contain poisons that act on the nervous system of parasites, killing them. Such substances are divided into two main groups:

contact (they are almost not absorbed into the cat’s blood, but are distributed throughout the fatty lubricant, killing even before the bite upon contact with the paws);
systemic (can be absorbed into the cat’s blood or distributed throughout the fatty lubricant of the skin, but they act only at the moment of the bite, since the poison must enter the stomach and blood of the parasite).

The following insectoacaricidal substances are approved for use in cats. Before purchasing a drug, be sure to look at its ingredients to make sure it is safe.

SUBSTANCE	DESCRIPTION
Tetrachlorvinphos	This insecticide affects insects before they bite, preventing irritation and allergic reactions to saliva. Tetrachlorvinphos is of low toxicity to mammals, but still frequently causes intolerance reactions in cats. Therefore, we did not include drops based on this poison in the rating.
Diazinon	The poison almost does not enter the blood, but is distributed with sebum throughout the body. Diazinon acts on insects as a poison and as a repellent, that is, it poisons and repels. You don't need a bite for it to work. As a rule, fleas and ticks react to the drug even before this. The insect's nerve impulses are disrupted and paralysis occurs.
Fipronil	An insecticide with a nerve paralytic effect. Active against many types of insects that have already developed resistance to other poisons. The substance is of low toxicity to mammals. It is almost not absorbed into the blood if applied to the skin, but is distributed throughout the fat layer.
Phenothrin	It has a neurotoxic effect on mature individuals and larvae. Use is permitted not only for animals, but also in human shampoos.
Metropen	Contraindicated in kittens under three months, as well as weakened and exhausted animals. Not recommended for use in pregnant and lactating cats.
Propoxur	It has an insecticidal and repellent effect. Ensures complete death of insects. It is moderately toxic for warm-blooded animals: in their bodies it decomposes into non-toxic substances, but the substance almost does not enter the blood, but is distributed over the skin. Ticks often develop resistance to propoxur.
Sevin	A broad-spectrum insecticide that does not have the ability to accumulate in the body of warm-blooded animals. This substance is moderately toxic for cats and humans. But this insecticide can have a local irritant effect, so you need to monitor skin reactions.
Permethrin	Not recommended for use, because toxic to cats. The cat's liver cannot detoxify the body from this poison, and as a result, problems with the nervous system develop: the cat loses coordination, and seizures may begin. The death of the animal may occur.
Imidacloprid	A new generation insecticide belonging to the class of chloronicotinyls (nitroguanidines). The mechanism of action is based on blocking the functioning of the insect's nerve cells, which leads to paralysis and death. Due to a completely different mechanism of action compared to pyrethroid, carbamate or organophosphorus compounds, the drug is effective against insects resistant to the above groups of insecticides.
Fluralaner	Insectoacaricide. Paralyzes and kills insects and ticks. Belongs to a new class of poisons. Quite effective against blood-sucking insects. There is no resistance to it yet.
Moxidectin	A fairly well-studied substance, used since 1980. Active against helminths and skin mites. Paralyzes and kills parasites.
Selamectin	Works against nematodes, mites and insects. Normally tolerated by cats of different breeds. Refers to moderately hazardous substances.
Sarolaner	A very effective new substance against fleas and ticks. It is considered quite safe for mammals (hazard class 4).

The best anti-flea drops: rating

We present to your attention our rating of anti-flea drops for cats. The rating of drops against ixodid ticks is presented below. The fact is that manufacturers, as a rule, focus specifically on fleas and do not always include components against ixodid ticks. After all, most cats stay at home.

Only high-quality drugs are presented below. We did not include cheap products in the rating. But you need to understand that even the best drops can “break through”, that is, a tick can bite an animal and not die, but these cases are rare, and therefore, by choosing a good product, you minimize the risk that it will not work.

When choosing a drug, please note that many drops are available in several versions for different weight categories. It is very important to choose the right category.

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Hartz Ultra Guard

The American company Hartz has released Ultra Guard drops for withers, which exist in variations for dogs and cats. The variation for cats works against fleas and their larvae. The active ingredient is methoprene.

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Stronghold

Stronghold drops from Zoetis are available in several variations. There are variations for cats and dogs that destroy ticks (but not ixodid ticks) and insects, as well as some types of helminths. Active ingredients: selamectin and sarolaner. The dosage varies depending on the weight of the animal. You can also choose a separate type of drops that are suitable for kittens and puppies from six weeks of age. Thus, when choosing a specific modification, they take into account the weight and age of the animal, as well as the biological species (cat or dog).

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Advantage

Advantage anti-flea drops from the German company Bayer for cats contain a fairly effective and safe substance, imidacloprid. It acts quickly: if there is already an infection, imidacloprid destroys fleas parasitizing the animal within 12 hours. The active substance is also interesting because it destroys flea larvae. Not all poisons can do this. The drug is approved for kittens from 8 weeks. Suitable for pregnant and lactating women.

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The best drops against ixodid ticks and fleas for cats

If you want to organize protection against both fleas and ixodid ticks at the same time, take a look at the following drugs. If desired, they can also be used as protection against fleas only.

Frontline

The French company Merial produces Frontline drops in several versions: for cats, small dogs, medium dogs and large dogs. They differ in active ingredients and dosages. For cats, the active ingredient fipronil is used - relatively safe and very effective. However, many counterfeits are now sold for this product.

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Broadline

Broadline drops from the French manufacturer Merial are distinguished by a wide spectrum of action due to the fact that they contain four active ingredients: fipronil, S-methoprene, eprinomectin and praziquantel. The drops provide protection against roundworms and tapeworms, ixodid ticks, fleas and their immature stages, as well as other insects. Can be used from seven weeks of age. Fipronil and (S)-methoprene are distributed throughout the skin and hair, almost without being absorbed into the bloodstream. These substances are designed to protect against external parasites for 42 days. Eprinomectin and praziquantel are absorbed through the skin into the blood and kill helminths present in the body. The advantage of the drug is that it also acts against dirofilariasis - in some regions this is relevant.

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Inspector Total K (Inspector Total K)

Inspector drops from the German company Neoterica GmbH have the same wide spectrum as the previous drug. Contains fipronil and moxidectin as active ingredients. It is possible to treat kittens and puppies from seven weeks of age.

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Bravecto (Bravecto)

Bravecto flea and tick drops are available for cats and dogs. For cats, the substance used is fluralaner. It is absorbed into the animal’s blood and spread throughout the body. It acts systemically on parasites. Active for 12 weeks.

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How to apply drops against ticks and fleas: instructions

Drops for animals against ticks and fleas are produced in the form of special pipettes, which contain one dose of the drug. That is, when treating a cat, you need to empty the entire pipette. One package usually contains 1-3 pipettes.

One treatment is enough for 4 weeks, but it is better to play it safe and drip once every 3 weeks during the period when ticks and fleas are active, that is, in the warm season. The expiration date is always indicated on the packaging. But you need to take 1 week away from it for the protection to work for sure throughout the entire period of use, because Every day the substance is slowly losing its strength.

Before applying the drops, do not bathe the cat for 2-3 days, so as not to wash off the grease. When applied to oil-free skin, the drug can penetrate into the blood, which is undesirable. In addition, it is distributed throughout the body precisely thanks to fatty lubrication, and if it is not there, then the desired effect will not be achieved. After application, you also need to wait 2-3 days and only then, if necessary, bathe the animal.

How to apply tick and flea drops? Very simple. Cut the neck of the pipette and pour it onto the withers in one fell swoop. A greasy stain forms at the treatment site, which will disappear after a few days as the drug is distributed over the skin. Accordingly, if your animal is about to have a show, you need to apply the drops at least a week or two before the show.

The drug is applied to the withers to prevent the animal from getting drunk and poisoned. If the cat managed to do this, vomiting, diarrhea, depression, fever, and, in general, all the negative reactions that should have occurred with the parasite that attacked it are possible. Very rare, but there are deaths. In this case, you need to urgently contact a veterinarian so that he can treat your pet. If suddenly your cat reaches the place where the drops are applied, you can put a special collar on it for one day, while they are absorbed, which is sold in veterinary clinics and pet stores.

Also, even with proper use, individual reactions are possible. As a rule, they appear in the first 15-40 minutes after applying the drug. These include vomiting, diarrhea, sneezing, watery eyes, and sometimes difficulty breathing. The most common reaction is itching and redness of the skin. In rare cases, hair falls out at the application site. If an individual reaction occurs, you must thoroughly wash off the drug with shampoo and never use it again. Choose your next product based on a different active ingredient.

Some cats, after applying the drug, despite the absence of allergies, still begin to itch. If such a reaction is not accompanied by other negative consequences and goes away within a few hours, leaving no irritation or areas of baldness, then the drops do not need to be washed off. This reaction is within normal limits. But this is only if the animal completely stops itching after a few hours. In any case, before purchasing and using any drops, be sure to carefully read the instructions!

If there are several cats in the house, after applying the drops it is necessary to keep them in different rooms for 24 hours until the drug is absorbed. This is only necessary if your cats have a habit of licking each other.

Shampoos

They can be used when the animal is already infected. The pet must be thoroughly soaped, soaking the entire fur with foam, avoiding contact with the eyes and ears, leave for ten minutes, after which the shampoo should be rinsed off well.

The most popular products: Rolf Club, Fitoelita, Biovax, Mr. Kiss, Bio Groom. All shampoos have approximately the same effect. It is important to choose the right product. Be careful: after treatment, the cat will lick itself and may receive a small dose of the drug.

Do I need to secure myself by other means?

Many owners, in addition to applying tick and flea drops to the cat’s withers, prefer to add some other means to them, for example, collars or sprays. Cats, as a rule, do not need double treatment. But in dogs such a need arises, because... they walk more actively and often visit places where ticks and fleas accumulate. Cats that are on their own or actively walking with their owners may also need double protection.

Typically, drops on the withers are combined with a collar or spray. If they are combined with a collar, then the animal is first treated with drops, and after about a week the collar is put on. If drops are combined with a spray, then the drops are applied first, and the spray is used only before a walk.

However, the owner must understand that there is no 100% guarantee that even the best remedy will not “break through”. Ticks and fleas are increasingly adapting to poisons. Therefore, no matter what protection you use, after each walk the animal must be checked for ticks. If you notice a tick, it must be removed immediately.

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Reviews from veterinarians

N. G. Goryachev, veterinarian, Penza.
The high quality of drops for killing fleas has long been confirmed in practice. Cats tolerate them well due to gradual absorption into the bloodstream.

S. M. Klinyev, veterinarian, Voronezh.
I always prefer to prescribe drops to my pets. The therapeutic effect appears within an hour, and the result lasts for 2 months or more.

I.L. Doroshenko, veterinarian, Moscow.
Modern drops do not have the disadvantages of their predecessors. In my practice, there have been no cases where such remedies did not work and did not provide protection for the animal.