How To Keep Your Cat Flea-Free During His Stay At The Cattery

If you are going away on holiday and your cat is going to be spending the time in a cattery, it's important that you make sure your pet is free of fleas before you board him. Fleas are notoriously easy to transmit between pets, and you won't be popular with the cattery if your kitty arrives with a load of unwanted passengers.

Here's how to make sure that your cat is flea-free before you take him to the boarding cattery.

Treating and preventing fleas

First of all, note that you must not use a dog flea treatment on your cat. The active ingredient in dog flea treatments is a chemical called permethrin, which is extremely toxic to cats. If your cat is pregnant or is nursing kittens, ask your vet for advice on a suitable treatment.

There are a number of different ways of treating cat fleas.

Flea spray

Although sprays are a rather old-fashioned method of treating fleas, they can be helpful. All you need to do is spritz the cat's fur on the back of his neck and the product will disseminate through the fur to kill any fleas that are lurking there.

Flea collars

Flea collars can be quite a good idea for your cat while he is in the cattery as a collar can act as a preventative measure as well as a treatment. The flea treatment contained in the collar disperses through the cat's fur to kill off the fleas. Make sure that the collar has a quick-release safety option, just in case it becomes caught on something.

Spot-on flea killer products

Spot-ons are very easy to apply and are extremely effective. All you need to do is squeeze the liquid from a small vial onto the back of the cat's neck. The liquid kills any living fleas, as well as any eggs that have been laid on the skin.

Tablets or liquids

If you prefer, you can treat fleas on your cat by giving a tablet or liquid medication to be taken internally. These products contain drugs that are absorbed into the cat's system, killing the fleas when they bite and ingest the cat's blood.

Flea injections

Flea injections are usually used in conjunction with topical applications. The idea is that the topical product kills living fleas and the injection prevents any eggs that have been laid from developing.

It's a good idea to treat your cat for fleas before taking him to the cattery. Ask your vet for a suitable treatment and a cat collar for your cat to wear during his boarding stay.