What is the most gentle flea medicine for cats?

In my experience with two different cats, they really don't like the flea medicine (the kind you drop on the back of their neck). So I only use it once a year or so if the fleas are really bad.

My previous cat actually had her fur fall off in 1 inch circle when I tried to use a cheaper flea medicine on her. Even when I used the better brands she would usually hide in the closet for a day after the treatment like it made her feel sick. My current cat isn't quite that sensitive, but I have to chase him around the house and fight with him quite a bit. Normally he is the most easy going cat you could imagine, but that flea medicine must be awful.

I normally buy Revolution brand flea medicine because it protects against heart worms also.

I've used a eucalyptus oil soap.

Are you sure it's the medication or is it the fleas?

Fleas go crazy when you get your cat wet - they will try to bite and burrow and get away from the water. If you have a pet with fleas you can see them all jumping about, scrambling to safety when you get the animal wet..

My advice would be to first be sure that the flea shampoo you are using is not causing a reaction itself, and if not, flea bath much more frequently.

Good luck, poor kitty. =(

Originally posted by LongbottomLeaf
I've used a eucalyptus oil soap.

I was just searching on the eucalyptus oil for fleas and noticed this. I don't know if you are treating a cat or a dog, but it says it might not be good for cats:

Make a flea collar. Take the pet's collar or neckerchief and put on drops of eucalyptus oil, tea tree oil (Do not use these on cats! They are extremely sensitive to eucalyptus and tea tree oils), citronella, lavender, or geranium. This will need to be done weekly

How to Get Rid of Fleas Naturally

Originally posted by TinkerHaus
Are you sure it's the medication or is it the fleas?

Fleas go crazy when you get your cat wet - they will try to bite and burrow and get away from the water. If you have a pet with fleas you can see them all jumping about, scrambling to safety when you get the animal wet..

My advice would be to first be sure that the flea shampoo you are using is not causing a reaction itself, and if not, flea bath much more frequently.

Good luck, poor kitty. =(

Thanks, maybe I'll try a bath if he will let me. I hate the idea of using a chemical so strong that a few drops will scare the fleas away for a month. That can't be too healthy for the cat.

You don't need to treat the cat. You treat the fleas.

Place shallow pan of water on the floor with a couple drops of dishwashing detergent in it to break the surface tension. Place a small lamp with a very small low watt bulb to ean over the pan about a foot. (Something like a small, 5-watt bulb as used in a night light.) The bulb warms the water and the fleas will be attracted to the warmth and hop into your swimming pool for them where they will drown because they don't know how to swim.

I know this works because I have a commercially made little unit that has worked fine. Try a pet store for this item. It beats buying any product that involves treating the cat. In a few days you should see dead fleas in the water. If not, move the pan closer to where the cat "lives." The process takes about a week, but you leave it out just in case.

Originally posted by Aliensun
You don't need to treat the cat. You treat the fleas.

Place shallow pan of water on the floor with a couple drops of dishwashing detergent in it to break the surface tension. Place a small lamp with a very small low watt bulb to ean over the pan about a foot. (Something like a small, 5-watt bulb as used in a night light.) The bulb warms the water and the fleas will be attracted to the warmth and hop into your swimming pool for them where they will drown because they don't know how to swim.

I know this works because I have a commercially made little unit that has worked fine. Try a pet store for this item. It beats buying any product that involves treating the cat. In a few days you should see dead fleas in the water. If not, move the pan closer to where the cat "lives." The process takes about a week, but you leave it out just in case.

Thanks, that sounds ideal. Maybe it will catch mosquitoes too.

I work in a holistic pet store..

IMO-Dont use chemicals. Chemicals are always made to mimic natural compounds in thr first place. And the chemicals in famous brands can and have caused all kinds of problems, seizures, death, etc.

Rosemary oil works, lemon, cinnamon, peppermint, clove.

Theres a spray by richards organics, another thing called natural defense by sentry...you could also look into flea proofing your house with diatomaceous earth, wich is just fossill shell flour.

Pet naturals makes a spray...im just looking through my store now...

Unfortunately if the cat already has a lot lot of fleas, chemicals are the only thing that will give them immediate relief, natural stuff isn't as concentrated and might take longer to work. In these cases I would suggest a thorough bath or two, with natural flea shampoos.

reply to post by metalshredmetal


Thanks, I found Pet Naturals are sold on Amazon. I think I will try the soapy flea trap, because I know my cat would prefer not to smell like flowers.

reply to post by cloudyday


Cool, yes the soapy trap works really well for fruit flies, and it might work for fleas but they typically want to stay attached to their feline hosts...In most soap traps I also see vinegar...theyre attracted to the vinegaryness and then the soapy factor is what kills them.

We use baby shampoo. Kills fleas & doesn't irritate the cats beyond what a bath normally would.

A mallet....

Trying to bath most cats is suicide ! mine would kill ya for even thinking that !
Baking Soda / sodium bicarbonate - fleas hate it, shake it on, stroke yer cat, helps with itchy skin as well.
We shake around cats food and water areas as well, ants hate it with a vengance, as do snails, slugs mite etc.

Originally posted by KAIARAHI
Trying to bath most cats is suicide ! mine would kill ya for even thinking that !
Baking Soda / sodium bicarbonate - fleas hate it, shake it on, stroke yer cat, helps with itchy skin as well.
We shake around cats food and water areas as well, ants hate it with a vengance, as do snails, slugs mite etc.

Does the baking soda make the cat sick when it licks its fur?

Originally posted by sykickvision
We use baby shampoo. Kills fleas & doesn't irritate the cats beyond what a bath normally would.

Thanks, I'm reluctant to try bathing my cat. Normally I let him do anything he wants. The bath could ruin our relationship.