Advantage Flea Control & Pregnant Cats
Choosing a topical flea treatment can be beneficial if you are trying to combat the effects of fleas on your pet and in your home. However, if the pet in question is a pregnant cat, you may be hesitant to use chemical treatments. Luckily, Advantage is safe and knowing about the product can help you make an informed decision on its use.
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Uses and Indications
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Advantage uses a chemical known as imidacloprid to kill fleas in the adult stage. By killing the adult fleas, it prevents new eggs from being laid. Another benefit of the product is it will kill any fleas in the larvae stage for the first 20 minutes after application. One dose of the topical treatment is effective enough to treat the entire body of the cat. Unlike other similar products, you will not need to use an insect growth regulator in conjunction with the topical treatment since it kills fleas in all life stages.
Application
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Application of the product is easy since there are no sprays that may scare your cat and no bathing of the cat which can be difficult. The product is in a small tube which is also the applicator. Once you remove the cap from the tube and break the protective seal, you simply apply the product to the base of your cat's neck where she cannot reach it. It is important to ensure you apply the product to her skin and not her fur. You will not need to apply another dose of the product for four weeks.
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Effectiveness
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Advantage is a quick acting product, stopping the biting of fleas within five minutes after you apply the product. The fleas will begin to die off within an hour and within 12 hours anywhere from 98 to 100 percent of the fleas will be dead, according to My Healthy Cat. Furthermore, as new fleas make their way onto your cat they will begin to die within two hours.
Safety and Toxicity
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Many flea treatments use chemicals such as carbamates or organophosphates which can be potentially dangerous to you and your pregnant cat. Advantage, however, does not use these chemicals, making it much less toxic than other topical treatments. Although natural flea treatments that use no chemicals may be the preferred option, Advantage is safe to use on pregnant cats. In fact, if you are dosing a nursing cat, she will pass the flea fighting power to her kittens, protecting them as well.
Alternatives
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If you want to avoid chemical-based flea treatments altogether, you do have some options. By brushing your cat daily with a flea brush, you can remove adult fleas and prevent some breeding. A flea bath using a gentle soap and water can help drown fleas that are present; however, avoid using flea shampoos which are dangerous to pregnant cats. Another option is to make a homemade flea spray using lemons soaked in water and then spray the resulting liquid on your cat.
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References
- Photo Credit kittens nursing / mother cat image by Katrina Miller from Fotolia.com
