Reaction to a Cat's Flea Collar

Flea collars can result in severe reactions in your cat.

While a wide assortment of flea products are available for cats, flea collars are among the cheapest and most easily available products, because you can purchase them over the counter at most pet supply and department stores. Yet flea collars may not be the best option for killing or preventing fleas from jumping onto your cat, as a number of adverse reactions have been linked to flea collars.

Function

Flea collars are used to kill fleas on a cat, repel new ones from jumping on board Fluffy, and even disrupt the reproductive cycle of fleas. They are worn around the neck and usually provide protection for a month.

Types

Flea collars generally work either by emitting a gas that is toxic to fleas or by releasing a pesticide that gets absorbed into your cat's skin and dispersed through the body. In addition to killing fleas, some collars also have an insect growth regulator meant to prevent flea eggs and larval from developing into adult fleas.

Composition

Many cat flea collars contain substances such as permethrin, d-Phenothrin, cyphenothrin and propoxur, which are pesticides and known carcinogens. It's these substances that often result in adverse reactions in cats. Sometimes, simple allergic reactions can ensue and result in skin irritation at the collar site. However, cats may also experience toxicity. These reactions can range from mild to severe, depending on how high of a concentration of any one of these substances a collar has.

Symptoms

Common symptoms from pesticide poisoning in cats as the result of flea collar usage include skin irritation, hair loss, chemical burns, drowsiness, drooling, excitability, loss of coordination, labored breathing, vomiting, diarrhea, seizures, and lack of appetite or thirst. These symptoms may begin within a few hours of a collar being put around your cat's neck, or they may develop slowly over a period of days.

Considerations

Cats in multiple cat households should never wear flea collars, because one cat can ingest substances in a cat collar by grooming another cat and licking his collar. Additionally, cat collars, if used, should not be used in conjunction with any other flea product, as this increases the concentration of pesticides that your cat is being exposed to.

References

• University of California Integrated Pest Management Program: Fleas
• Natural Resources Defense Council: Green Paws Flea and Tick Product Directory
• Vet Info: Is your cat allergic to flea collars?