Help! Instead of sleeping curled up in a lap, your cat is scratching her ears nonstop. There is no purring, just itching, and she’s groomed so much there’s the beginning of a bald patch.
Those are just some of the signs of a cat with fleas. If you recognize any of the signs below, it’s possible that your cat and perhaps your home, has fleas.
- Scratching around the head
- Excessive grooming and an increase in hairballs
- Small dark insects burrowed into or jumping off the pet
- Pepper-like specks on the cat’s fur
- Flea eggs (tiny white grains)
- Scabs circling the neck, on the back, and the base of the tail
- Bald spots
- Agitation
- Pale lips and gums
- Tapeworms
Flea infestation is most common in spring and summer. Thriving in warm, humid climates at temperatures of 65°F to 80°F, a female flea can lay 40 to 50 eggs a day. The female can produce up to 2,000 new fleas in 2 months’ time once mature.
Fleas can propel themselves onto humans, too, making a home in hair, bedding, carpets, and furniture cushions. Consult your veterinarian if you suspect your pet or home has fleas. If confirmed, all your pets and the homes you share will need to be treated for fleas.
PROTECTING YOUR PET
There are four stages in the flea lifecycle: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. Shortly after adult fleas or eggs hitch a ride on your cat, the eggs hatch into larva and permeate your carpets, floorboards, and get under furniture. Larvae turn into pupae before emerging from their cocoons and turn into adult fleas.1 This whole cycle takes several months, but BRAVECTO® (fluralaner topical solution) for Cats can break the flea lifecycle with a single dose and is effective for up to 12 weeks.*2
In the past, pet parents only had traditional flea collars, shampoos, and sprays to eliminate fleas. Fortunately, today there are many ways to rid your cat of fleas. Current prescription flea-prevention products are safer, more convenient, and more effective.
BRAVECTO Topical for Cats kills 100% of fleas in 8 hours2 and is a long-lasting product that can kill fleas in their tracks, breaking their lifecycle before they have the chance to make your pet suffer!
*Bravecto kills fleas and prevents flea infestations. Topical for Cats kills ticks (blacklegged tick) for 12 weeks and American dog ticks for 8 weeks.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION:
Bravecto has not been shown to be effective for 12-weeks’ duration in kittens less than 6 months of age. Bravecto Topical for Cats: The most common adverse reactions recorded in clinical trials were vomiting, itching, diarrhea, hair loss, decreased appetite, lethargy, and scabs/ulcerated lesions. For topical use only. Avoid oral ingestion. The safety of Bravecto has not been established in breeding, pregnant and lactating cats. Use with caution in cats with a history of neurologic abnormalities. Neurologic abnormalities have been reported in cats receiving Bravecto, even in cats without a history of neurologic abnormalities.
REFERENCES
1. CAPCvet.org web site. Accessed March 23, 2016.
2. Bravecto Topical for Cats [prescribing information]. Madison, NJ: Merck Animal Health; 2016.
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