The 10 Best Flea Shampoos for Cats in 2024

Your Full Guide to Cat Flea Treatment

Treating your cats for fleas can be an overwhelming and concerning process; you want your cats to be itch-free and you want your home to be rid of pesky fleas. Our full guide below will give you all the information you need to understand cat flea treatment, and help you create some natural flea remedies.

Why Being Flea-Free Is Important

Being flea-free is important for both comfort and health reasons. Nobody wants to be relaxing at home, minding their business, when all of a sudden, they start getting bitten by fleas. These parasites are troublesome home invaders; they can infiltrate your home silently, and before you know it, both you and your cat are itchy and uncomfortable.

Fleas can transmit a number of diseases with their bite to both humans and animals. These diseases include typhus, cat scratch fever, tapeworms, and the plague. Maintaining a flea-free environment means you won’t have to risk becoming sick, or having your cat fall ill, to any of these illnesses.

Checking Your Cat for Fleas

As soon as you can easily see fleas on your cat, you likely have a full-blown infestation out of sight. Only 5 percent of fleas, mostly the adults, are visible to you, with the other 95 percent hidden in your environment. This 95 percent consists of eggs, larvae, and pupae; they are typically found deep in your carpet, clothing, and furniture.

Checking your cat regularly for fleas can help stop an infestation before it reaches epic proportions, and consequently becomes far harder to manage. There are a few signs you can look out for that will help you get the jump on these bothersome parasites.

Skin Abnormalities

If your cat begins losing hair, or develops scabs and bumps, it could be a sign of fleas. However, make sure to consult with a vet if this is your pet’s only symptom to rule out any medical issues.

Excessive Grooming

Cats typically spend 10 percent of their time awake grooming themselves. But when your cat begins spending excessive time licking, scratching, or biting at certain areas of their body, they may have fleas.

Anemia

This usually only happens in extreme cases of flea infestation. If your cat has extreme lethargy along with pale gums, they may have flea-induced anemia. Kittens are especially predisposed to this due to their small bodies.

Behavioral Changes

Your cat may become restless or aggressive with you as they deal with the discomfort of constantly being bitten. They may also avoid certain areas of your house where they find the fleas to be more concentrated.

Tapeworms

This is not as common as other symptoms, but it is still wise to look out for it. If you see short, crawling segments that populate your cat’s feces, they have tapeworms; fleas transmit tapeworms, so there is a good chance your cat will have them too.

Performing a Flea Test

If your cat is exhibiting one of more of these signs and you want to be sure of the presence of fleas, you can perform a simple confirmation test.

1. Place your cat onto a white towel. This color both attracts fleas and lets you see them more clearly if they jump off your cat.
2. Comb them with a fine-toothed comb or a flea comb. Start at the head and look for any signs of flea dirt, eggs, or adult fleas on the comb. Pay close attention to the skin beneath the fur and check for any signs of scabs or skin irritation.

You can check for flea dirt by wiping your comb on the towel and adding a little water. If a rusty-red color shows through, you are dealing with fleas. The red color is a result of the fleas’ blood-centric diet.

If fleas, eggs, or flea dirt are sighted during this process, it is time to begin flea infestation treatment. Determine the extent of the invasion and purchase a flea shampoo accordingly. You should also begin making plans to deep clean your house. Remember, the longer you leave it, the harder it will be to eliminate every single flea from your pet and home.

How Often Should Flea Shampoo Be Used?

How often you can use flea shampoo depends on the type of shampoo you buy. Most chemical shampoos are designed to only be used once a month due to their harsh nature. Other natural and organic shampoos can be used every week or so, or even every couple of days as part of a maintenance routine. Vet’s Best Wipes, for instance, may be used once every 24 hours.

Always be sure to read all instructions and check your cat for any allergic reactions when applying flea products. If your cat has especially sensitive skin, you may want to wait longer between applications to avoid irritation. Symptoms such as a skin rash, itching, or sneezing can indicate an allergic reaction. Monitor your pet closely and contact a vet if the symptoms do not disappear within a few hours, or become life-threatening.

Does My Cat Need to Be a Certain Age?

Most flea shampoos state that your cat needs to be above 12 weeks for use. This is because small kittens cannot handle chemicals and essential oils in the same fashion that older cats can. If your kitten needs flea treatment or prevention, look for shampoos that are formulated specifically for cats younger than 12 weeks or use a natural flea remedy on them.

Can Dog Flea Shampoo Be Used on Cats?

You should never use flea shampoo designed for dogs on your cats, especially if they are chemical shampoos. As we discussed in our mini-guide, the number of chemicals and essential oils in dog shampoos would be too much for a cat’s body to handle and you may end up poisoning your cat.

Shampoos that are marketed for use by both cats and dogs may be safe to use; these generally have a lower quantity of chemicals in them to make them safe for both animals. If you are concerned about safety, your best bet is to pick up a flea shampoo specifically designed for cats, so you don’t have to worry.

How to Properly Bathe Your Cat Using Flea Shampoo

Bath time may not be a pleasant activity for you and your cat, but if you have a serious flea problem, it is a necessary part of the removal process. We’ve gathered some tips to help you make your kitty’s bath a little easier, and hopefully protect you from their claws.

Each shampoo will be slightly different in terms of directions and how much you should be applying to your cat. Make sure to read and understand the instructions before using it.

1. Brush your cat to remove any loose hair and mats. This can also help to dislodged fleas and flea dirt.
2. Place your cat in a tub filled with two to three inches of lukewarm water. Make sure the water is not scalding hot, but not too cold.
3. Use your hands, a cup, or a spray bottle to thoroughly wet your cat’s fur, being careful to avoid ears, eyes, and mouth. You can use a washcloth to gently wipe the face.
4. Working from top to bottom, apply the flea shampoo and gently massage it in. Pay special attention to the insides of legs, behind the ears and neck, and the base of the tail as these are a flea’s favorite hiding places. Do not apply or lather up the shampoo around the cheeks, ears, or eyes of your cat.
5. Give the shampoo time to work. Your cat may not like it, but they will have to stay put for around 5 minutes to give the shampoo time to work. Try giving them praises and gentle pats to keep them calm.
6. Use a flea comb to work through your cat’s fur while they are lathered up. This helps capture all fleas that may be trying to escape. You can place these fleas in a separate bowl of soapy water to ensure they don’t attempt to jump back onto your cat; the soap will prevent them from jumping.
7. Rinse your cat Use your hand or a washcloth to wipe any shampoo off of their head, and make sure there is no residue left in their fur. You don’t want to leave any shampoo that your cat may lick off after their bath.
8. Dry your cat. You can use a towel to rub them down or a dryer set on low heat if they tolerate the noise. When drying a long-haired cat, you may have to brush out and detangle their fur.

For best bathing results, try to tire your cat out before bath time; engage them in an extended playtime with their favorite toys. You may also want to clip their nails a day or two before their scheduled bath.

If you’re certain that your feline friend is absolutely not going to tolerate being bathed, look into using waterless shampoo or flea wipes.

Stopping the Flea Cycle

Fleas can be so tricky to eliminate because of their size and life span. The key to completely removing them is to understand their life cycle and coordinate your cleaning accordingly.

The Life Cycle of a Flea

There are four stages in a flea’s life: egg, larvae, pupae, and adult. To successfully beat a flea infestation, you must target all of these stages, not just the adults.

Flea eggs can be found either on your pet or buried in your carpet. They can stay hidden as long as 200 days, waiting for the right hatching conditions. In good conditions, they will hatch into larvae in 10 days, and turn into pupae another 10 days after that.

Before pupae transition to adults they create a cocoon; they will stay there for a day or two, but can stay up to 6 months depending on the time of year. Once they are adults, female fleas can lay around 50 eggs a day, further perpetuating the cycle.

Overall, the flea cycle lasts anywhere between 2 and 4 weeks. This is why preventative care and routine cleaning is so important to beat a large infestation. If you only kill the adult fleas, two weeks later, you will have to start all over again.

In a severe flea invasion, we recommend a flea shampoo like our best overall pick Adams Plus, which will help repel and kill fleas for up to 28 days – enough to stop the flea life cycle from continuing.

Cleaning

Besides equipping your pet to fight fleas, cleaning is one of the most important things to do if you want to permanently eliminate fleas in your home.

Vacuum all carpets once a week, or every few days in severe cases. Vacuuming has been proven to kill up to 96 percent of the adult fleas it traps, and 100 percent of younger fleas. It also removes environmental factors that fleas feed on, such as dirt and dead hair and skin cells. A strict vacuuming routine will rid your carpets of fleas in no time.

To eliminate any remaining fleas, wash your bedding and your cat’s bedding once a week. The hot water in the washing machine will kill fleas of all life stages that may be hiding in your sheets. You can also use a flea wipe on your pet’s bedding after it has been washed to repel fleas away from the area.

Natural Alternatives to Flea Proof Your Home

While there are many chemical products available today that can help you turn the tables on a flea infestation, you may prefer to go a more natural route out of safety concerns for your household and your pet. Thankfully, there are several natural alternatives that are just as effective as using chemical products in your home.

Homemade Flea Trap

When combined with vacuuming, this homemade flea trap is perfect for eliminating fleas.

• Fill a large, shallow bowl with water. You don’t want to sides to be too high or the fleas will not easily jump into it.
• Add a little bit of dish soap and agitate the bowl to distribute the soap. Soap reduces the surface tension of the water so that fleas will sink and drown when they jump in, unlike with regular water which they can jump out of.
• Lay down a towel to catch spills wherever you place the bowl. Leave it in an area popular with fleas, such as near pet bedding, along the edges of carpet, and around pillows and furniture.
• Add a lamp or plant near the bowl to attract fleas. The lamp adds warmth and light, which fleas are drawn to. They will come near it and jump into the bowl. Plants give off carbon dioxide, a great attractor for flea pupae. A houseplant near the bowl can help take out these fleas before they become adults.
• Leave the bowl overnight. Fleas are the most active just after sunset until sunrise, so leaving the bowl out overnight will catch you the most fleas.

Each morning, check the bowl for fleas and change out the water. Keep repeating this process until you don’t see fleas in the water anymore. It is a good idea to leave multiple bowls throughout the house and adjust their placement as needed. Make sure your cat doesn’t try to drink out of the bowls at any time.

Homemade Flea Treatment for Cats

If you aren’t a fan of using chemical shampoos on your cat, you can concoct flea treatments using natural ingredients from around your home to give your furry friend some relief.

Use Lemon Juice

Citric acid, which is found in lemon juice, is a known killer of fleas. To use this method, boil one or two cut lemons in water and let them steep for several hours. Transfer the cooled liquid to a spray bottle and lightly apply it to your cat’s fur, working it in gently. Make sure to look for any signs of skin irritation when using lemon juice.

Wash Your Cat With Dish Soap

Dish soap breaks down a flea’s exoskeleton, effectively killing them. Using a gentle dish soap in the bath in place of a shampoo can be very effective. However, dish soap can be drying to a cat’s skin, so you probably don’t want to use this method often.

Spice up Their Food

Cumin is a spice known to be tolerated by cats. When eaten, it makes their skin taste very unappealing to fleas. Only add a little bit to the top of your kitty’s food, never any more than a teaspoon. It may take a while for this method to take effect, so it is best used as a regular maintenance or prevention technique.

These treatments are great alternatives to using chemical products on your cat. Make sure to check with a vet before using any of them, and monitor your cat during use to make sure they tolerate these methods.

Achieving a Flea-Free Life

Once you have fleas in your home, it can feel like life will never return to normal. A flea shampoo is an integral part of the flea removal process, and it can bring wonderful relief to your cat.

When purchasing a shampoo, always be sure to consider the ingredients and your cat’s individual needs to ensure you pick the best option. Combined with a careful cleaning routine, a flea shampoo will put you back on track to a flea-free life in no time.