Cat Parasiticides

According to Tufts School of Veterinary Medicine, before cats were coined as “domesticated”, they lived alongside humans for thousands of years.¹ Despite being able to dress cats in sweaters or make laughable memes, our “domestication” of them, still does not eliminate their risk of exposure to pesky parasites. It's easy for pet owners to presume if their cat is indoors that they cannot obtain parasites; however, this is a myth. Most parasites do not recognize if their ideal host lives indoors or outdoors or if they are wearing a sweater. Cats can be the ideal host to multiple parasites like heartworms, intestinal parasites, mites, fleas and ticks. Many of them can pose just as much of a concern for their respective owners.

Heartworms are often more talked about in dogs, but cats have the same opportunity for exposure with just as significant a health risk. Heartworm disease can prove to be a challenge to diagnose in cats and even worse, just 1 heartworm can be fatal to a cat, making prevention even more important!

One of the most common external parasites of cats is the flea. Fleas pose a significant disease risk and are also a nuisance to pets and people. Not only can fleas contribute to flea bite anemia, especially for small kittens but the cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis) can transmit diseases like the flea tapeworm, Dipylidium caninum and the bacteria responsible for Cat Scratch Disease in people, Bartonella henselae.^2,3 

The Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC) encourages an integrated approach to flea control by using a product containing both an adulticide and an insect growth regulator, which will help prevent the establishment of an environmental infestation. Flea control products should be administered to every animal in the household, every month, all year long.³

We offer several solutions that provide comprehensive parasite protection for cats.

References:

1. https://news.vet.tufts.edu/2017/08/the-domestication-of-cats/

2. https://www.vet.cornell.edu/departments-centers-and-institutes/cornell-feline-health-center/health-information/feline-health-topics/zoonotic-disease-what-can-i-catch-my-cat

3. https://capcvet.org