Preventative flea treatment that's safe for senior cats with sensitivities

[FriendofFerals]

Hello,

I posted a few months ago about my senior boy "Squeaky" who lost a HUGE chunk of hair on the back/side of his neck from Tevra Pet Acti-Spot while is touted as a generic for Advantage II with the same active ingredients in the same %.

The hair had not begun to grow back and the vet said likely it never will. I'm sick over this. I gave him a month off, treated the other two (with Tevra Pet and they were fine) then Friday I had to treat Squeaky but used the old Advantage II again. Within hours he was scratching and a quarter-size spot of hair was missing below the huge area from the Tevra Pet.

Immediately I put him in his jammies rolled up to protect the area so he wouldn't scratch himself bloody again.

Apparently, he is now suddenly allergic/sensitive to not only TevraPet but also the Advantage II he's had for years. I called the vet and asked what to do now and he recommended Cheristin topical or Cardelio oral medication. Reading about Cheristin was worrisome with all of the negative comments being from 2023 with cats dying, getting deathly ill, losing tons of hair and other nightmare scenarios. Cardelio has several reports of seizures and neurological issues that are also worrisome.

Before I spend a LOT of money on this stuff, I do not want to endanger my cat or cause him further harm. He is approx 16-17, former TNR feral and allergic to everything on planet earth including pollen, dust, grass, fleas and probably himself. He also has severe asthma and is on Depo every 6 weeks to control that and the allergic dermatiis, ear infections, pink eye, IBS and all the other inflammatory issues.

Does anyone else have a similarly senior & sensitive cat and knows a flea preventative that is safe and works. I am in South Florida where it is always flea season year round and even indoor-only cats must be treated because fleas just walk right through the door. Had the house infested twice and none of my 3 cats go outside.. ever.

Any advice is greatly appreciated!



Does

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi, try dabbing some store bought chamomile tea (brewed and cooled) on the hot spot if he's still experiencing discomfort. It's safe if he licks it, is anti bacterial, anti fungal and will ease the itch.

You might check into Only Natural Pet online and see if there's something he can handle, poor boy.

 

[fionasmom]

I don't know if this will help you or not, as my cats don't have the sensitivity that your boy does. Fleas were absolutely awful here this year and Advantage did absolutely nothing. Apparently in my immediate area, fleas have developed immunity to it. I went back to Revolution, but the old formulation, not the Plus which has the ingredient which has caused nerve reactions. You may need to have a vet send in a prescription to Chewy in order to get it.

Beneficial nematodes for flea control
This is an entirely different approach, if you have not read it.

 

[FeebysOwner]

You could also consider Frontline Plus - different active ingredients from Advantage II. Frontline Plus does not require a prescription.

You could also consider Capstar, which is oral, and is technically only effective for 24 hours. It's been around a while (2000) and is one of the few that aren't topical. It can be given as needed, so if your other cats are being protected, you may only have to give it to him occasionally.

Your cat could be sensitive to something in any of the topicals, as they all contain a lot of inactive ingredients which the manufacturers are not required to list on their products.

 

[fionasmom]

Rikki was given Capstar by my vet and had no problem with it. After 24-48 hours you can follow up with a spot on product if you need to.