The Best Flea Collar For Outdoor Cats

Cat fleas are no joke. They are a major cause of pet disease and hence should be taken seriously. Flea and tick treatment and medication should only be the last resort; flea and tick prevention, the first. One of the best ways to make sure fleas and ticks keep off your beloved cat is through the use of a simple but effective flea collar.

This article aims to help you decide which pet collar is best suited for your active feline friend. First, I just want to say that I am no expert when it comes to pet health. This list is based solely on my humble experiences with my best friend "Slick," the slickest cat of them all. I fervently hope this list will be useful for all cat lovers reading it. Anyway, here goes:

How do you find the best flea collar for outdoor cats?

• The best flea collar for outdoor cats prevents flea eggs

  If you want to really minimize the flea population and avoid major flea infestation, you have to eliminate the source. A good cat flea collar will prevent fleas from multiplying - and then kill them. Obviously, all flea collars aim to kill fleas; choose the one that also prevents fleas from laying eggs on your beloved pet's fur.

• The best flea collar for outdoor cats is safe for both cats and kittens

  Kittens get fleas, too, and more than cats, they need protection against these parasites since their immune system is not yet fully developed. It is no mystery that flea collars contain pesticides like propoxur and pyrethrin. Although most of these are harmless to cats, you should be careful what you expose your cat to. DO NOT give your cat anything that contains amitraz. Amitraz is a monoamine oxidase inhibitor that affects an animal's nervous system and is known to be toxic to cats.

• The best flea collar for outdoor cats lasts for at least 6 months

  A good flea collar will start killing fleas as soon as you put them on your cat or dog, and it should provide protection for at least half a year. Convenience is the reason why we buy anti-flea products. Having to worry about changing your cherished cat's flea collar ONLY twice a year is definitely convenient.

• The best flea collar for outdoor cats also provides protection against ticks

  Ticks, like fleas, are a common pet problem. Unfortunately, ticks are harder to kill than fleas and therefore require more work to eliminate. Your cat flea collar should assist you in this task; there are flea collars available that also kill ticks albeit slowly. Most dead ticks will fall off your pet. However, some remain and need to be removed through other methods.

• The best flea collar for outdoor cats is odor-free

  Flea collars should be effective flea-killing machines but we don't have to smell how effective they are. If you smell something out of the ordinary on a cat flea collar, chances are it may be harmful to your pet.

Of course, all the other obvious reasons apply. Your cat's flea collar should look good, be durable, and comfortable. You should protect your cat from fleas and ticks -- but nobody ever said you couldn't do it in style.