Best Flea Shampoos for Cats

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Cat care
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Have you ever seen monkeys clean each other for lice? It is so wholesome until they start eating the lice.

Lice are small and wingless insects that crawl and live up to a day or two without a host. Common cat fleas (Ctenocephalides felis) are small crawling insects too, but unlike lice, cat fleas use their powerful back legs to jump up to 18 inches forward or 6 inches high.

In a Hurry? Here are Our Top Choices

They can also live up to a week or two without a host! Once they find a furry cat (host) they lay their eggs in the cat’s fur, and thus grows the flea infestation.

Cats having fleas is a very common occurrence and most cats will go through this at least once in their lives. Cats can get rid of fleas naturally by cleaning themselves more often than usual.  This is a slow process and if the flea infestation is large, it can cause bigger problems later.

The 4 Best Flea Shampoos for Cats

As pet parents it is always better to speed up this process by using the right shampoo. Lucky for you, here is our list of the best flea shampoo for cats.

1. Adams Plus Flea & Tick Shampoo With Precor

Adams Plus Flea & Tick Shampoo with Precor 12 Ounces
  • Effectively kills fleas, ticks, flea eggs, flea larvae and lice.
  • Sensitive skin formula with soothing aloe, lanolin, coconut extract, and oatmeal
  • Contains an Insect Growth Regulator (IGR) to kill and prevent flea development for up to 28 days
  • Safe for use on all dogs, cats, puppies and kittens 12-weeks and older
  • Pleasant, fresh scent
  • It prevents flea eggs from hatching for 4 weeks as well as cleansing & deodorizing.
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Adams Plus Flea and Tick Shampoo is by far the most popular choice among cat owners. It effectively rids your cat of fleas, ticks, flea eggs, flea larvae and lice. It will prevent flea eggs from hatching and clean your cat thoroughly.

It contains soothing aloe, lanolin, coconut extract and oatmeal which is great for cats with sensitive skin. It also contains an Insect Growth Regulator (IGR) to eliminate and prevent any flea development on your cat and in your home for up to 28 days.

This flea and tick shampoo comes highly recommended from pet owners. They most like the pleasant and fresh scent it leaves behind. Of course, it helps that it’s also friendly on the pocket.

2. Advantage Shampoo Flea and Tick Treatment

Advantage Flea and Tick Treatment Shampoo for Cats and Kittens, 8 oz
  • For use on cats and kittens over 12 weeks
  • As part of a complete flea control program, treat your pets, your home and your yard with appropriate produ
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Advantage Shampoo Flea and Tick Treatment is a product of Bayer. Bayer is one of the largest multinational pharmaceutical companies in the world. They have an excellent reputation among the medical industry and as such, this product comes highly recommended by vets around the world.

It is a medical-grade product that can effectively kill fleas upon contact and can even help prevent flea dermatitis and Lyme disease. No wonder vets like it so much.

Advantage is an unscented lathering-shampoo, which means it will clean your cat thoroughly and is an excellent choice if your furry friend is sensitive to smells.

3. Veterinary Formula Clinical Care Flea and Tick Shampoo

Veterinary Formula Clinical Care Antiparasitic & Antiseborrheic Medicated Dog Shampoo – Paraben, Dye, Soap Free -Hydrating and Anti-Fungal Shampoo For Dogs, 16 ounce
  • GENTLE HEALING – Veterinary Formula Clinical Care Antiparasitic and Antiseborrheic Medicated Shampoo for Dogs contains coal tar, salicylic acid, and micronized sulfur to treat skin scaling caused by seborrhea, relieve mange and other parasitic infections, and treat fungal and bacterial infections. Colloidal Oatmeal and Allantoin hydrate skin and promote healing.
  • FAST ACTING – Antiparasitic and Antiseborrheic Medicated Dog Shampoo works fast to help relieve the inflamed scalp, greasy or waxy skin, red skin rashes, bald spots, itch and flaky skin associated with dermatitis, mange, seborrhea, parasitic, and bacterial infections. To use, shampoo 2-3 times per week initially and then less frequently as skin improves.
  • VETERINARY RECOMMENDED – Veterinary Formula Antiparasitic and Antiseborrheic Medicated Shampoo for Dogs is paraben, dye, and soap free. It will not remove topical spot-on flea and tick treatments and has been proven to safely treat fungal and bacterial skin infections, skin scaling caused by seborrhea, and parasitic infections like mange.
  • FORMULATED FOR DOGS – Medicated antiparasitic and antiseborrheic shampoo is specifically formulated for dogs over 12 weeks of age. The pH balanced treatment is ideal for your dog’s sensitive skin. The effective relief of symptoms will make you and your dogs happy. Great for pets with sensitive, allergic and yeasty skin!
  • EFFECTIVE AND AFFORDABLE – Veterinary Formula Clinical Care premium medicated products are created with veterinary-grade ingredients but available at a price that pet parents can afford. We know your dogs are more than just pets, because we are pet parents t
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Veterinary Formula Clinical Care is another popular flea and tick shampoo. It is highly rated as the best flea shampoo for cats. It is a premium product created with veterinary-grade ingredients.

The shampoo is formulated with pyrethrum, which is a natural insecticide derived from flowers, to kill and control fleas and ticks upon contact.

What is most notable about this product is that it is paraben and soap-free, which means there are no harsh soaps or damaging detergents present. The contents of this shampoo will sooth your cat’s irritated skin, clean it and exfoliate it.

Your cat’s coat will thank you for using this shampoo because it is pH balanced, detergent free and the active ingredient is naturally sourced. It even has naturally derived cleansers that will gently clean your cat and leave a lasting fresh and clean scent.

This product is ideal for cats with sensitive skin. So if your cat is fussy about their skin then this is the flea shampoo for them.

4. Vet’s Best Flea and Tick Waterless Bath Foam for Cats

Vet’s Best Flea and Tick Waterless Bath Foam for Cats | Flea Treatment Dry Shampoo for Cats | Flea Killer with Certified Natural Oils | 8 Ounces
  • EFFECTIVE AND EASY TO USE - Vets Best Flea and Tick Waterless Bath Foam kills fleas, flea eggs, and ticks by contact. Our formula also repels mosquitoes!
  • BATHTIME FOR CATS WHO HATE BATHS - Quick and easy solution to groom your cat when they can’t (or won’t) do it themselves. No need to rinse the shampoo from the fur, which makes water-averse cats happy.
  • CERTIFIED NATURAL OILS - Carefully formulated for cats with certified natural essential oils and plant-based ingredients, such as peppermint oil and eugenol (from clove plants).
  • NO ADDED PERFUMES - Cleanses and deodorizes your cat’s coat, leaving a calming, pleasant smell with no added fragrance.
  • MADE IN THE USA: Our products are proudly manufactured in the USA with quality domestic and internationally sourced ingredien
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Formulated for cats using natural plant extracts, Vet’s Best Flea and Tick Waterless Bath Foam is a dry shampoo that kills fleas, flea eggs and ticks by contact. As an added advantage, it is also a mosquito repellant.

This product is proudly manufactured in the USA with quality domestic and international ingredients. These ingredients include certified natural oils and plant-based ingredients, such as peppermint oil and eugenol.

The best part about this product is that since it is a dry shampoo, it does not need any water. It comes out the bottle in the form of foam, and you can massage this foam on to your cat’s coat directly. After application there is no need to wash it off, you can simply let it dry.

This shampoo has no added fragrance which leaves your cat with a calm, pleasant smell and a happy coat. This is a hassle-free product that is made with a focus on cats. If your cat has an extreme aversion to water (most cats do), then this is the best flea shampoo for them.

Our Final Thoughts

The shampoos mentioned in this list are all effective at keeping your cat flea-free and it comes down to what your cat prefers. Some cats may have sensitive skin or smell, others may have extreme aversion to water. We have kept this list inclusive for all cat-peeves.

The important thing is to make sure your cat does not have fleas. Pet parents should also take note that many fleas can hide around your house (bedding, carpets, yard, etc.), so it is always best to find the source and treat the problem. On average, fleas spend three quarters of their life outside of the hosts, so it may take up to 30 days to break the cycle of fleas.

When using a flea shampoo for your cat, be sure to read the directions and use accordingly. Most flea shampoos have a limit on how frequently they can be used. If the instructions are unclear or you can not manage to break the cycle of fleas, consult your vet.

We hope our selection of the best flea shampoos for cats was helpful.