Cat flea collars are one of the various methods for combating cat fleas. However, cat flea collars do more damage than good and should be avoided.
Fleas found in the environment or on other animals infect cats. Fleas are tiny, dark-brown insects with long, black legs that allow them to leap from one animal to another. According to the Natural Resource Defense Council (NRDC), when a flea bites a cat, it gets widespread irritation, which leads to hair loss, inflammation, and other obvious skin illnesses.
Pest Control Collars
As the flea eggs, larvae, and pupae multiply in abundance, a flea treatment program to remove fleas from the surroundings and the Cat is crucial. According to the NRDC, these fleas may be found in carpets, rugs, grass, and bed linens. Consequently, the usage of flea collars on cats is popular among pet owners, primarily due to the collars’ capacity to eliminate fleas. However, flea collars have various adverse side effects.
Adverse Effects of Flea Collars
The following are the negative consequences of Flea Collars:
Depletion of the Immune System
Flea collars for cats are infused with flea repellents or insecticides and are solely helpful for killing fleas in and around the neck. Once put around the Cat’s neck, the pesticides emit a poisonous gas that kills fleas. This deadly vapor penetrates deeply into the skin of cats, entering their bloodstream and finally killing them. The collars also contain cancer-causing chemicals that might negatively impact the cats’ long-term health. According to Extension Entomologist Michael F. Potter, the usage of cat flea collars causes allergic responses on the cats’ skin, making them unwell and sluggish, disrupting their immune systems, and emitting a terrible odor.
Nausea and Anxiety
When the number of fleas increases, the Cat gets drowsier and refuses to eat or drink, developing body temperature swings, vomiting, diarrhea, and potentially lethal complications.
Cat flea collars that are not breakaway may get entangled and choke cats when they sprint through trees and shrubs. In any case, cats will suffer from the cat flea collar around their necks, not to mention the discomfort and irritation of these pesky insects.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, cat flea collars are one of the least effective means of flea control. Therefore, even veterinarians do not recommend flea collars for cats. In addition, the labels on the cat flea collars indicate that the collars are harmful to humans, and those who use them are recommended to wash their hands afterward. How can a product be safe for cats if it is not for humans?
Cat Flea Collar Alternatives
There are safer ways to keep fleas off cats than using flea collars. Herbal options for cat flea collars are safer for cats. In addition, it is prudent to consider utilizing natural therapies such as cat shampoos and herbal collars rather than subjecting the Cat to flea controls such as cat flea collars, which represent a threat to cats’ lives.