Is prescription or OTC flea treatment better and safer for my cat?

Question

Do I need to get a prescription for flea medication for our new cat or does the over the counter stuff work perfectly fine? Thank you. Pet's info: Cat | Domestic Longhair | Male | neutered | 9 lbs

Vanessa Yeager DVM MPH · Accepted Answer

Hi and thanks for posting on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. On the contrary! The over the counter flea and tick preventatives tend not to work as well as the prescription strength ones do. The active ingredients in the over the counter medications have been around for a very long time and fleas have built up a resistance to them over time so they may not work as well. These ingredients also tend to have higher rates of reactions in pets. Over the counter flea medications and preventatives can be toxic to cats especially. The prescription preventatives, however, have been rigorously studied for safety and effectiveness whereas the over the counter products may not. Therefore, it is really best if Gruber get a flea preventative from his veterinarian. That is the most effective and safest bet. I hope this helps and thanks for posting!

Is prescription or OTC flea treatment better and safer for my cat?

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