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Cat losing fur from fleas. What helps hair grow back after Capstar?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Female | spayed | 1 year and 9 months old | 6.3 lbs

I am planning on giving my cat capstar for her fleas and I would like to know if I could do anything about her fur overshed to help her fur grow back more for example like using supplements, treats,etc. or do I just give capstar and let her hair grow back on its own so I don't overdo things and harm her?

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Summer Walker, DVM, MS

Veterinarian

Published on July 9th, 2018

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! If you are noticing a flea infestation and this is the cause for the excess shedding/over-grooming of her fur, then simple treatment and prevention of the fleas and time will allow for her coat to regrow. It is important, however, to understand how Capstar works. When administering a Capstar, this will kill all the fleas on Jackie and those that re-infest her for 24 hours, after which it is no longer effective. It is important to also follow with a preventative treatment, such as Advantage II, that will then continue to kill and prevent the re-infestation of fleas for one month. This is a topical treatment that is applied between the shoulder blades. Another option would be a Seresto collar, which provides flea prevention for up to 8 months. Remember to also treat the environment where Jackie is located (indoors and outdoors) to add another layer of protection against re-infestation. In some rare cases you may notice minimal or no hair regrowth if significant trauma was caused to the hair follicles due to over-grooming, but in most instances adequate control of the fleas and therefore the itch will allow for hair regrowth with time.

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