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My cat licked topical flea treatment. What if she ingests it?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

I applied topical flea treatment to my cat and some of it got smeared on her fur(a place she can reach). I tried to wipe it off with a wet towel after I was sure it absorbed into her skin but idk if that's enough since it's water-proof. Should I just watch her for a while until it dries? And what should I do if she ingestes it, I don't know if I can get her to the vet in time.

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Rodrigo Roca, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on November 29th, 2018

Hello, thank you for your question. I believe that keeping a close eye on your cat and trying to prevent her from licking the product is a good option. Most of these products cause mild GI upset or excessive salivation when they are ingested, but rarely life threatening signs. If your cat develops any vomiting, diarrhea, or inappetance I would recommend having her seen by a veterinarian. Hope this helps, good luck!

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    Answered By Kevin Sanada, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on August 20th, 2017

    While we prefer that they not lick the topical products, they are usually not enough to cause substantial toxic effects. Although, I can't say for sure without knowing the exact product. Signs of toxicity are drooling, vomiting, behavior changes and tremors/seizures. If you see any of these, then you should take her to the vet for treatment. Otherwise, just make sure their is plenty of fresh clean water around and feed her as normal. If 24 hours go by and she's not having any problems, then likely she'll be OK. I hope that helps.

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