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How soon can I bathe my cat after applying Revolution flea meds?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Maine Coon | Male | neutered | 3 years old | 10 lbs

I treated my cat with Revolution brand flea medication a few weeks ago. When is the soonest I can give him a bath without risking the medicine being washed away?

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Andrea M. Brodie, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on April 5th, 2018

Theoretically you can give him a bath now, as the Revolution will have entered his skin. However unless your cat fell into something stinky, oily or walked through herbicide or similar, there is no need to wash a cat.

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    Answered By Tomasz Wnuk

    Veterinarian

    Published on May 3rd, 2020

    Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. You can bath her about 24-48 hrs after the flea treatment has been applied. If you bath her earlier, the flea treatment may not be very effective. If she looks well and her energy level is high, you can give her a bath if she needs it, but don't let her out after.

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Three 11 week old kittens received a dose split 3 ways of fipronil 4 days ago by previous owner. Found more live fleas today and gave them a bath witb dish soap. When can I give them kitten Revolution?
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My new, 3-month old kitten came with a lot of fleas. I washed him with Dawn dish soap a week after applying Revolution Plus. Does the flea medicine no longer work because I washed him with dish soap?
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We treated our 2 cats with a generic Advantage 2 a week ago. We just received our Revolution in the mail. How soon can we apply the Revolution for their flea infestation? They're 5lbs, and 6lbs. 5 mos old.
Great question! According to the package insert for Advantage 2, you can safely reapply once every two weeks, so it would be fine to give them the Revolution now. You can also give them Capstar. It's a one time pill that starts killing fleas in 30 minutes and is safe to give with the Revolution. Don't forget you will need to disinfect the environment as well. Wash their bedding in hot soapy water, and vacuum the furniture and carpet surfaces. You can use a spray to kill fleas in the house, such as Indorex, or a flea bomb would work well to kill the fleas in the home. I hope this helps!
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Gave my solet indoor cats Revolution 4 days ago and they are still licking themselves raw, not sure if they have fleas, cause they won't sit still enough for my to check, all black cats. When can I give again?
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A cat came to our porch 2 days ago and we have been letting it in and out when needed. I'm in Kansas City, KS, so we keep him in to sleep and out when he wants. I seen black specks on him (not a lot though), but I have an unused Revolution flea medic
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I accidentally put my cat's flea medication on my dog. I washed it off with soap and water immediately but am concerned if he will have any side effects. Also he takes revolution. How long should I wait to apply it to him ?
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Hi, My 11 week old kitten just came home from his care taker and I found flea eggs and a flea on him. The care taker advised that he had given him a dose of Revolution about 1.5 weeks ago. What should I do now?
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Ron has fleas despite having his usual dose of revolution. It’s too soon to apply another dose but I’m wondering if I can use capstar in the meantime?
Great question! Yes, you can use Capstar now, and it's safe to use daily until it's time for his next dose of Revolution. Keep in mind that fleas live in the environment, not on the cat, so if you haven't disinfected your home, it will be a continuing source of fleas. I will give you information on how to disinfect your home. Wash Ron's bedding in hot soapy water, and vacuum the furniture and carpet surfaces. You can use a spray to kill fleas in the house, such as Indorex, or a flea bomb would work well to kill the fleas in the home. I hope this helps!
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I am really having a flea problem. I found some revolution, but it expired 2013. Can it still be used, just not as effective? Or will it be deadly?
It is never recommended to use expired medications. It may not work or can make your pet ill. Purchase new medication from your veterinarian. Apply it a few days before or after bathing. Vacuum everywhere the cat has been and wash all bedding in hot water. Use a feline safe area treatment to prevent reinfestation and treat your cat for a minimum of 3 months, preferably year round.
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