Flea collars are a popular way to keep your kitten occupied while you’re away. They were created to give your kitten a hands-off period of time to enjoy supervised play.
When I first introduced flea collars into the market, they were for older, more established cats. The manufacturers would say that these cats had developed the appropriate resistance to collar allergies, making it an acceptable level of control.
However, as the experts grew more conservative in their recommendations, many of them lowered their levels of control. Now that you can take control of your cat with at-home cat therapies, you can decide what level of control is right for you and your cat.
If your cat is not outdoor-oriented or does not like water, then at-home therapies are the way to go.
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Six months
At six months, most kittens are around the same size as their mothers. This is when the last collar piece should be removed and new, lighter bands can be placed on to replace it.
Most cats will stop using a collar at eight months, unless they have been trained to wear one. This is common in outdoor cats that learn to climb in the outdoors environment and acquire new places to hang out by having a collar.
But even then, the cat must be kept safe from predators and other cats so it does not fight them off. Alternatively, if the cat is comfortable being confined, a soft cloth should be used instead of a hard plastic band.
Nine months
At nine months, your kitten will be big enough to safely wear a flea collar. Most vet recommendations allow two months before they recommend a flea collar.
Many owners find it fun to keep up with the cats at this age by having them go on walks, getting reminders of nuisance animals such as neighbors, dogs, and maybe even a few cats.
This is a great way for you to get involved in your cat’s care as they learn how to stay safe. A walk is a good exercise for your cat and together they learn how to protect themselves from any ticks or snakes that may attack.
One important thing is not putting the collar on until your cat gets home from the walk. Then you can check it for an entry wound by putting one piece of clothing over it and walking with it through the house. If there is one, then your cat has already been comfortable with being protected from predators.
Twelve months
At twelve months, most kittens are fully house and wildtrained. Since then, you can run into some places that recommend this littermate as early as six months of age.
Most experts agree that cats older than twelve months are more trained, have more independent preferences in food, shelter, and playtime. This is why some experts still recommend six to twelve months of age for kittens!
Since training is a skill that comes with time, it is smart for young cats to take their time to learn. Some ways to help them get trained faster is to give them too much or too little training, or use the wrong technique for the right cat.
More experienced trainers may use different techniques like delayed correction (or no correction at all), playing with the pet instead of training on a specific task, or using a soft toy or jacket to practice on.
Always use flea protection
Even though flea collars can be useful, they are not for everyone. There are some dogs who do not need them and who would prefer to have a free-roaming lifestyle over protection.
If you know your dog is susceptible to allergies, then a allergies prevention collar is even more important. These are typically for dogs with sensitive skin or normalization challenges like housetrhoulders.
Some experts do not recommend age specific clothing as it may create socialization and underestimate the power of a young dog who gets caught in something and needs medical attention. As they get older, they may need more restrictive clothing to prevent Meshulamiah (blooee) from escapement (ungnap).
Never make assumptions about your dog’s health based on what kind of clothes they wear or how they “look” when they get dressed.
Talk to your vet about using a natural remedy
If your cat is already suffering from a cold or other virus, a collar can be uncomfortable. A flea collar can turn up the heat when it gets hot outside, due to the presence of a flea collar.
A liberal application of Flea Collar should keep your cat comfortable for at least a week. During that time, if you see any signs of discomfort such as favoring one side of the body or being more active on one side of the body, then further use is justified.
Some cats will stop watching the Flea Collar because they are too comfortable. This is not a good thing and should be addressed quickly. If your cat does not seem to feel comfortable, remove them from the blanket and place them in a different room to reduce re-comforting by people or sympathetic animals.
Never leave your cat alone for longer than 2–3 hours before making sure they are comfortable.
Check your pet for signs of fleas
Flea collars can be for any size dog or cat. Most flea manufactures offer them in small, medium, and large size to fit all pets.
Most flea collars are made of a heavy duty plastic or vinyl material. These materials prevent the collar from being swallowed and passed out after being applied to the dog or cat. It also keeps it from getting dirty and losing its effect.
When worn, a flea collar must be placed around the neck at an acute angle. This prevents it from getting stuck when the animal tries to pull away from it.
Wash your pets with soap and water
When you put a collar or a leash on your pet, you are also allowing them to wear a skin tag or collarbone. This is because the leash or the collar can be connected to the pet.
When you take off the collar, it can easily wash away any old medication this pet may have had. A skin tag can become dislodged and go unnoticed for a short time.
If you notice it is pulling out faster, it may be time to contact the vet. You may need to find a new way to keep your pet safe from parasites and prevent any re-occurrence of the same tag.
Some medications can be worn on one side only. If your pet has only one marking bone, then this could be done. Contact your vet and ask for help in making sure this is OK to do on both sides.
Use a topical spray or powder on your pet
There are two main times for dogs and cats to be exposed to a collar-size amount of topical flea medication. These times are when you put it on your pet after a visit to the vet, or when you give it to your pet as a rule-out method before treatment with an anti– flea med.
Your rule-out is definitely necessary when using a topical med, as most are not effective without a concurrent drug. Even if your pet does not seem affected by the med, there is a chance it could be saving you some trouble later on when it happens without the drug.