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The Usage And Benefits Of Cat Dry Shampoo For Fleas

The Usage And Benefits Of Cat Dry Shampoo For Fleas

Seeing your cat excessively scratching its fur usually means one thing: Annoying fleas!

These tiny parasites feed on the cat’s blood and cause skin irritation and itching. If not treated properly, the flea infestation can get so bad that it leads to open wounds and severe hair loss.

Upon suspecting your cat may have fleas, first, it’s necessary to eliminate as many fleas as possible by using a flea comb.

Still, it will be necessary to treat them with a specific product aimed for flea infestation. There are different products available nowadays for flea treatment, such as sprays, powders, and topical and oral treatments.

A product that may have caught your attention is a cat dry shampoo for fleas.

Can using a waterless shampoo be a useful solution for fleas in your cat? Let’s find out!

Is Cat Dry Shampoo For Fleas A Good Solution?

a hand holds dry cat shampoo next to a cat standing and waiting

Some cat owners may be skeptical about using a dry shampoo with flea infestation. It may sound like, if the water isn’t included, the treatment cannot be so successful.

Well, I can tell you this isn’t true. Actually, dry shampoo makes a wonderful solution since most cats really dislike water! 

I’m sure you’re certainly aware of this, but you probably don’t quite understand what is the reason for this hate.

Pets Best Insurance points out that there are several theories for this. Most cats are simply afraid of new and unknown experiences. Cats that haven’t been exposed to water from a young age will usually find it intimidating.

A wet coat can significantly limit a cat’s movement and reflexes and make it feel vulnerable. They may also dislike the smell of any kind of shampoo on their fur.

Furthermore, most of them really hate waiting for their fur to dry after having a bath. Finally, while cats love fish, they aren’t naturally aquatic animals. Their ancestors primarily inhabited dry regions.

These are all good reasons why a dry shampoo is a life-saver with cats. This product does the same job as all other ones with the purpose of alleviating flea infestation.

The key here is to choose a dry shampoo that has no harsh chemicals and that will be gentle on your cat’s delicate skin.

Also, it shouldn’t have an intense smell, as most cats are sensitive in this regard and may reject anything overly fragrant applied to their coats.

The best product for treating fleas I’ve found available on the market is the Vet’s Best Flea & Tick Waterless Bath Foam for Cats.

Let’s find out all the essential information about this dry shampoo.

Vet’s Best Flea & Tick Waterless Bath Foam For Cats

Pros:

  • Effective against fleas, ticks, and even mosquitoes
  • Natural ingredients
  • Ideal for cats with allergies or sensitivities to intense scents
  • Made in the USA with quality domestic and internationally sourced ingredients

Cons:

  • Low-quality bottle
  • Doesn’t prevent fleas

Vet’s Best Flea & Tick Waterless Bath Foam For Cats will help you get rid of flea infestation on your cat without having to wrestle with it to get it into the bathtub!

It’s very easy to apply and massage this dry shampoo into a cat’s fur. It works great against fleas and ticks, and also keeps mosquitoes away from a cat.

It’s made of 100% natural ingredients like eugenol and peppermint oil. Since there aren’t any chemical additives in the Vet’s Best Flea & Tick Waterless Shampoo, it makes a safe, gentle, and effective solution.

Its smell is very mild, making it a good shampoo even for cats with allergies and those who hate intense smells. This waterless shampoo is manufactured in the USA. 

This product has a good pricing of $19.58 for an 8-oz bottle. It has a 4.1 rating out of more than 7,000 customer reviews.

Like with any other product, there are some potential downsides of this dry shampoo, too. According to some customer comments, the bottle is of very low quality, causing leaking problems.

It’s also important to notice that Vet’s Best Flea & Tick Waterless Shampoo doesn’t have a preventive purpose. 

This means that you’ll have to find some other way to prevent flea infestation in your cat. According to WebMD, successful flea preventatives are spot-on treatments, as well as flea collars.

How To Apply A Dry Shampoo To Treat Fleas?

Thanks to their spectacular grooming skills, cats usually don’t need baths at all, especially those who live indoors exclusively.

However, certain situations require you to wash your cat’s skin. Some of these include weight issues, joint pain, or skin problems such as fleas.

You naturally want to help your cat as soon as possible, but it can get uncomfortable for both of you just trying to get it wet and shampoo its coat.

This is why a dry shampoo for fleas is such a great thing! It’s very simple to apply and doesn’t require rinsing.

Before you start, lay down a towel below your cat to catch any fleas that can emerge while you’re cleaning its fur.

You just need to massage this product into your cat’s fur. While doing this, it’s necessary to avoid sensitive areas such as the eyes, mouth, ears, and genitals.

You should start with your cat’s shoulders and neck, then continue to its back and sides, and finish up with cleaning its legs and tail.

Try to be as gentle as possible and use only your fingers. A soft brush can also be handy here, but don’t scrub the product into your cat’s coat too hard.

A dry shampoo for fleas should only be used on cats 12 weeks and older.

How Long Until The Dry Shampoo Works?

Any topical solution usually clears fleas on cats within 12-48 hours, as explained by PetMD. Oral solutions work faster and usually show improvement within 2-4 hours.

The outcome, of course, can depend on the severity of flea infestation in a cat. 

If some time passes and you don’t see any improvement, you should get your cat vet-checked. It’s possible that it will need another type of medication.

It may also be necessary for a vet to remove the fleas properly from a cat’s coat.

What Are Some Other Options For Flea Treatment In Cats?

No matter what type of flea treatment you decide to go with, always bear in mind that you should only use products made for cats.

In case you have a dog, you shouldn’t use dog shampoo to treat your cat’s flea issue. You especially shouldn’t use human shampoos, not even gentle ones like those made for babies.

While a cat dry shampoo for fleas is an effective solution, it’s good to also be acquainted with some other solutions.

Below is a list of three products in different forms that also do a great job of getting rid of fleas.

1. Advantage Flea And Tick Treatment Shampoo For Cats 

Pros:

  • Unscented shampoo for fragrance-sensitive cats
  • No prescription needed
  • Kills fleas on your pet, in your home, and your yard

Cons:

  • According to some customers, several repeated uses are necessary to kill all the fleas

This is a scent-free cat shampoo that will suit even the most fragrance-sensitive cats and owners. 

The Advantage Flea And Tick Treatment Shampoo For Cats kills fleas and leaves your cat’s coat clean and smooth.

This product’s lathering formula offers complete and immediate relief for your cat. If needed, this shampoo can be used once every seven days. 

You don’t need a prescription to buy this shampoo. It’s just necessary to use warm water and wet your cat’s coat for two to three minutes.

After this, you need to apply the shampoo all over its body and leave it for about five minutes before rinsing it thoroughly. 

2. Hartz Nature’s Shield Flea & Tick Spray Treatment For Cats

Pros:

  • Kills fleas, ticks, flea larvae, and repels mosquitos
  • Kills fleas, ticks, flea larvae, and repels mosquitos
  • With cedarwood and lemongrass oil
  • Safe to use around children

Cons:

  • It may be challenging to apply it to a cat’s coat

Hartz Nature’s Shield Flea & Tick Spray Treatment For Cats is an effective spray containing natural oils that not only kill fleas and ticks but also serves as a mosquito repellent.

The lemongrass oil and cedarwood are its main ingredients. It also has glycerin and Vitamin E, which are essential ingredients for cat’s coat conditioning.

This product is entirely safe to use around children. It’s free of harsh chemicals, dyes, and parabens. 

Some customers commented that it is a bit challenging to apply it, since cats can get scared of the spray hissing sound. 


This is useful information to bear in mind if you have a cat that gets scared easily.

3. PetArmor CAPACTION Oral Flea Treatment For Cats

Pros:

  • Convenient oral tablet 
  • Effective relief in one dose
  • No prescription needed

Cons:

  • A pricey option

If you’re looking for a flea treatment option that works really fast, then PetArmor CAPACTION Oral Flea Treatment is an ideal option for you.

It’s a bit pricey than topical treatments, but, according to the manufacturer, it provides effective relief in only one dose.

This flea pill begins working within 30 minutes. It achieves 90% effectiveness against fleas on cats within six hours.

It doesn’t require a prescription and is intended for use on felines weighing 2 to 25 pounds.

The Bottom Line

calico cat sits and scratch its fur

Is a cat dry shampoo for fleas an effective solution?

I would say it definitely is. It does a great job of killing fleas without your cat having to get wet. It’s also an affordable option, so it won’t hurt to give it a try.

In the end, I would like to advise you to always consult a veterinarian before opting for any flea treatment for your kitty.

Many products are available on the market today, and there are plenty of them that don’t require a prescription.

Still, every cat is different and the same thing won’t work the same for each of them. Some cats will benefit from a dry shampoo the best, while for others, options like oral pills and flea sprays will be the better ones.

The bottom line is that dry shampoo for fleas definitely makes a good solution and helps you avoid your cat’s worst nightmare – the water!