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This article provides a thorough review of Frontline Plus, information on the components and how this medication may impact your cat, possible side effects that you should be aware of in your cat, and information on the efficacy of Frontline treatments for cats.
The question of “is Frontline suitable for cats and kittens?” was one of the many that pet owners had after reading our review on Frontline Plus treatment. Find out if Frontline Plus is the best option for your cat by reading on.
Is Frontline Plus Right For Your Cat?
As a dedicated cat parent, it’s likely that at least once your beloved pet attracted fleas and ticks, necessitating a hasty visit to the veterinarian and a thorough cleansing of the home. Preventative steps against ticks and fleas are necessary to keep your cat content, healthy, and pest-free whether it lives indoors or outdoors (see also ‘Can Indoor Cats Get Fleas?‘).
When it concerns flea prevention for cats, there are several options, but how will you determine which one is best for yourself and your cat? Frontline Plus is among the most widely used pest control products, even though many pet lovers are unsure if this is the ideal product for treating feline fleas.
What Is Frontline Plus?
Merial, which is now a division of Boehringer Ingelheim, and is also a large pharmaceutical business with a focus on making improvements to animal health, developed Frontline Plus for cats. With thousands of doses given since the 1970s, the Frontline® label is currently among the leading two bestselling cat flea medications.
Frontline flea medication for cats kills adult fleas or ticks as well as their eggs and larvae by focusing on different stages of their life cycles. Frontline Plus is a topical treatment that prevents fleas for a full 30 days by being kept in the sebaceous glands of the pet’s skin rather than being directly absorbed into the cat’s body.
Ticks, lice, and fleas will following around 12 hours of Frontline Plus treatment because it is stored in your cat’s oil glands, well before they get the opportunity to bite. Fipronil, a high performing pesticide that assaults an insect’s nervous system and successfully kills adult ticks and fleas, is the main active ingredient in Frontline Plus treatment for cats.
The secondary ingredient in Frontline for Cats, (S)-methoprene, is a hormone that functions as a type of regulator, destroying larvae and eggs to prevent the next cycle of fleas, ticks, or lice from maturing. One of the most popular Frontline products available, Frontline Plus for Cats, kills fleas following 12 hours of administration.
Also known in some countries as Frontline Combo for Cats, it is appropriate for kittens who are at least 8 weeks of age and weigh upwards of 1.5 pounds.
Where Should You Buy Frontline Plus?
Finding the cheapest pricing on Frontline medications primarily depends on where you buy them, regardless of which flea and tick prevention option you select.
Purchasing Frontline Plus medication from your vet makes sure that you get the right medication and that it’s administered properly to your pet, keeping him healthy and safe while having Frontline Plus treatment, even if you run the risk of not getting the greatest price.
Side Effects Of Frontline Plus
Each and every cat parent should know about the potential adverse effects prior to administering Frontline Plus. It’s interesting that it can be challenging to get details on the adverse effects of Frontline Plus as well as all other Frontline treatment products because the manufacturer doesn’t seem to post them openly.
Several consumer websites list the following as possible adverse effects in cats that have been administered Frontline Plus:
- Temporary skin irritation or redness
- Drooling
- Diarrhea
- Reduced or no appetite
It is advised to take the cat to a veterinarian as quickly as possible if any of the aforementioned symptoms intensify or persist.
Avoiding Serious Side Effects Of Frontline Plus
It is unquestionable that Frontline Plus treatment may cause certain possibly serious and in rare cases even fatal side effects, which are reason enough for any owner of a cat to be wary of using the Frontline medication for cats.
It’s interesting to note that none of the recent stories have detailed any injuries or adverse effects, while the majority of press coverage and statistics about severe side effects in dogs and cats after administering Frontline flea medicine date from 2008 to 2011.
A probable rationale for this might be that the vast majority of cat flea medications became OTC (over-the counter) medicines in 2007 and 2008, it has been simple to get drugs like Frontline Plus without the need for a prescription.
This made prophylactic flea treatment for cat owners more convenient, but it also posed health hazards associated with cat owners administering the treatment inappropriately without a veterinarian’s supervision.
It’s critical to get the right product and adhere to the instructions, says Dr. Alley, a veterinarian in the Raleigh region, because improper application of medications like Frontline may result in potential serious side effects. Frontline for cats should be applied in between the shoulders to prevent cats from licking the medication off.
Regardless of correct application, it’s crucial for owners of cats to realize that any tick or flea treatment carries some risk because these drugs do contain insecticides and other toxins.
What Are Customers Saying About Frontline?
Examining real-world feedback from cat owners is among the greatest ways to decide if Frontline is the best type of flea treatment available. Most customers commend Frontline as one of the highest rated flea medication currently available for purchase in the reviews for Frontline, which are overwhelmingly positive.
Frontline Plus evaluations on Chewy average over 600 user comments and rate the topical treatment 4/5 stars, with 70% of customers giving it a perfect score of 5. Similar to Influenster, Frontline Plus has almost 800 reviews, with a 4.46/5 total rating. Five-star Frontline Plus reviews frequently mention the following:
- Effective both as a prophylactic medicine and for pets that currently have fleas
- Particularly in contrast to many flea or tick treatments, there are few to no negative effects
- Simple, odorless application
- Frontline Plus is readily available and inexpensive
Negative Reviews Of Frontline Plus
The overwhelming majority of unfavorable Frontline Plus reviews claim that the medication did not function as advertised and that some pets may have attracted more fleas after using Frontline for Cats. On Chewy, 17% of customers gave the item a 1/5 star rating. One-star ratings for Frontline Plus for cats frequently mention the following:
- Unable to eradicate fleas or stop infestations
- Generates rashes and itchiness
- Excessive cost
- Some hair loss
Generally speaking, the most frequent criticism regarding Frontline Plus flea treatment is that it does not perform as promised. We’ll investigate whether these negative Frontline Plus reviews indicate a problem with pest resistance to Frontline as well as its key ingredient, fipronil, in the section that follows.
Are Fleas Developing Resistance To Frontline Plus?
As negative Frontline reviews show, a growing percentage of customers complain that Frontline doesn’t work well and even in some situations it doesn’t work at all. Is the Frontline Plus medication causing fleas and ticks to become resistant to it?
The question of if pests are becoming resistant to flea treatments is one that is always under investigation. For instance, Michael Dryden and Tad Coles in a 2014 review came to the conclusion that a potential lack of effectiveness by pesticides is most likely caused by:
- Variable treatment
- Failure of the product as a result of poor application, dilution, or storage
- Exposure to a prodigious number of fleas
Michael Rust researched and reviewed considerable research that was concentrated on the sensitivity of fleas to the treatment as well as other insecticides in his 2016 report. He came to the conclusion that there had been “no meaningful decrease in their vulnerability” despite the fact that “some variability” had been seen.
Rust ultimately comes to the same findings as other studies: rather than pointing to a problem with flea resistance, the ineffectiveness of treatments is often caused by:
- Not treating all household pets
- Not administering treatment according to directions
- Winter season treatment discontinuation
As a result, although pests may evolve and develop resistance across time, research and professional analysis have shown that there is little indication of resistance to Frontline Plus treatment.
Final Thoughts
Among the most crucial things for cat lovers to consider before giving their pet any treatment is whether it is going to be fine for them to take and not cause any serious side effects. This is particularly important when treating fleas and ticks because insecticides can have very negative side effects.
It does seem that Frontline Plus is safe to use due to the small number of accounts of significant side effects (such paralysis, convulsions, or death). Frontline Plus flea medication is a fantastic choice for people who are worried about the toxicity of flea medications because the topical treatment stays in the sebaceous glands and isn’t absorbed into the blood.
Although, it’s important to note that comments from customers and studies on flea treatment suggest a variety of possible mistakes while administering Frontline Plus, giving the medication a total 4/5 score.
Cat parents will be significantly better off contacting their veterinarian even if Frontline is widely available from both online and offline retailers to make sure it is stored and used properly for the greatest outcomes. There are several natural remedies to consider if you are experiencing any worries about treating your cat for fleas and ticks with pesticides.
While the choice is ultimately yours, we strongly advise speaking with your veterinarian about any concerns you might have regarding flea medication and its adverse effects in order to keep your cat pest-free, happy, and healthy.
