The Best Treatment for Lice on Cats

By Ashley Hayes

Instructions

Bath

Step 1:
First, bathe your cat thoroughly with pyrethrin shampoo formulated for cats. Never use shampoo for humans, as this will prove ineffective and even harmful for your cat.

Powder or Spray

Step 1:
Wait for your cat's coat to dry thoroughly before applying a pyrethrin powder or spray, which kills some of the lice the shampoo may have missed.

Fipronil Prescription

Step 1:
For an alternative to the powder or spray--or for an additional treatment--see your veterinarian for a fipronil prescription, such as Frontline, to kill the lice.

Repeat

Step 1:
In about 12 days, repeat the pyrethrin treatment to kill leftover nits or fresh offspring.

Future Prevention

Step 1:
In order for lice to infest your cat, your cat must have direct contact with another lice-ridden animal. Check your other pets or neighborhood animals your cat may come into contact with to avoid another round of lice.

Photo/Video Credit

Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Alessandro Valli

More Puppy Pages

Lice in Cats

Cats may host feline-specific lice (felicola subrostratus) that don't feed on humans. Head lice (pediculus capitis), the small, wingless, parasitic insects that live primarily on humans, don't feed on cats or dogs.

Cats can easily catch lice from other cats, causing itching and small bites. Although the cat may be uncomfortable, this form of lice poses no threat to her health and will not transfer to you or your family. The lice may move from pet to pet, however...

Lice are tiny insects that either bite or suck the blood of mammals. There are several species of lice that normally are associated with dogs or puppies. In the worst cases, the lice can draw enough blood from the puppy to cause anemia. There are several...

Dog lice are unwelcome predatory insects: flat, brown, oily-looking pests with an insatiable drive to feed on your pet's blood or flesh. Though dog lice seldom if ever attack humans, they create problems for the dog. Lice can cause a dog to lose hair...

Horses, along with most other furry mammals, can become infested with several different species of lice. There are blood-sucking lice and chewing lice, both of which can cause a horse to rub and scratch his body against trees, walls and other horses...