Switching cat flea tablets to spot-on

Switching from tablets to a spot-on sounds like a very sensible move — pilling a cat who doesn't cooperate is stressful for both of you, and spot-ons are just as effective when used correctly. Before I point you toward the right product, one important safety note: cat flea treatment has a critical consideration that doesn't come up with dogs. Permethrin and several other insecticides that are perfectly safe for dogs are genuinely toxic to cats — and using a dog product on a cat, or even letting a freshly-treated dog rub against your cat, can be fatal. So it's really important to use something formulated specifically for cats. Now, to get you the right recommendation: how heavy is your Ocicat, is this an active infestation you're dealing with or are you looking to maintain prevention, and have you treated your home at all?

Good to know — and honestly, the home treatment is the part most people miss, so I'm glad you mentioned it. Around 95% of a flea infestation lives off the animal, in carpets, soft furnishings and bedding, so treating only your cat means you'll keep seeing fleas within days as new ones hatch. We'll come back to the home in a moment. For your cat: at 4.5kg and with an active infestation, I'd recommend Stronghold Plus spot-on for cats. It contains selamectin and sarolaner — the selamectin kills adult fleas and is absorbed systemically so it also covers ear mites and roundworm, while sarolaner adds fast knock-down of fleas and ticks. It's prescription-only in the UK, but you can get a prescription from your vet and order online, or buy direct through some online vet pharmacies. It's one of the most effective combinations currently available for cats and the application is simple — part the fur between the shoulder blades and squeeze the pipette directly onto the skin.

Advantage is a reasonable option and it's genuinely effective at killing adult fleas — it's imidacloprid only, which works well and is safe for cats. The limitation is that it doesn't stop fleas biting before they die, doesn't cover ticks, and has no effect on eggs or larvae in your home. For a moderate infestation like yours, it can feel like you're not making progress because new fleas keep emerging. If you want to go prescription-free, Advantage is the strongest over-the-counter spot-on I'd point you to — the 4kg+ pipettes are the right size for your cat. Just be aware you'll need to be more thorough and persistent with the home treatment to compensate. Either way, for the home: get an indorex or RIP Fleas household spray, treat every room including under furniture, and wash all bedding at 60 degrees. Do that alongside whichever spot-on you choose and you should see results within two to three weeks.

Stronghold Plus is applied once every four weeks. Mark it on your calendar because the timing matters — going even a week over during an active infestation gives fleas a window to re-establish. Once you're on top of the infestation, you can keep to the same monthly schedule year-round, which is what I'd suggest for an indoor-outdoor cat. Your vet will confirm the dose for her weight but at 4.5kg she'll be in the standard adult cat range. Get the home spray done on the same day as her first application if you can — that coordinated hit gives you the best chance of breaking the cycle quickly.