Seresto Cat Collar Review Summary

Controlling fleas and ticks on our beloved cats can feel like an uphill struggle, but Seresto cat collars are an excellent option in the fight against fleas. Rather than battling with tablets, powders, or spot-on treatments, Seresto cat collars are incredibly easy to use.

Far more effective than a traditional flea collar, the Seresto Cat Collars represent a breakthrough in flea treatment. Even better, they control ticks as well! Seresto collars are made by Bayer (manufactured and distributed by Elanco Animal Health), one of the best-known brands when it comes to pet health.

If you’ve been looking for a long-lasting and effective solution to protect your cat against fleas and ticks, then the Seresto Cat Collar is well worth considering. If you haven’t heard about these collars before or have just learned about them and want to know if they’re a good option for your cats, then read on as we tell you everything that you need to know.

At a Glance: The Seresto Cat Collar

These products are all the same collar, just in single, twin, or triple packs. So, this information applies to them all!

Who Makes Seresto and Where Is It Produced?

Seresto Cat Collars were produced by Bayer Animal Health but are now manufactured and sold by Elanco Animal Health.

Which Types of Pets Is Seresto Best Suited For?

Seresto Cat Collars are best suited to cats that are prone to picking up fleas and ticks based on their lifestyle, geographic area, and type of product preference. Some cats are difficult to give tablets to, in which case, this collar is an excellent alternative. Equally, while spot-on flea treatments are effective, they can leave a greasy residue.

Most spot-on treatments last for up to 30 days, but the Seresto collar lasts for a massive 8 months, so if you’re looking for the longest-lasting flea treatment, this is it!

The Seresto collar is only suitable for cats over the age of 10 weeks, so if you’re looking for a treatment for younger kittens, speak to your vet about an alternative. One option may be Advantage II Flea Prevention for Kittens, which can be used from 8 weeks old.

What Do Seresto Cat Collars Contain?

What do Seresto Cat Collars contain that makes them so effective? They contain two active ingredients: imidacloprid and flumethrin. The ingredients list also mentions “other ingredients,” which is basically the polymer matrix that makes up the collar and holds the active ingredients within its surface.

Imidacloprid is an insecticide that acts like nicotine, a substance that is toxic to fleas. It’s been used in flea treatments since 1994, and there are currently over 400 products that contain imidacloprid for sale in the U.S.A. Some pet owners and their pets can suffer from skin irritation from flea treatments containing imidacloprid.

Flumethrin has some insecticidal properties but is mainly an acaricid that acts against ticks.

Things We Like About Seresto Cat Collars

They’re Effective Against Fleas in 24 hours

Flea infestations can be incredibly annoying, but the Seresto collar gets to work quickly, and you’ll start to see a decrease in live fleas within 24 hours. Because the active ingredients work on contact, the fleas don’t need to bite your cat to be affected. Instead, the insecticides spread throughout your cat’s skin. After the first 24 hours, any fleas that start to re-infest your cat will be repelled or killed within just 2 hours.

They Last for 8 Months

One of the best things about the Seresto flea collars is that they last for a whopping 8 months. That means no more worrying about monthly spot-on treatments, which add up financially as well.

Things We Don’t Like About Seresto Cat Collars

Some Cats Can Suffer From a Reaction to the Collar

In certain instances, some cats can react to wearing the Seresto collar, especially if they haven’t worn one before. This can include scratching and some hair loss and skin reactions. Less common but more serious reported adverse events include neurological signs, such as convulsions, wobbliness, and loss of coordination. If you see any redness, irritation, or excessive scratching, weakness, drooling, or any neurological signs, we recommend taking your cat to your veterinarian so they can check your cat. 

A Quick Look at Seresto Cat Collars

Seresto Flea Collar Recall

We can’t find any information about Seresto Cat Collars ever having been recalled, but there have been reports of counterfeit flea collars being seized by customs. Some of these may have made their way onto the market. These collars may not contain the correct active ingredients or may harm your cat.

The good news is that Amazon and Chewy are both authorized resellers for Seresto collars!

There was a hearing before a congressional subcommittee on Seresto collar safety and effectiveness. The Pet Poison Helpline looked into approximately 400 cases involving Seresto from 2013 to 2021, the majority of which involved dogs ingesting all or a portion of the collar. There were no deaths, and most of the adverse events were mild. Based on the professional opinion of their veterinary toxicology experts, Seresto collars are safe for the vast majority of cats and dogs. Counterfeit collars may have contributed to these reports as well.

If the collar is misapplied or not used according to the manufacturer’s directions, your pets may become ill. Seresto pet collars continue to meet EPA’s standards under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) while providing important flea and tick prevention for dogs and cats. The only reported deaths that were found to be “probably” or “definitely” related to Seresto product use were associated with mechanical strangulation or trauma caused by the collar, often associated with a failure of the release mechanism.

Our Review of the Seresto Cat Collar

The Seresto Cat Collar is a veterinarian-recommended flea and tick treatment solution that doesn’t require messy applications of greasy liquids or grappling with your cat to try and give them a tablet. This collar is permeated with an insecticide and acaricide that kill fleas and ticks on contact. It works to kill fleas within 24 hours and ticks within 48 hours. After that initial period, it gets to work on reinfesting fleas within just 2 hours.

It’s suitable for cats and kittens over 10 weeks of age. The collar is adjustable, so can fit a wide range of cat sizes. It does need to be snug to be effective because it needs to make contact with your cat’s skin. Bear in mind that once the locking mechanism is clicked into place on the rear of the collar, it can be quite difficult to loosen the collar if your cat happens to gain weight over the 8 months that the collar is active. Keep an eye on it and make sure it doesn’t become tight.

What Other Users Are Saying

Conclusion

The Seresto Cat Collar provides an effective and long-lasting flea and tick prevention and treatment. The effects can last up to 8 months, meaning no more monthly reminders for those spot-on flea treatments. This collar is extremely easy to use, is odorless, and doesn’t leave any greasy residue over your cat’s skin or fur. It’s also water-resistant, so if your cat needs a bath or gets caught in a rainstorm, you don’t need to worry about the efficacy being compromised.

Some users do report that their cat can suffer from skin irritation when they’ve used this collar, so be vigilant and make regular checks of your cat’s neck, especially if you’ve never used one of these collars before. Be aware that counterfeit products have been found too, so be vigilant and only ever buy from an approved reseller, like Chewy or Amazon.

On the whole, this is an incredibly effective solution against those pesky fleas and ticks that can affect all cats, as well as annoy us owners!

Feature Image Credit: Terdpongvector, Freepik