9 Best Flea Collars for Cats in 2023 – Reviews & Top Picks

Keeping your cat free of fleas, ticks, and other parasitic insects is crucial to their health and well-being. Finding the right flea collar can help.

Choosing the right flea collar can be very difficult. There are many ways that having the wrong flea collar can lead to trouble. Some cats are allergic to the chemical repellents used and popular collars, which can cause serious reactions, including death. There are plenty of non-toxic, natural-based flea collars, but will they be nearly as effective at keeping your pet bug-free?

We’ve done the research for you to help you find the best flea collars for cats. Our thorough research on the most popular flea collars on the market, based on our own experience and the reviews of others, helps us answer the questions you may have when selecting a flea collar. Now let’s get into our cat flea collar reviews!

A Quick Comparison of Our Winners in 2023

The 9 Best Flea Collar for Cats

1. Laypet Cat Flea and Tick Control Collar – Best Overall

The Laypet Cat Flea and Tick Control Collar uses a pesticide-free formulation to keep the bugs away. This repels and kills fleas, ticks, lice, and mosquitoes. While the collar is designed for dogs, it works great on cats. Mosquitoes won’t know the difference, but your cat might find it a bit bulky.

This collar uses essential oils to keep pesky insects off your cat. Since it’s all-natural, there’s a much lower chance of an allergic reaction taking place. The scent on this waterproof collar is a little strong but it’s not unpleasant. This is a reasonably affordable collar, especially since it can last up to a year. The Laypet Control Collar works better as a repellent than a flea-killer, so you’ll need to treat any existing flea problems before putting it on.

To conclude, we think this is the overall best flea collar for cats available this year.

 2. Adams Plus Flea and Tick Collar – Best Value

What we like best about the Adams plus flea and tick collar is that this is a breakaway collar. Having the quick release breakaway function means that your cat won’t be at risk of strangulation from getting his collar stuck on his mouth or on a tree branch. It’s suitable for outdoor and active cats who might normally get a collar snagged while going about their business.

We think this is the best flea collar for cats for the money. It will keep your cat safe and free of ticks and fleas for several months at a time. It’s effective against flea eggs and flea larvae as well. This collar does have a distinct smell, but it’s fairly pleasant.

3. Bayer Seresto Flea Collar – Premium Choice

This flea collar works quickly to eliminate fleas and ticks on your cat. Although the package advertises 8 months of protection, it seems to lose effectiveness after about four to five months. Considering the price, it’s disappointing that it doesn’t work as advertised, but during those months, this flea collar is second to none.

The Bayer Seresto is highly regarded among cat owners for being one of the most effective ways of keeping biting bugs away. The secret to this collar is the continuous release of a low concentration of bug repellent that covers your entire cat’s fur and skin. Despite the hefty price tag, the Seresto is still substantially more affordable than many other flea treatments. It’s completely free of offensive medicinal and chemical odors, so neither you or your cat will notice it. Unlike cheaper collars, it doesn’t have a greasy or dusty texture.

4. Inspector Flea & Worm Collar for Cats

This German-designed flea collar protects against a large variety of fleas, worms, and other bugs. This collar is really powerful; it starts working in just minutes if your cat already has fleas. This collar does not smell as medicinal as many other collars do. You might find it difficult to cut it to size once it’s on your cat because it’s fairly thick. We would like the Inspector a lot more if it were a breakaway collar since cats can very easily get snagged on their own collars.

The Inspector collar is effective against fleas and ticks, as well as several kinds of worms. Most collars have no effect on worms. This is a little more expensive than some of the more basic collars, but that added protection makes it worthwhile.

5. PETRIBE Flea Collar

The PETRIBE collar uses natural ingredients to repel fleas, ticks, lice, and mosquitos. The package quotes it as lasting between 3 and 8 months, but in our experience the lower end is more accurate. Unlike some of the other natural collars we’ve tried, this one begins working immediately. If you’ve had trouble with topical medications, the natural ingredients in this collar may be a better option for your cat.

This collar is meant to last; it’s waterproof and made of very durable materials. Since the PETRIBE Flea Collar is targeted to both dogs and cats, it may be too large for smaller cats.  This isn’t a breakaway collar so there are potential risks, especially with outdoor cats.

6. Arava Flea & Tick Prevention Collar

The Arava collar is non-toxic and natural. Instead of harmful pesticides, it uses essential oils to repel fleas and ticks. Peppermint, eucalyptus, cinnamon, lemongrass, clove, thyme, rosemary, and others work in tandem to keep the bugs away. The smell can be a little overbearing, but if you set it outside for a day or two when you first open it the smell will dissipate.

This collar won’t kill bugs; it will just repel them. If your cat already has a flea problem, you’ll need to treat them for it first. You may have mixed results with this collar, but this natural mix of essential oils is worth trying.

7. Zodiac Breakaway Flea and Tick Collar for Cats

The Zodiac Breakaway flea and tick collar earn points right off the bat for having a breakaway mechanism. This is another collar with mixed results. It works well on some cats, but poorly on others. The Zodiac collar has a strong chemical odor that can be off-putting to those cats and people, but it’s also very off-putting to bugs. The breakaway collar is on the weak side. While it definitely won’t constrict your cat ’s neck if he gets snagged on a tree branch, for instance, it may come off too easily.

The collar is advertised to work for up to 7 months and because it both kills and repels fleas and ticks. It can start working as quickly as within half an hour of putting it on your cat.

8. Healex Cat Flea Collar

The Healex Cat Flea Collar protects your cat from fleas, ticks, lice, mites, and all kinds of larvae for up to 8 months at a time. It uses a lab-tested combination of essential oils like cedarwood oil and garlic oil to kill and repel all sorts of pests. The Healex collar has a breakaway mechanism that will release if your cat pulls on his collar forcefully. Compared to other natural oil flea collars, this one is fairly affordable. If your cat has sensitive skin, you may find that the natural repellants on this collar work without irritation. You may find it difficult to put this collar on your cat and adjust it securely. The clasp on this collar is less user-friendly than others. Cat owners who’ve used this collar have had mixed results; some swear by the Healex, and others say it didn’t work for them. Repelling insects can be heavily dependent on your environment, but at this low price, it’s worth a try.

9. Hartz UltraGuard Collar – Best Value

Hartz Collars are polarizing among the cat owner population. Many people have sworn by using these collars for years without an adverse effect, while others have noted that their cats have allergic reactions that can be quite serious after using one of these collars.

If you choose to try a Hartz collar, you should monitor your cat closely after putting it on to make sure they aren’t experiencing any adverse reactions like open sores, or the early signs of toxicity like drooling. If your cat tolerates the flea killing chemicals in this collar, it works incredibly well for several months at a time.

Buyer’s Guide: Selecting the Best Flea Collars for Cats

When you’re looking to purchase the best flea collar for your cat, there are a few important things to consider. Safety is number one, of course, and there are two different ways of looking at it.

The flea repellent on any flea collar needs to be offensive enough to insects while not affecting your cat. There are several flea collars on the market that do a great job of keeping bugs away, but can also cause your cat to have an allergic reaction. Some of these collars used chemicals that smell bad to humans as well.

Monitor your pet

It’s crucial for the health of your cat that you monitor them closely after trying a new flea remedy of any sort. You’ll want to make sure that the collar is working to eliminate biting insects. You’ll also need to be certain that the collar is not causing any adverse effects for your cat. Any collar can cause irritation, but flea collars are especially prone to possible trouble.

Deterrence vs. Elimination

When it comes to keeping fleas, ticks, and ear mites away, you can choose a product that will kill bugs that are already on your part or one that will simply deter them in the future. Many cat owners find deterrents to be a more natural way of keeping their cats safe.

Go with breakaway for safety

The other main consideration is whether or not it is a breakaway collar. Breakaway collars are highly recommended by cat lovers and veterinarians alike because regular collars pose a risk of strangulation. if a collar is too loose, your cat could get it stuck in his mouth. For outdoor cats especially, there’s a risk their collar will get caught on a tree branch and hurt their neck.

Also, if you’re looking for alternative flea treatments, then we recommend ThePets’ Review found here.

Conclusion:

Cat flea collars vary wildly in price and quality. After assessing the most popular cat collars available, the Laypet Cat Flea Collar remains our overall favorite, stopping bugs dead in their tracks without causing your cat any discomfort. If you’re more budget-conscious, the Adams Plus Flea Collar gives great results for the price. The Seresto collar is a sure-fire way to keep all manner of biting insects off of your pet, but you’ll pay dearly for it.

Whether you choose a repellant or a deterrent collar, we hope that our in-depth flea collar reviews gives you the information you need to make the right choice based on your cat.

• Related Read: 10 Best Flea Treatments for Cats

Featured Image: Bastien Hervé on Unsplash