Ticks

Why does your cat need a tick collar?

Tick treatment for cats is something many pet owners often choose to ignore, but that doesn't mean it should be forgotten about.

If you’ve got a cat, you’ve probably got one day set aside each month to check up with your cat’s medications, re-apply spot-on flea treatments and administer worming treatments to make sure your pet stays pest-free. But it’s easy to forget about the other parasite that your cat can pick up. This is where tick treatments for cats come into play.

While not all areas in New Zealand are affected, ticks do occur in much of the country - including all of the North Island, Marlborough and Nelson districts.  

Ticks are not just unsightly little parasites, they can also cause nasty infections if removed with their heads still embedded. A tick will sink its mouthparts deep into the skin of your cat and remain firmly attached until it’s swollen with blood. Tick bites can become inflamed and painful areas.

There are few effective tick treatments for cats that stop the parasites from causing problems. One of the easiest is a tick collar that also deals with fleas at the same time.

Seresto cat flea and tick collar looks just like a regular cat collar, but is built using an innovative technology that releases controlled doses of active ingredients that work against fleas and ticks through simple contact. This means that parasites don't need to bite and feed on your cat's blood in order to be exposed to the active ingredients. Ticks will still climb onto your cat’s coat but the repellent effect of Seresto prevents them from feeding. After coming in contact with your cat’s fur, the ticks will usually die and drop off.

Because of the way the collar slowly releases its active ingredients, Seresto will keep your cat protected from fleas and ticks for eight months at a time – which means no more circling every page of the calendar, and even fewer reasons to worry about ticks.

Find out more about Seresto for cats on the Cats page. Your dogs can also benefit from the tick protection Seresto offers. Learn more about Seresto tick collars for dogs.

Why does your dog need a tick collar?

Find out why tick prevention for dogs is so important – and why a dog tick collar is one of the best options around.

Ticks are not just unsightly little parasites, they can also cause nasty infections if removed with their heads still embedded. While not all areas in New Zealand are affected by ticks, you can find ticks in much of the country - including all of the North Island, Marlborough and Nelson districts. A casual run through the long grass, especially in rural areas, can result in one or more of these arachnids attaching and feeding on your dog, so it’s important to make sure you’ve given your canine companion the best protection possible.

These parasites often live in long grasses in rural areas, grabbing onto the coat of passing animals as they brush through the grass. After finding the right spot to bite, they can stay attached to their victim for days. 

Why use a dog tick collar?

There are several different ways of combating ticks, but Seresto flea and tick collars are one of the best choices for several reasons. Because the collars remain effective for so long, you don't need to worry about treating your pet frequently. Seresto is also water-resistant and odourless, which means you can put it on and be assured in the knowledge that you've done your best to prevent your dog from coming home with any nasty surprises (aside from the usual burrs, twigs and mud, stuck in his fur of course…).

How does the Seresto collar for dogs work?

Seresto flea and tick collars contain two active ingredients (imidacloprid and flumethrin). The collar continuously releases a controlled dose of both, remaining effective for eight months. Unlike other treatments that work by releasing their active ingredient into your dog’s blood, the ingredients in Seresto are distributed externally, killing and repelling ticks through simple contact – which means ticks don’t have to bite your dog to be affected. In fact, Seresto actually repels ticks, as their feet become sensitive to your dog’s coat and will choose to drop off rather than stay and bite.

Find out more about Seresto for dogs here on the Dogs page. Seresto is also available for cats, protecting them from ticks they may pick up while out hunting. Learn more about how Seresto tick collars protect cats.