We have never treated our indoor cats for fleas. No issues. We have always had rescue cats, and our vet in IL didn’t recommend any shots after their baby shots as long as they were 100% house cats. We have done the same here.

It's been years since you need to get flea treatment from a vet. No prescription is necessary.

Flea/Tick/Intestinal drops
 

You can buy flea/tick drops anywhere. You don’t need a prescription. However, my cats, who have been on the lanai only and never set foot on grass, have to have prescription drops that include medicine against intestinal parasites. One of my cats had black stools and I had the vet check it out. It was blood. She couldn’t figure it out at first because she knew they never stepped on grass. BUT, Tawny is the mighty huntress and often catches geckos/lizards on the lanai. She doesn’t eat them, but you know how they lose their tails. The vet said she probably got the hookworms from that. You have to have prescription drops for the ones that include internal parasites. They are pretty expensive, except if you are a member and get them from Sam’s. The plus membership price for prescriptions is less expensive than the regular membership. Still not dirt cheap, but much less expensive than ordering from a vet. Sam’s also sells prescriptions for dogs.

We have seen two different vets - both recommended Revolution Plus for Kittens for Heartworm disease and fleas. The vet the first one directed us to sold this product at $98. We bought it from Allivet for $77 for a three month supply which would have cost $59 if we were on automatic renewal. The wife would rather be overly protective than have a problem.

SWMBO uses the flea drops on the cat because she says she read somewhere that there are mites the bug the cats.

Fleas are annoying but the heartworm disease (that is prevented with the Revolution topical medication) is the life threatening problem she is trying to avoid.

https://todaysveterinarypractice.com...-from-fiction/

and indoor-only cats are certainly at risk

Heartworm infection in cats: 50 cases (1985-1997) - PubMed

Different people have different risk tolerances and financial concerns and the risks aren't large, but her recommendation was correct.

Joe

I had a problem several years ago after I left the windows open. I sprinkle Borateem or 20 Muleteem borax on their bedding & around the room. Repeat after 10 days. Been using this successfully for 40 years.

Looking at Chewy most of the more notable brands still require a prescription. I don't know how effective the non prescription medications are but it's good to see it comes in a chewable form now.

Also if you have rocks around your house you're less likely to have fleas around.

Indoor Cats
 

No! You do not need to treat your cat for fleas! My husband and I have lived in Florida for over 20 years, all of which time we've had cats in our family. Our cats have always been indoor cats that also had a cat door that led to a screened in lanai. Not once have any of the cats had fleas or any other transmittable disease. Dogs on leashes are exposed to 100's of times more germs and viruses than indoor cats! Years ago I lost a kitten from a Vet that injected the kitten with excessive amounts of vaccines all at the same time and it died. Be careful!

I had a similar experience years ago - a vet pushed a rabies shot on my indoor cat - saying “what if a rabid rodent” gets in your house and bites your cat - like that’s gonna happen - my cat swelled up , had to rush to ER, and was on life support and almost died from a reaction to the vax - now, I only get kitten shots for my indoor cat - no annual vaxes.

I would pass on it. At the moment we are without a cat, unfortunately. But when we had cats they went on the lanai and never picked up a flea. This was in SE FL too and was over a 20 year span. I believe the vet is just trying to make extra money for something that is needless. Why put chemicals on your pet if you don't have to.

Google Dr. Karen Becker and flea treatment. She has an article(s) about flea protection and helps to determine how to decide which is best for your pet and you.

The thing about flea prevention medicine is that it is poison. We had seven cats down through the years. They were indoor, with the occasional escape into the front yard. Some were longhair. You check for fleas by putting the comb up next to the skin (part the fur with your fingers and you can get to the skin), preferably down near the base of the tail, and flick it backwards, against the direction of hair growth, for an inch.
We never gave them flea medicine nor got them yearly vaccines after their initial vaccines. They all lived into their late teens, and one lived to be 20.
Our dogs are a different story--flea, heartworm, the yearly works. They go to the dog park and on walks. I must say none of them made it into their late teens. Maybe our current one will because she's only 35 pounds.

I already commented but this just rubs me the wrong way.

Over 20 years ago I worked as a receptionist for a vet in Boynton Beach, Florida. I was shocked and saddened to find out that he really didn't have much love for animals and didn't like people either. He would determine the plan of care for pets not by what was best for the pet and discussing it with the owner but the one that would be the most profitable for him. I finally quit working there.

If business was slow for him he would tell us in the reception area that if anyone called with concerns over their pet to tell them to bring Fluffy or Fido in that day. Even if it wasn't necessary.

But there are caring, knowledgeable and compassionate vets out there. We had one vet for 15 years. We moved out of the area. One of our dogs who the vet had cared for since we got her at 8 weeks old became very ill and was at the end of her life. She was 11 years old. We hadn't found a new vet yet and I had concerns over our girls health and her response to the meds she was on. I called them on a Friday afternoon. That night one of the vets called back at 7 pm and apologized for not getting back to me sooner. He was very concerned about our girl and spent time on the phone with me so he could help her. He didn't charge us for this. He knew we wouldn't be going back again because we lived to far away. He had his own family and pets that he could have been spending time with that night when he called us. But he took his own time to call and check on our dog.

Been here 13+ years w/o any flea issue
 

My cat's vet offered to give a stronger treatment than what you can get at Petco. I declined. First off, my cat doesn't have fleas anymore. Second, it's because Advantage II took care of them just fine. The vet said theirs lasts longer. I don't care. I don't need it to last longer. I only need it to last until the fleas she had were dead. If she gets fleas again, I'll start a new treatment. One month at a time is plenty enough for me.