CAT lovers are being urged to be careful when treating their felines for fleas after a spate of cats have been admitted to the vets in need of emergency care.

Drove Veterinary Hospital has reported an increase in pets, particularly cats, being admitted in the past few weeks for life-saving treatment after receiving toxic doses of shop-bought flea treatment.

The veterinary hospital is urging pet owners to read the label and instructions carefully as permethrin-based products, which are safe for dogs, can be fatal for cats.

Lynne Gaskarth, a partner at Drove Veterinary Hospital, said: “What we are saying is just be very, very careful about what you are buying because we have seen a rise in people buying cheaper products not realising it is for dogs.

“We are seeing cats coming in and sometimes it’s fatal.

“Read the label very carefully – we have seen some where it is just so subtle.”

A permethrin-based treatment used on a cat can kill straight away or can cost the owner hundreds of pounds in vets’ bills.

Signs that a cat is suffering with a toxic dose can often develop within hours, including muscular tremors, lethargy and in severe cases even seizures, and the animal will need veterinary attention urgently.

“The message is to take veterinary advice about what to use rather than doing it on your own,” Lynne said.

Under current laws shops and pet stores are not permitted to sell flea preparations listed as prescription only.

A spokeswoman for Drove Veterinary Hospital said that these products can contain chemical preparations which include organophosphates or pyrethroids, more commonly known as crop sprays or the more commonly seen permethrin, which is particularly lethal to cats.

Giovanna Hartley, the practice manager of Thameswood Veterinary Clinic, agreed that owners need to be careful and if they are in doubt they should contact their vet.

“It is a recognised problem, we have them on a fairly regular basis,” she said.

“Most people realise once they have done it. With any product everyone has to be very careful that they read the small print.

“When you come to the vets the vet has done it for you and will know how much to give.

“A lot of treatments are prescription only and by coming to the vets you get all the advice and are told how to put it on.”