EEK. Fleas, flakes, etc! HELP!

I posted yesterday about giving Ashley a bath in the winter.....she had numerous flakes (a chronic condition that is REALLY REALLY bad), oily fur, etc.

Well, then I read a sticky that gave a link to skin conditions. I ready something about this "walking" something or other...that is really mites causing it.

So then I went and hunted down Ashie and looked at her skin/flakes again to see if I could see those suckers moving. I didn't see them moving at all....

Would it be obvious??? I mean..the flakes are like DENSE and really REALLY bad.

Then Ash wanted to be loved/petted and rolled on her back...so I was rubbing her belly...and DAMN! I am so not kidding...I saw a freakin' FLEA running. UGH.

Ashie hasn't been outside since like July/August....and I know that doesn't always mean anything, but I've been brushing this cat with a slicker-type of brush like once a month and have never seen any flea dirt at all (I always look at the fur that comes out because of the flake density).

So then I was looking for MORE fleas (like ALL OVER her) and I couldn't find another one (nor the first one) and not even a TRACE of flea dirt anywhere.

I don't get it. Wouldn't there be more evidence of this????? Maybe I was hallucinating when I thought I saw it runnning....but I swear to God I saw it on her belly!!!


Thoughts on all of this?

Does she have a diagnoised skin issue??? what type of flea control are you using?>? what is she eating( relates to flakes)??

No..she hasn't been diagnosed with any skin condition at all....and the vet has seen it..but then I was wondering that maybe the vet isn't aware of this WALKING thing..so..I don't know.

I've had this cat since 99 and she has ALWAYS had this problem. I've tried all sorts of different foods (Nutro, Iams, etc) and nothing really helps.....brushing and keeping mats under control is the ONLY way to even remotely keep it down.

what is she eating right now?? how long did you leave her on each food ( food trials should be 6-12 weeks per food)... does she eat dry or wet food or both??? Is she on a fatty acid supplement ( fish oil ) ??? Walking thing?? is that her rolling over for you??? How old is she??? has she had a senior panel( senior blood work)??

A good test for fleas (even if you can't see the little buggers) is try brushing her with a flea comb and pat-out the hair onto a damp paper-towel...fold over & pat it.
If a reddish-tinge shows-up on the paper towel...well...there are fleas.

LOL! No...it is Walking Dandruff (I had to go back and get the correct name for it....it is in a link hissy had in the GROOMING area.

Walking Dandruff (Cheyletiella Mange): Tremendous amounts of dry scaly dandruff over the back, neck and sides. Mild itching.


((And really...when I did a search on that....it said it is from mites and that the WALKING comes from the mites....the flakes MOVE because of them)).

Ashie is on Iams right now.....and has been for a while....all food has done the same for her...although...I really liked this prescription Science Diet the vet recommended for her (but it is DOUBLE the price and we can't afford it right now).....it didn't do anything for her fur/flakes...but it helped with her weight (Ashie loves to eat! LOL!).

The Nutro was ok, too...and I liked that since it was more MEAT than these grains and that. I mean...cats eat MEAT! They aren't plant eaters!! LOL! But...Nutro isn't easy to find. The specialty stores I can get it in isn't so close to me. BOO.

All foods we've tried we used through the entire course of the bags (the bigger bags) and those last us a few months, at least..if not three.

No supplements, either. A few years ago she was on that Cosquin because she was limping (that did WONDERS for her!!!), but she really recovered well and now we can't afford to keep her on that, either.

Nutro would be far better for the dandruff but I know what it is like to shlep for food ... grizzly salmon is a good fatty acid to try .... mites can be treated usually

I don't even know if it is mites.....I mean...would I really SEE these flakes MOVE?

And what about this flea thing. Is that weird that I saw ONE with no flea dirt ANYWHERE and no other fleas??? And Ash has been inside since like August???

Fleas can hitch rides in on dogs , shoes , pant legs ... so that is always a concern

Some mites are microscopic the need to be diagnoised by the vet ... you might see them move Hopefully Hissy will enlighten us on that

Try Innova evo at www.naturapet.com Maybe using frontline on her would also be a good idea

Sounds like a vet visit is in order. And I would get her back on the Nutro and just buy a big bag or lots of cans when you can get to the store. Or order online. I saw Nutro at Petsmart today for $24 for a 20 lb bag. The Innova Evo is great but quite a bit more expensive. I started using it with my Jake and he is doing really well on it. He had previously lost most his fur when he was very ill last fall and since having him on the Evo (2.5 weeks), his fur is starting to grow out more and look much better.

Originally Posted by sharky

Fleas can hitch rides in on dogs , shoes , pant legs ... so that is always a concern

Some mites are microscopic the need to be diagnoised by the vet ... you might see them move Hopefully Hissy will enlighten us on that

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Heck... years ago I brought fleas back from my parents house in my suitcase! Those little buggers can come from anywhere! And I'm allergic to them!

So....if there is no evidence of flea dirt anywhere, would you think that this is a relatively new thing she has gotten and not something that has been on her?

UGH. I HATE FLEAS. We have Frontline. I treated her last year at this time, too...strange for it being 20 outside with a foot of snow! LOL!

But...again..if it were something she has had for a few months or so....there would be flea dirt, right?

flea dirt is likely but not always where you can find it ////

flea s go in to the warmth in the winter ( ie your home) ...

Do you think I need to treat the house, as well?? I mean, if I treat her with Frontline, that isn't really enough, is it?? Won't that just kill what is already on her?

Originally Posted by carrie640

Do you think I need to treat the house, as well?? I mean, if I treat her with Frontline, that isn't really enough, is it?? Won't that just kill what is already on her?

Click to expand...

Yup treat the whole house a quick search on here will yeild many ways to do that