Question about Fleas?

My cat is strictly just an indoor cat. Do you think I need to treat him for fleas to prevent him from ever getting them or not? I dont think he has them now, I just don't want him ever to get them in the future! Let me know what you think! Thanks!!

I will never do it. My kitty is also strictly indoors. I also live in Michigan and though fleas are definately possible, I don't think as common as in warmer states. I also have no other pets that are in the house.

That's kind of what I was thinking. At this point right now, I only have 1 cat(PHX), 1 turtle(BUD), 1 snail(NO NAME), and 1 algae eater(NO NAME). But I really really don't think any of my other pets will give my cat fleas hehe

I live in the Midwest and have 2 indoor-only cats, and had never given them Revolution/Frontline/Advantage etc.

Then we got fleas.

As best I can figure out, it happened by having the windows open when the weather was nice. There doesn't appear to be any other way they could have gotten them.

The cost of medicating them every month is worth EVERY PENNY compared to trying to get rid of fleas. I will medicate them for the rest of their lives, because I don't EVER want to deal with them again. It's such a pain, and really gross!

Just my (sadly) wiser from experience two cents.

Unless you see fleas you don't medicate them for it. Keno (the dog) is treated for ticks/fleas because she goes outside, of course. But none of the cats ever had to be treated for fleas

Absolutely not. If they don't go out, your chances of fleas are very unlikely. The only way you will bring them in is if you are around a flea infested animal and bring them in the house. Always be careful when in shelters, or around out door animals. brush yourself off, look at your socks, and bottom of your pants before you go into your house.
Getting rid of fleas early on, is not that difficult, and certainly not that much trouble to necessitate exposing your cats to poison unnecessarily.

I have two indoor cats and they were given flea medication the first time I got them because they were stray kittens. Afterward, I have never treated them again. I think it's really important to keep your house clean, especially near windows. I forget the brand I use to spray on my cat's beddings but it's basically a growth inhibitor for flea and ticks. I spray it and let it dry out before I let my cats sleep on it. I do this every 3 months.

I would never treat them when they are indoors and don't have fleas. You can use citrus dish washing soap to help with fleas.
I don't like the chemicals in the stuff and will never put it on my cat (Sphynx).

I even use caution with my dogs, (who go camping, hiking, and to the lake all the time) only putting it on 3 times a year, if that. I use natural products, they work really well and aren't so harsh.

Originally Posted by CurlyQ629

I live in the Midwest and have 2 indoor-only cats, and had never given them Revolution/Frontline/Advantage etc.

Then we got fleas.

As best I can figure out, it happened by having the windows open when the weather was nice. There doesn't appear to be any other way they could have gotten them.

The cost of medicating them every month is worth EVERY PENNY compared to trying to get rid of fleas. I will medicate them for the rest of their lives, because I don't EVER want to deal with them again. It's such a pain, and really gross!

Just my (sadly) wiser from experience two cents.

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Ahh the same thing happened to us. The only time Roxie had been treated was by the foster lady we adopted her from. Around a year later, in August, the fleas just appeared. We live in the city and on the 3rd floor of our complex. Since she's strictly indoors we suspect someones pet in the building had them and thats how we got stuck with them. Boy was it a disaster!! Even with no carpet, vacuuming EVERY day, spraying every all natural inhibtor they make, and doing the laundry just about every day it still took us forever to completely rid our apartment and poor Roxie. We have decided that in the warmer months, probably from around end of April to September we will be treating as a precaution.

We have friends with an dog that has fleas. Our friends tend to visit our house often and bring fleas over with them. So... our cats have to be on flea meds.
I would avoid meds unless you need to use them.

Ok, thanks guys for all your input. When I first posted this-- PHX never went outside. But right now we're training him on the leash so we bring him out front of our condo on a leash a few times a week. We also bring him to our neighbors- occasionally. But they don't have pets. So I always do check him when I pet him - just to make sure he doesn't got them So I decided I'm not going to treat him for fleas unless I suspect that he's been around other pets or something... THANKS!!