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The Flea Problem

post #1 of 15
9/18/10 at 7:45pm
Thread Starter 
I am just wondering how you manage your cat's fleas out there. Please answer these 4 questions.

When are fleas a problem?

Have you ever had fleas infest your home? If so, what did they do?

What methods do you use to control fleas?

What other insects cause problems for your cats?

Thanks,
Eileen
P.S.
Here are my answers.
1. Usually never for my cat.
2. Never had them infest my home.
3. I use a flea collar on my cat.
4. Ear mites are probably the biggest problem with my cat.
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post #2 of 15
9/18/10 at 9:19pm
I don't let my cats out but my dog go out and we have had our problems with fleas.

I've tried the natural way and non natural.

Non natural: front line (it really works) and i had no side effects.

Natural : A bit more work. I bought an all natural flea repellent from only natural pet store. It smelt like lemon and citronella. I sprayed them down (not every day) Just a spritz on the back of they neck. sometime I even sprayed the repellent on a paper towel and rubbed it on them. Then, every day (yes, EVERY DAY) i vacuumed the house. First I sprayed the couches down with a mixture of eucalyptus and water that I kept in a spray bottle. Some times I sprinkled salt in the creases of the couch and vacuumed that up too. Once i finished the couches I moved onto the floors. Some time I used baking soda on the couches and floor as well before I vacuumed. it took a few weeks but it worked.

I've heard bad things about cat collars. I like to keep it all natural if I can. I've only uses the front line if my dog gets a bad flea dermatitis. then I just look to get rid of it quickly.

Best,
Fran
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post #3 of 15
9/18/10 at 9:56pm
^You have to be cautious about so called "natural" flea control. A lot of those products contain essential oils - and many of those oils contain phenols which are toxic to cats. Eucalyptus oil is one such essential oil that is very toxic.
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post #4 of 15
9/19/10 at 7:54am
I use Frontline on the one's thats allergic to fleas, I have a couple that are part feral so they don't let me put anything on them, but I go around with a soapy small pail with a fine tooth comb and try to comb out as many as I can into the soapy water. It helps a little.
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post #5 of 15
9/19/10 at 9:02am
And old farmer taught me to use Borax(In the laudry alse) on my floors (esp. carpet). Laid it out like to would the freshners, and vacuum it up in about 20 minutes. Kills the fleas. Do that about once a month and you have no problems in the home. And it has never bother any of my cats over the years of having them.

We use Frontline plus.

When we noticed it the worst? When Mama is about digging herself raw, she the worst one about not liking them. Everyone gets frontline plus, and the floors get sprinkled and vaccumed good.
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post #6 of 15
9/19/10 at 10:45am
Quote:
Originally Posted by petlover3074 View Post
Eucalyptus oil is very nice.
It is TOXIC to cats ...


To the OP
Never had a flea one ... have had mites and no seem ums... I use De Flea ( talk to your vet as this is a OTC control .. and DE the food grade
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post #7 of 15
9/19/10 at 2:57pm
Sharky, it maybe so. I been told otherwise by vets and farmers over the years. And it has never bothered mine in all the years I have been using it. BTW that over 20 yrs now with different houses and animials. And my home's flea issues only happen during the early spring/summer time here in Florida. All my cats are healthy.

Like anything else, you use it wisely and make sure to vaccum very, very well. I always have, even it that means emptying out my vaccum cleaner 3 or 4 times during usage.
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post #8 of 15
9/19/10 at 3:08pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fluffee View Post
Sharky, it maybe so. I been told otherwise by vets and farmers over the years. And it has never bothered mine in all the years I have been using it. BTW that over 20 yrs now with different houses and animials. And my home's flea issues only happen during the early spring/summer time here in Florida. All my cats are healthy.

Like anything else, you use it wisely and make sure to vaccum very, very well. I always have, even it that means emptying out my vaccum cleaner 3 or 4 times during usage.
If you are vac cumming it I have to ask what form is the oil in?>

http://www.veterinarywatch.com/Abstr...a-tree-oil.htm

this is kinda funny as it is likely the orange that is repelling
http://www.ehow.com/how_4452178_use-...epel-cats.html

http://www.hintsandthings.co.uk/kennel/cats.htm

http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/poison...ucalyptus.html that is just the plant not a concentration like an oil

If you are putting a drop or two on the vacuum bag ... likely that is okay as the cats are not directly touching it ... or smelling the oil itself .. But I would not use it
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post #9 of 15
9/19/10 at 6:10pm
Shaky hon, this is a power, Ever seen the laundry stuff call Mule Team 20/20? Borax? We use it like you use the power on the rugs, set for 20 minutes, vaccum. Soon tho, I will not have any carpet left... we are remodelling room by room(the cats would love to get in the 3rd bedroom right now,,lol) and we are pulling all that up.

I never use an oil, unless it in my scent oils and I NEVER let the cats near them as they are posion to humans and animals alike.

Thanks for the other ideas tho, I may need them when I get rid off all the carpet here.

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post #10 of 15
9/19/10 at 6:56pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fluffee View Post
Shaky hon, this is a power, Ever seen the laundry stuff call Mule Team 20/20? Borax? We use it like you use the power on the rugs, set for 20 minutes, vaccum. Soon tho, I will not have any carpet left... we are remodelling room by room(the cats would love to get in the 3rd bedroom right now,,lol) and we are pulling all that up.

I never use an oil, unless it in my scent oils and I NEVER let the cats near them as they are posion to humans and animals alike.

Thanks for the other ideas tho, I may need them when I get rid off all the carpet here.
Please re read what I actually quoted ... I was NOT saying anything on Borax which is slightly toxic but if done correctly ( I e vacuumed thoroughly not an issue).. I HAD quoted the essential oil and stated IT was toxic
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post #11 of 15
9/20/10 at 5:11am
^That had be scratching my head.

Tried Borax 10? 12? years ago for a bad flea infestation. Never again. Apparently I'm extremely sensitive to it like I am a lot of other chemicals.
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post #12 of 15
9/20/10 at 8:40am
bumping

have any of you gotten flea bites from the fleas jumping on you?

also what is feral? off to look that up...
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post #13 of 15
9/20/10 at 8:48am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Um Conchita View Post
have any of you gotten flea bites from the fleas jumping on you?

also what is feral? off to look that up...
Feral means wild, untamed. Cats that cannot be held - though with time and patience many can be tamed to varying degrees. Semi-feral is inbetween. Still very wild but trusts people to a greater degree, may even come and ask for pettings - but if you move the wrong way will look at you like you're an axe murder and run. (I have one who is semi-feral but has tamed down a lot)
And skittish is just that, skittish. They trust their person(s) but only them, though can be won over by other people easier than the former two categories.

And yes, fleas love to snack on people if they can.
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post #14 of 15
9/20/10 at 8:52am
[quote=Um Conchita;2931357]
have any of you gotten flea bites from the fleas jumping on you?

QUOTE]

My sister and I both have that problem; we are allergic to flea bites. For us, the bites are awful--clustered together, red & swollen, & itch like you wouldn't believe. That's why both of us are diligent about keeping our homes flea-free.
btw--we use Advantage
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post #15 of 15
9/20/10 at 10:56am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Um Conchita View Post
bumping

have any of you gotten flea bites from the fleas jumping on you?

also what is feral? off to look that up...
Nope, never had a flea bite.
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