Startling news regarding flea collars

Thought those who use these might be interested

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...llars-poison-danger-revealed-Mail-Sunday.html

Yup, my cat lost all the fur around his neck due to a flea collar; didn't come back for months..

What is startling to a lot of us is that Bob Martin have at last withdrawn the product, even though the driving force seems to be worries about people rather than cats.  It's been well known to some of us for years that their flea collars are 1) ineffective and 2) dangerous to some cats.

The best advice on flea products I've found comes from the FAB.  Here, yet again, is the URL:

http://www.fabcats.org/owners/fleas/info.html

(the FAB is one of the best cat sites I've found and covers a wealth of information often in considerable depth)

I have often thought that the death of one of my cats years ago was due to a flea collar - I didn't know any better in those days and he wore one for years. At the age of around 12 he began to get cysts on his neck, which the vet kep removing. Then at 16 one of the cysts proved to be cancerous and it spread to his jaw. I can't really blame myself, because everyone used the collars, but I can't help thinking about it sometimes. I have certainly never used a flea collar since.

I remember last year or the year before me putting something about this product in one of my newsletters. Scary stuff, I'm glad it's off the market! 

What's startling? That a manufacturer finally pulled these things? One of the most widely distributed flea products (not just collars) in the U.S. is Hartz - and consumers have known for years there's a problem (sadly, too many of them learned from dead animals. ). http://www.hartzvictims.org/

I never use them I just thought I would post it for those that do, I hate any chemicals at the best of times and having something wraped around your pets kneck with chemicals that strong is just insane, nice to see that france has banned that type though.

VERY nice. :nod: And the more often information like this gets out there, the better. Sorry about the tone of my post, it wasn't meant personally. I just get so upset that these things get sold at all, and so many pets suffer (or worse!) because of it.