Why NOT to use over the counter flea remedies (Warning: Graphic Image)

I have to wonder about those people who just surrender their cats for the most ridiculous reasons. I consider my cats as my "children" and could not EVER get rid of my cats. It is unthinkable to me.

About five or six years ago I went to the local animal shelter looking for this stray that I would feed every day. While I was there this woman came in with her cat in a cat carrier and was crying. I couldn't help but ask her why she was so upset and she told me that she had to have her twelve year old cat put down because her boyfriend didn't like that she was urinating in this one room. I came to find out is that they would lock her in this bedroom without a litter box.

I looked at her cat and actually held her and the cat was gripping my shoulder and was very scared. My mind made up, I asked her to put the cat back in the carrier and that I was going to find someone to take her cat because I could not allow her cat to be put down due to those selfish reasons. So I called my parents and my mom agreed to take the cat since she has the same beliefs as I do.

Now Baby has been with my parents since 1998 and is happy and content and never once has she urinated anywhere but in the litter box.

omg what a fabulous story!!!

Similar situation with my Zoey... Zoey was surrendered and requested to be euthanized because she had a "biting problem". Not even malicious biting.. the kind of biting they do when they play, except Zoey did it all the time, it was hard to pet her. I saw her at the shelter and saw that her papers said "surrenered for biting" but it didnt stop me. I brought her home, I gave her love, I did my best to teach her not to bite, I used Flower Essences, personal training with toys etc.. and now 6 months later Zoey is the sweetest most affectionate cat, only head bonking me now instead of biting. I am very proud of her.

If people would just have a little freaking patience instead of immediately dumping their cats off when the slightest thing goes wrong, there would be so many cats lives spared.

Originally posted by Sicycat
If people would just have a little freaking patience instead of immediately dumping their cats off when the slightest thing goes wrong, there would be so many cats lives spared.

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Amen, Sister!

The number of declawed cats in shelters is staggering. People mutilate an animal, and then..gasp...are upset when it develops behavioral problems!

Originally posted by Rang_27
Second, I have a question. I never knew this could happen with over the counter flea products & now I'm worried because I put some on my cats last week because they keep running out the door & I wanted to make sure if they got away from me they would be protected from fleas & ticks. So how long after application does this kind of reaction show up? They are fine right now, but I'm worried. Let me just say after seeing this I will NEVER use that stuff again, I'll call my Vet.

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Here is a site that you and everyone may want to look at.I don't know if this is the brand that was used on the cat,but this is something all pet owners need to read.

http://www.hartzvictims.org/

I dont understand how they can sell stuff that does this to cats. You would after so many problems, the product would be pulled from the stores and destroyed.

Sicy,I don't know how they are able to still be selling this either.

I am so upset about the hartz thing. That is the brand I used on my cat who got sick. When I went to the site I found other animals had also experienced sezures and even died. I am going to register to that site and do all i can. I also intend to tell every one i know to visit that site. That is just so awfull.

I can honestly say after going to that site I'm FREAKING OUT!!!!!!. I asked the people there if I haven't seen a reaction after a week, my kitties would be OK, but waiting around is killing me. I joined the site & now plan on helping in the effort to take this **** (insert whatever foul word you like there) off the market. I think pet owners have a right to feel like what they are buying for their animals is safe.

Gosh, that's horrible!
Velvet had fleas as a kitten when we first got her 9 years ago. We used anything and everything over the counter to get rid of them. I consider myself so lucky nothing like this happened. I know so much more now that I did then, about fleas, their treatment, and the potential side effects of the treatments.
Fleas are the worst!

Originally posted by Rang_27
I can honestly say after going to that site I'm FREAKING OUT!!!!!!. I asked the people there if I haven't seen a reaction after a week, my kitties would be OK, but waiting around is killing me. I joined the site & now plan on helping in the effort to take this **** (insert whatever foul word you like there) off the market. I think pet owners have a right to feel like what they are buying for their animals is safe.

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I really think that if it were going to harm your cats if would have already done so.From what most people have said,it was a fairly quick reaction.I would think that a week is plenty of time to see if it were going to cause a reaction.

At least you will know next time.I know it costs a little more,but next time go to your vet and get flea meds there,or get Frontline(I believe this is the one available OTC,but someone correct me if I'm wrong)from the pet store or wherever they sell it.

You can get Frontline and Advantage at Pet stores and its ok.. but anything else I wouldnt touch.

Do you guys know anything about Revolution for cats ??? I herd it is also good for earmites and heartworm . Is that save for cats ???
Anybody please . I was thinking getting that since I have a cat enclosure and a mosquito may bit them and give them heartworm .

How horrible. That poor little kitty.

I heard Revolution is good too.

I feel so bad for that poor kitty.

What really gets me (besides the fact that its owner surrendered him because they 'couldn't care for him ) is that everytime I walk into a pet supply store, I see those flea products on the shelves. I mean, I know better than to buy them because of TCS and reading up on the stuff, but some people don't. And I (kind of) understand why they buy it... it's there... it's in a pet supply store, so it should be just fine to use on them, right? I mean, I don't go and buy bug repellant in the summer and assume it's going to be toxic and that my skin will fall off. Although at least on those there are warnings about inhalation, etc.

Anyway - if they would just pull these items off the shelves, it would do SO much. I'm not saying that ignorance is okay here, but I do understand why people would assume using those products would be fine.

OMG poor kitty

It's been 2 weeks since I gave the drops to my guys & they had no reaction. I did, my to their dismay, give them baths in the hope it would wash off any residue. I've also printed the info & posted it at the shelter I volenteer at. Apparently not many people around her know about this info. I signed the petition to get it off the market & if you follow that link to HartzVictims.org, you'll be able to find it & sign it too.

I can't believe the victims haven't gotten together and tried to file a class action, or if they have that nothing has been done. Lawyers should be wanting to jump on this for the size of Hartz and the number of victims they really stand to make a killing. When a kmart toy almost made my cat choke I was ready to seek legal counsel if it messed up his intestines or anything, I can't believe people would just sit there and not sue. This is America!! And even if you get no money at least they get a ton of bad press and the products will get pulled.

http://www.vetcentric.com/magazine/m...ArticleID=1725

Scroll down to the bottom of the page and they have several links concerning Hartz.

Why can't these products be banned??