Help found flea on my cat!

Never experienced a flea problem before and want to handle this as safely as possible. So it's 2 am sunday before labor day, just found a flea on my cat. My vet is closed tomorrow, probably all are. I have 3 cats and found a flea on my cat I just took to the vet this week. She's the easiest to spot a bug on because she has a lot of white fur.  She's on antibiotics right now and was running a fever, very lethargic, she's 9. There are 2 other cats in the house, a kitten and a 3 year old. I'm guessing target will be open, is there something I can pick up there? Pet smart may also be open, or should I wait for the vet? Also should I worry about the cat trees?

Target is open, Petsmart probably too.  Best bet right now is get everybody a dose of Capstar (NItenpyram)--available in generic at most places--will kill live fleas for up to 24 hours, follow it up with a dose of Frontline Plus or Advantage II for everybody.

You may eventually need to treat furniture, etc, but at starters you want to get the fleas off the cats.  Even though you only saw one, assume that all cats are infested.

If you have time, vacuum the cat trees to remove flea eggs.  If your vacuum takes bags, seal them carefully and throw them out.  If it is bagless, empty the container OUTSIDE to avoid reintroducing larvae or eggs to your house.  However, flea eggs can hide anywhere...cracks in wood floors, in carpet...you may eventually want to consult a professional pest control agent, but you may not have to.

Keep cats on monthly flea preventative for at least 4 months.  The capstar is a one-off thing.

Capstar is good, but don't use any other over the counter flea products.  At the least, you can do a comb dipped in some water with a little bit of plain blue Dawn dish soap.  If you have a way to contain your cats, sprinkle some Borax or Diatomaceous Earth (food grade found at the feed store and some health food stores) on your furniture and floors.  Let it sit for several hours or overnight.  Place a flea collar in your vacuum bag and vacuum up the borax. 

Actually you do not want to put a flea collar in the vacuum--it can aerosolize the chemicals in the flea collar and put them out in the environment.  Those things are not healthy.

I think that OTC flea products like Advantage II and Frontline Plus are pretty safe...but that's just me, I suppose.  I would not get the cheapy Hartz though.  That can easily be toxic.

Thank you so much for your help! There is a lot of advice and had no idea what is best to do. Going to petsmart hoping to find everything, then target of I have to. Have no vacuum, no rugs or carpet. Guess I need a handheld. If anyone has recommendation please let me know

Any difference to frontline plus and advantage ? Frontline says use on all the cats advantage has different kinds for weight

My aunt says advantage and frontline don't even work it's useless poison

In certain regions of the US, Frontline and Advantage have become less effective. After being used by so many people for over a decade, the fleas have developed an immunity to the active ingredients. For example, I used Frontline for years on my dogs and cats and it worked great. Then, about 5 years ago, the fleas would be back after only about two weeks. We switched to Advantage and it works perfectly.
I have heard that Frontline works in California, but not Advantage. It all depends on where you live.

As for the 'poison' claim, all flea medications are poison. That is what they are- insecticides. Frontline and Advantage are safer because they were originally only available by prescription, through the vet. As their patents expired and new medications were developed, they became available over-the-counter. The products that should be avoided are the 'knock-offs' or brands that claim 'same active ingredient as Frontline.' They may have the same active ingredient, but the inactive ingredients can cause severe chemical burns and neurological damage. These knock-offs are made in India and China and have been proven time and again to be dangerous.

I would contact a local animal rescue and ask which of the two products, Frontline or Advantage, is effective in your area. They should definitely know.

My aunt says cheristin works for her cats not advantage or frontline in California. I'm in chicago however. She says cheristyn is somehow safer, is this really true? There's no way I can make it to a vet for at least 3 days .

So is cheristin safer somehow?

How long after capstar should I wait to give advantage? Don't want to over poison

Honestly, I'd wait until tomorrow and talk to the vet. One more day isn't going to hurt much, especially if you vacuum and comb them.

doing my own research though found a very interesting product comparison.http://www.1800petmeds.com/Advantag...s+to+Flea3X+PLUS+for+Cats-compare6400008.html  found that these products are different and it does seem as though advantage 2 if it does work in my area is the best possible choice maybe. Only because it is the only that kills larvae and eggs which the frontlne plus and cheristin do not. I've been through bedbugs before. Have post traumatic stress from that. Will talk to vet tomorrow morning.