OMG!!! NOOOOOOO - I Have Fleas!

drinkmore · May 17, 2006

This upsets me badly. My neighbor told me a few days ago her cat got fleas real bad, only because she gets out occasionaly. I was like sorry to hear. I was happy to know my cat was not an outdoor cat and has never been outdoors unless I held her close and just stepped like 3 feet out. Never has she been on the ground.

Anyways - I was brushing her today and after cleaning the brush I saw a flea moving around. This confirmed my suspicious earlier because when I got in my car, something was crawling on my hand and it looked like an ant but at quick glance it was thin and appeared to "jump" away. A flea.

How do I head this off NOW! I don't want fleas, I don't want fleas in my apartment and just knowing there are fleas in here is making my head itch, no joke. I DESPISE FLEAS!

Should I use frontline? What about carpet treatment for JUST IN CASE ?

Thanks all for the help!

Ash and my head thank you!

poisonedpenny · May 17, 2006

I would just get a flea bath for the animals, a flea shampoo for you, and a can of that aerosol flea killer stuff to use on the main pieces of furniture in your home- couch, bed, favorite chair.

(I'm pretty sure the spray is okay for around pets. Someone else correct me if I'm wrong.)

barfight · May 17, 2006

aaahhhh!!! i know the feeling...you see one and all the sudden everything, really, i mean everything itches. use the flea bath, use some flea stuff that i can't currently name, but a powder, on your carpet, wash your bedding, and get some frontline. that should put you at ease. that is the one and only problem that was headed off with a swiftness with my sweet kitty.

minxie · May 18, 2006

Call me paranoid but as well as use advantage on my cats, every 3 months I steam clean the carpets and use Acclaim (spray for household soft furnishings with flea killer and something that stops baby fleas from developing). I vacuum every day. Groom the cats every day and regularly use a tea tree oil lotion on the cats. The tea tree oil is not only a natural flea repellent, it also keeps the cats skin and fur healthy.

My childhood cat had fleas bad one year (I was a teenager and didn't know much about cat care then). My parents were thinking about getting rid of the cat because we had fleas in the house. Seeing my cat scratching and uncomfortable, as well as fleas in the house and the thought of losing my furbaby traumatised me I think! Since then, I have taken flea control seriously and our cats don't have fleas

Our cats sleep and chill out on our bed, sofa, laps, cat tree, carpets...so its important that there are no fleas.

One year I did try the 6 month program injection on my cats..I had two back then and it was excellent! However, with 7, it works out easier for me financially to use advantage every month.

eupnea · May 18, 2006

Originally Posted by PoisonedPenny

I would just get a flea bath for the animals, a flea shampoo for you, and a can of that aerosol flea killer stuff to use on the main pieces of furniture in your home- couch, bed, favorite chair.

(I'm pretty sure the spray is okay for around pets. Someone else correct me if I'm wrong.)

OTC flea shampoos are bad news!!!

PLEASE go to a vet before using any products on your animals.

minxie · May 18, 2006

eupnea is right...I did some research on the net and some animals have had fatal reactions to some flea treatments out there.

Once you have sorted the flea problem out ( you will...its a problem that can be resolved!), use a flea comb to regularly check you cat and get your cat on a regular vet-approved flea control program.

anakat · May 18, 2006

minxie said:
Groom the cats every day and regularly use a tea tree oil lotion on the cats. The tea tree oil is not only a natural flea repellent, it also keeps the cats skin and fur healthy.

Warning; Tea Tree oil can be toxic to cats.
http://www.vet-task-force.com/Abstract-tea-tree-oil.htm

minxie · May 18, 2006

Anakat - I think its ok as my vet recommended the product. My long-time vet said its toxic if the essential oil is used in too strong a concentration (the same applies to humans). Tea tree essential oil can affect the liver.

This one is a very watered down version (less than 1 percent) which is manufactured especially for cats and which my vet really recommends. I've used it for years with no ill effect and no fleas. Its not used everyday..just once a month when I give them an extra special grooming.

Its worrying to know what is toxic or not....I've read about Advantage and Frontline even causing problems. However, I have made a balanced-decision to use advantage on my vets recommendation.

andrewweilin · May 18, 2006

I prefer using those flea drops you apply on the back of their neck. I was using Advantage before. It literally makes your cat a walking flea killer. With those, it's virtually unnecessary to use anything else such as a spray or a carpet cleaner.

My cats are strictly indoors, but there was a time when I brought fleas into the home! I think it was from lying on someone else's couch. So even though I don't normally have to give my cats flea treatments, I gave it to them anyway to clear up my entire apartment. Frontline and such should be excellent at making your cats moving flea magnet killers! DIE!

halfpint · May 18, 2006

Originally Posted by andrewweilin

I prefer using those flea drops you apply on the back of their neck. I was using Advantage before. It literally makes your cat a walking flea killer. With those, it's virtually unnecessary to use anything else such as a spray or a carpet cleaner.

My cats are strictly indoors, but there was a time when I brought fleas into the home! I think it was from lying on someone else's couch. So even though I don't normally have to give my cats flea treatments, I gave it to them anyway to clear up my entire apartment. Frontline and such should be excellent at making your cats moving flea magnet killers! DIE!

That's what i use and I have 8 cats, I also bought Boraxo and sprinkled it on the carpet let it set awhile then vacum it up...gets rid of the ones in the carpet, only had them 1 time when the kittens were small right after I rescued them.

stephanietx · May 18, 2006

I use Revolution on both of my kitties. My little Hannah was infested with those pesky fleas when we got her, so I can sympathize with the feeling that they're everywhere!

Get something from the vet to treat the fleas that are on the cat. For your house, get a box (or 2) of Borax and sprinkle it everywhere the kitty goes. (You may need to confine your cat to one room while you do this.) You can use a broom to sweep it into the carpet. Let it sit overnight or for several hours, if possible. Vacuum up then do it in the area your cat was confined to.

Also, be sure to treat any bedding that you can't wash. Wash any bedding you have for you cat (towels, blankets, etc) in hot water. Add a scoop of Borax to the load.

Stephanie

yorkiegal · May 19, 2006

we never had fleas until tab went to stay at my friends house for the week whilst i was abroad.She came home covered in them! That was two years ago and every few months i find them again so i guess they're in the carpet somewhere. Frontline does the job in keeping them off her but it's another story with the house. I've tried flea bombs, shampooing the carpets, boil washing all the bedding etc but the little blighters keep returning. This month i finally gave up and removed the living room carpet and replaced it with laminate flooring. I'm getting a new kitten and really want to be sure we're flea free first. Haven't spotted any since so fingers crossed it's fixed now. I just hope and pray that new kittie doesn't arrive with her own family of fleas!

OMG!!! NOOOOOOO - I Have Fleas!

drinkmore

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poisonedpenny

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barfight

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minxie

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eupnea

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minxie

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anakat

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minxie

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andrewweilin

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halfpint

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stephanietx

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yorkiegal

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