My flea experience. Please help if possible.

Hey everyone,

I have been visiting this site for tips for a while and the time has come to register and ask for help myself. So thank you in advance.

My cat has come down with fleas a week or so ago. Unfortunatly it seems to be getting quite bad. I went to a vet and they sold me some Frontline Plus. How exactly does that work? What exactly kills the fleas?

The reason I ask is that I applied it 48 hours ago and their are still fleas scampering on my little buddy. The fleas do seem quite active at the moment. I did read somewhere that fleas become active when they are dying. Is that true? Also, he is very twitchy right now. Is that the fleas or can the medicine cause that?

Thanks in advance. I know I asked alot but I am concerned.

-- Btw he is an extremely long haired Orange Cat. 4 years old

Ok if there are that many fleas you might want to ask the vet for Capstar first. It is a pill they swallow and it kills all living fleas in 24 hours I believe.

In the mean time sit down with a flea comb and a bowl of water with dawn dish soap in it. Enough to get all sudsy and comb over your cat, dipping the flea comb into the soapy water to kill them and rinse the comb off.

If there are still more fleas in the next few days and more are coming after combing your cat, ask the vet about Capstar and think about flea bombing your house

Oh and welcome to TCS!!

This makes sense as well. I grabbed this from a Frontline site.

4. Why am I seeing more fleas on my pet after applying a FRONTLINE Brand Product?
After the application of a FRONTLINE Brand Product, you may see more fleas, but this is an indication that the FRONTLINE Brand Product is working. FRONTLINE Brand Products make fleas hyperexcited, drawing them to the top of the haircoat before dying. This will make them more visible to you.

Definately makes sense. Be sure to continuously vacuum the floors to get all the dead fleas and put a flea collar into the vacuum cleaner while vacuuming. A new one every time and throw out the bags inbetween. However do not put one on your cat.

I was told that I should not place a flea collar in the vaccum since when they get heated, it can release toxic odars. We use a bagless kind that is pretty air tight. We then hose it out after we empty it.

I am just wondering when Toby (my cat), will be able to get a good night sleep again. He probably woke up 10 times last night from itching or scratching himself. Trust me, I woke up everytime he did. I assume if they are becoming hyperexcited, Toby can feel that along his back and bothers him.

Aww poor kitty. If he is that miserable then call the vet back and see what they think. You can just usually talk to them over the phone and see if he may need a larger dose or something. Or like I said, maybe Capstar.

Well, I am at work and my wife just checked on Toby and she said he seems pretty content at the moment. His fur is extremely long and I wonder if it just took a bit more time for the medicine to work. Last night was the first night that he was scratching and twitching so I am just assuming that it is working as it should.

Well hopefully this chapter of his life will resolve soon and we can go back to worrying about his catnip addiction. He is still in step one which I think is denial.

Thanks for the advice and if it continues, I will talk to the vet about Capstar. I just prefer to limit what I use as much as possible.

Well, Toby seems alot happier now. Two nights ago I did not get much sleep because Toby kept meowing and scratching all night long. Last night I woke up alot because he kept trying to sleep as close to me as possible. I am assuming the Frontline is working and he is getting happier again.