Frontline problem

Both of my cats are indoor cats but I ride horses on a friends farm so I bring home fleas from the horses occasionally, I treat my cats with Frontline for this reason.

My problem is that I have only started using the Frontline 2 months ago and my one cat could really care less about whether or not I apply it to him but the other cat...well let's just say he freaks out a little bit. We have to hold him down and he is very strong so he puts up a big fight and then usually he gets away and we have to chase him and as you can imagine this can go on all night.

After we finally get the frontline on him he is so upset that he won't come near us for days, which is horrible and unusual because he is an extremely affectionate cat. And then once he finally gets over this, about a week later, he lets us get close but every now and then we'll be petting him and he just flips out for no reason.

So by the time he is completely calmed down..weeks later. It's time to apply more Frontline and history will repeat itself.

Is there an easier way to do this? I hate to torture my baby and I'm sick of him being mad at me.

Frontline time is coming up in a couple of days and my husband and I are dreading it immensly.

I would appreciate any ideas!

Thanks!

is there any way you could kind of "sneak" it on him? when I put Revolution on my cats, I just get them while they are relaxed and squirt it on really quick

That's how I intially try and do it but he either catches me in the act or I can only get half of it on him.

Thanks for the idea, I am going to keep trying to do. I wish he wasn't so smart

Put it on him very gently while he's sleeping.

Originally Posted by StarryEyedTiGeR

Put it on him very gently while he's sleeping.

Click to expand...

That won't traumatize him? I thought maybe he would be too afraid too sleep then...

I don't know for sure, but maybe try holding the tube in your hand for a few minutes first or a glass of hot water so it isn't cold when you put it on and then "sneak" it on when he is sleeping. He may not even notice you've done it.

over here in the uk we have to get frontline subscribed by the vet, maybe he has an adverse reaction to frontline and he knows he has (because they cant tell us) i would ask your vet about this before administering again, its powerfull stuff frontline (organophosphates) (highly pure form of chemical garlic and other stuff) i think and some cats have a bad reaction to it

Good idea about making it warm first, I didn't think of that.

I will also talk to my vet today and ask him about the possibility of a reaction to Frontline.

I wouldn't be suprised if he does have a reaction to it since he has had wierd reactions to food and stuff like that before. But it's hard to tell because him "freaking" out like this over stuff isn't abnormal, he hates any kind of medicine or being "forced" into doing anything.

Thanks so much for all the advice!

One of my cats reacts to Frontline that way, but she has never become upset when I've used Advantage or Revolution. So, perhaps switching to a different flea remedy will solve the problem.

Sounds like that's what I should do.

After talking to my vet, she didn't think he was having an allergic reaction or anything medical but she did think it might be the smell of it that he doesn't like or maybe just the trauma of the whole thing, she is used to him and knows how "freaked" out he gets over EVERYTHING that he has no control of (i.e. getting his temp taken, given any kind of medicine or shot). She said it's up to me if I want to try putting it on him while he's sleeping and see how he reacts and if it works out then keep using frontline, otherwise switch to something else.

She also suggested that I reward them after the experience, with a treat, so that they don't think they are being punished by having to get Frontline.

I think that's what I'm going to try...